Movements

Read through the following behavioural signs, look at the pictures and watch the video examples. Once you have used this page, continue onto vocalisations.

The following movements are likely to indicate anxiety or fear:

  • Approaching and then retreating from something (e.g. object, vehicle, person) and alternating between these responses

/vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/approachretreat.jpg   /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/barkhoover.jpg

Approaching and retreating from a hoover

  • Moving or leaning away from something

 

  • Running away from a situation

/vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/dogdogearsbackfollow.jpg   /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/moveaway3.jpg   /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/avoidattentionseek.jpg

  • Lifting one paw

paw lifting  /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/pawlift.jpg

Lifting one paw

  • Reluctant to come forward or follow a command

/vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/ignorecommand.jpg   /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/reluctantfollowcommand.jpg

Reluctant to come forward

  • Lunging forwards (unless this is a trained behaviour)

 

  • Biting or nipping

/vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/lungebark.jpg

Lunging

  • Often seeking attention (for example: pawing or leaning on you, jumping up, mounting or mouthing at you or others)

    /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/mouthing.jpg   pawing

Attention seeking

  • Reluctant to give something up (e.g. moving away from you with an object or toy).

 

  • Guarding; stiff posture, growling or snapping if you approach when the dog has an object or food.

/vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/guard.jpg   /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/guard2.jpg

 

  • Hiding, underneath furniture or behind your legs

/vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/hiding2.jpg

  /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/hide.jpg

Hiding in kennel

  • Destroying items, whining, howling, barking, urinating, defecating, when left alone

 

  • Following you around before you leave

 

  • Eating food quickly before you leave or leaving it until you get back

 

  • Waiting and watching by a window or exit point until you get back

 

  • Trying to go with the person leaving

/vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/howling.jpg /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/separation.png

/vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/srb2.jpg

Trying to go with the person leaving

  • Repetitive behaviour (for example: spinning in circles, chasing tail or shadows, or licking or nibbling at parts of the dogs body)

/vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/shadowchase.jpg

/vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/spin1.jpg  /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/spin2.jpg   /vetscience/services/behaviour-clinic/dogbehaviouralsigns/images/spin3.jpg

 

Examples of repetitive behaviours:

Licking and 'air sniffing'

Circling

Now continue onto: vocalisations


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