[nagdu] understanding dog language was your thoughts on this

Tue Sep 17 18:03:37 UTC 2013

Julie,

Funny. I know what's going on in the neighborhood by how the dogs are 
barking. I can even tell which folks are walking by to some extent. I 
know when the mail comes before anyone else as opposed to when the dogs 
bark out the window at another dog that goes by about the same time. I'm 
still working at getting the rotten beasts to do less yard and fence 
barking, but get inconsistent about working on it because I like knowing 
what is going on. /smile/ Well, they bark at fewer things and bark less, 
but I still know what's going on. So I guess we're getting to a decent 
point. I can be out in the yard with my dogs now and know what is going 
on by how the neighbor dogs are barking, which means mine are being 
quiet. Whew!

I guess it comes from being around dogs so much and also interacting 
with them behaviorally in a training way? Or maybe some of us just have 
dog radar that others don't? Who knows?

I've been noticing how much I pick up from my prancy dancy poodle when 
she's in harness, too. Sometimes I'm actually shocked to notice I can't 
see what's around me because I have a nice mental image based on her 
body language and little movements. I know if it's a squirrel or a kitty 
or a friendly dog or an interesting person... Or if it's a travel 
trailer parked on the street that might have a kitty under it. /lol/ 
Well, I also know if it's a worrisome dog vs. a friendly, which I find 
convenient. I sometimes get annoyed by the poodle nonsense factor, but 
if I had a dog without it, I would be lost! /lol/

When it comes to judging other dogs in the environment, I listen first 
to the human, assuming there is one with them. Even if a dog is making 
Cujo noises, the human seems to be the best indicator of whether it's 
just got a foul mouth or is calling for Death To All Poodles. Mitzi 
seems to know the difference, too, so if she is distracted by the dog, I 
can figure it's a friendly. If she's not, then I pay attention! But 
mostly if I have concerns, I listen to the human voice and response, as 
well as how that affects the dog in question. Seems to work.

Tami

On 09/17/2013 09:14 AM, Julie J. wrote:
> The other day Belle was barking.  I was in the kitchen working so Kiddo
> ran interference for me.  I told him she was barking at another dog, but
> he thought she was just barking.  She's old and a bit addled and does
> this sometimes.  Anyway when Kiddo looked out the window, sure enough
> there was another dog walking by.
>
> He thinks I am some sort of crazy dog lady for being able to tell what
> the dogs are barking at by the sound of the barking.  Same goes for all
> the other variety of noises they make.  I'm no dog whisperer, but I can
> tell the difference of the broad categories of expression...another dog,
> some wildlife in the yard, people coming up the walk to visit, play with
> me...
>
> So is it really that unique to be able to distinguish what the dogs are
> communicating?  I've never thought so, but Kiddo lives here and spends a
> good amount of time around the dogs too.  My dogs do bark at home,
> especially Belle.  I'm okay with that.   Monty doesn't bark in harness
> and that is all that matters to me.  No clue what I'm going to do when
> Jetta comes back, she doesn't seem to bark.  She makes other noises
> though, so I suppose I'll learn how to read her too.
>
> Thoughts?
> Julie
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Tami Jarvis
> Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 11:01 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] your thoughts on this
>
> Good question. Honestly, if you don't know the dog and don't know how to
> read body language, there are times you can't tell. Well, and people who
> are afraid of dogs will see aggression in anything. People who don't
> know dogs will be scared of things that people who do know dogs will see
> as amusing play or excitement displays.
>
> So the hard and fast rule about lunging, snapping, snarling, barking,
> growling turns out not always as easy as it sounds. One person sees the
> dog moving forward to give a friendly greeting, maybe even straining
> against the leash, but just trying to be friendly. Another person sees
> an attack lunge. One person hears a greeting "woof." Another person
> hears Cujo. This is why it would be so great if the dogs really were as
> perfect as advertised in their public behavior. It's embarrassing enough
> if your dog does something doggy, but there will be a variety of
> perceptions and responses all around while you're dealing with the dog,
> or even after you've reminded the dog to be perfect and it is again. Sigh.
>
> A temperament test by some designated expert might be a useful tool in
> case things get ugly in a situation where someone has complained about
> aggression. With a program-trained dog, that testing will have been done
> probably at several points during the dog's raising and training. So
> that's a plus. It would be nice if the handler's judgment carried enough
> weight, but if someone is complaining and an authority figure is caught
> in the middle, then having an expert to pull out of your pocket is
> awfully convenient.
>
> Anyway, there's not necessarily a hard and fast rule. I mean, we all
> know those sorts of behaviors are inappropriate, and we know aggression
> is a deal-breaker. But some of the inappropriate behaviors don't
> necessarily mean an aggressive temperament, so then those can be dealt
> with behaviorally in many cases. If the dog still can't manage too much
> excitement and learn to manage its behavior, then that is a problem,
> too, but a different one than real aggression.
>
> JMO
>
> Tami
>
> On 09/17/2013 05:58 AM, Star Gazer wrote:
>> This does make me wonder if there are define standards on "aggressive" v.
>> "excited" behavior, and also who gets to be "The Decider" when something
>> like this goes down.
>> Anybody know?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura T
>> Sent: Monday, September 16, 2013 4:55 PM
>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [nagdu] your thoughts on this
>>
>> First I would like to say that I was surprised by the activity did not
>> know
>> it was going to be taking place second the quite place was the idea
>> that the
>> guide dog school came up with third the problem was Vegas got excited was
>> not aggressive as the professor is letting on. Vegas was in his lets
>> visit
>> everyone mode that I am trying to break him of for the rest of the
>> meeting
>> that is why I was having trouble holding him back fourth this started
>> because wen he got excited he scared someone who was afraid of dogs
>> and she
>> complained afterwards to the professor
>>
>> Laura L. Thompson
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>>
>>
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>
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