Misreading Dogs by Nicole Wilde

Nicole Wilde has another great blog post, located here, about misreading dogs' attempts to communicate and being our own dog's advocate.

Body language and knowing your own dog

Here is a good blog post by Stacy Braslau-Schneck about body language in dogs.  One point she makes that I think is worth repeating and emphasizing is that it is so important to know your own dog.  That is, know how your dog normally carries his or her ears and tail, what a relaxed posture looks like, et cetera.  By becoming familiar with how your dog looks when comfortable and relaxed, you can learn to read the signs that your dog gives to say that he or she is becoming apprehensive or stressed.  When you see changes from that relaxed and comfortable state, you can ask yourself what is going on in the environment that might be bothering your dog, and look for ways to make him or her feel better.

The Gift of the Growl

Here is a wonderful article by Pat Miller that explains why we should never punish a dog for growling.  The growl is a gift;  it is information for us on what the dog is feeling.  She also talks about what to do if your dog growls at something.  This information is so important!  If a dog is punished for growling, you will eventually have a dog that bites without any warning whatsoever, and that is much more dangerous than a growling dog.