Understanding ddog

[VirtualLearning]

DDog is very easy and I tend to understand her really well. But there’s one thing I can’t read to understand - when she wants to come onto my bed (which is a bit high to jump onto ) she keeps darting off out of reach when I get out to lift her. Then whines or attempts to get in as still wants to get up! And it’s definitely what she wants!
I have a similar thing when she is excited about a walk so needs her harness on for it , she trots off unhelpfully even when it’s what she’s asking for ! I don’t understand the lack of logic! Any canine psychology explanation would be very interesting

No explanation I'm afraid. My dog does exactly the same things.

As far as getting on the bed goes, she generally jumps up with very little trouble but there have been one or two occasions a while ago when she seemed to be a bit unsure whether she could manage it or not and if I tried to help her she'd do the same thing as your dog and dash off.

I wondered if it was getting a bit difficult for her now she's not far off her tenth birthday, so I invested in some doggy steps for her.

She's now has no difficulty jumping up on the bed without using the steps but she likes to use them every time to get off the bed, which I'm pleased about as it saves her ankles and knees from the impact of what is, for a small dog, quite a jump. I think she rather likes them.

We also have the running off and hiding under a table or stool when I go to put her harness on.

When she does that I put the harness down and continue getting myself ready to go, which will make her run back to me in a 'put my harness on' manner.

We usually have to do this a couple of times before she'll come and sit down in front of me and then wait nicely while I put it on.

I think it's probably just excitement.

Wants to be on the bed but doesnt like to be lifted up to it

Whats to go out but does not like the harness being put on

I’m following with interest the harness point.. I think @PollyRoulson was going to give some insight as well..

My 4.5 month old is the same with the harness, if I open the front door to go out without a harness on he bounds out, if I pick up the harness to pop it on him he retreats to a corner looking like the saddest dog in the world.

This is his third harness, in a bid to change it up a bit, we also went through the harness socialisation with this latest one for 10 days before we moved to going outside and suddenly he was back to his sad self.

Ideally we need the harness as we’re doing outdoor scent work with him and he needs a long line to trail so I don’t want that on his collar only.

Once we’re out the front door he’s happy and seems to forget about the harness.

It fits correctly, is not rubbing on him so I don’t think it’s a pain issue.

I’m just at a bit of a loss really...

@PollyRoulson

Wants to be on the bed but doesnt like to be lifted up to it

Whats to go out but does not like the harness being put on

Not sure it's quite as black and white as that.

Certainly my dog is more than happy to be lifted, actually, it's more that she's happy to jump into my arms, in order to access places and situations e.g. to get in the car, when I'm about to clean her teeth, at the vet to get on the table, saying hello to people so they don't have to bend down low and many more.

It's only when it comes to getting on the bed that she won't jump into my arms in order to get where she wants to be.

She seems to want to do it for herself.

Soe dogs are nervy re harnesses.

Some dogs dont like being touched in multple places eg when you put the head bit of the harness on the chest straps may dangle and touch the dog at the same time.

It may help to condition the dog to be touched (very) gently in several places at once. BUT obviously go very carefully with this and watch your dogs reaction for even minor changes.

Some dogs stand really still when they are uncomfortable and it can be interpreted as calm so check for stillness. Also a stiff slightly arched back may also show the dog is not totally happy.

Once the harness is on and secure the dogs are usually ok.

Another thing to check is the noise of the clips. Check your dogs reaction to the clipping of the harness when they are not wearing it. Some hate it and you may need to work on the clip noise to make them feel happier.

Perfect fit are good as the can be clipped around the head rather than go over the head which some dogs prefer.

Distraction may work enough when putting on the harness eg pop treats on the floor whilst you are fitting the harness but conditioning is obviously a better if more time consuming approach.

@Puppyfeet welcome to the world of scent work you and your dog will have so much fun What odours are you using?

Dog rationalisation = toddler rationalisation.

It makes no sense to us but perfect sense to them.

Harnesses some dogs don’t like them and haven’t had enough training to be happy wearing them, some dogs it’s more just a patience thing, they’re going out... now, lol

The bed I’d assume she wants on the bed without being picked up, matters not to a dog that that’s physically impossible.

Most dogs don’t like a harness being put on, whether it’s the motion of it going over their head, or the sound of the buckles etc.

@PigsDofly

I can hear my lecturer at uni saying but its all about the context! As the examples you give show, happy to be lifted but not in the context of the bedroom. So do you think it is concern re the pain of getting off the bed?

I want to be on the bed but that descent is a bugger! or things we will never know about eg how you may be different in this situation.

PuppyFeet If the harness is fitted correctly it shouldn't cause the dog any discomfort.

My dog is nearly 10 years old and has worn a harness all her life. I definitely don't think she's unhappy about putting it on as she will, after a couple of times, actually sit herself down in front of me to have it put on.

She isn't hiding exactly, I know I used the word 'hiding' in my pp, she's actually just going under a low table or stool, sometimes the piano, in the room where I'm getting ready and sits there waiting for me.

She seems perfectly happy. I think it's just a little ritual game she has.

@AuntyFungal

Dog rationalisation = toddler rationalisation.

It makes no sense to us but perfect sense to them.

I found dogs easier than I my toddlers

I love dog body language and how it can mean so many different things.

Think of the dog bow. Generally this is understood to be a play invite between dogs. But for years I have videoed interactions and there is a lot of study on this that shows that many dog bows are actually a polite way of getting space.

In a study only 10% of dog bows lead to play, the remaining all in some form caused distance between the dogs. Watch when dogs get together and see. Often dogs bow the other dogs runs off and the original dog carrys on as they were away from the dog.

Yet as humans we accept the bow is just playful language.

Also the so called submission of the dog lying on their back - this again is usually a way of getting the person, dog away from them. If they continue to feel the need for space they can roll with their legs and push them away.

However many of you will disagree with the above and that is when it comes back to context. My dogs together will bow to start a play chase but they would never do this with dogs they do not know.

I could watch dogs all day.

@PollyRoulson the scent work thing is fabulous! Outdoors we’re working on mantrailing (or sometimes woman trailing!) and have had quite a few training sessions and homework sessions on that, we also track objects that have human smell on. Inside and in our garden I use a drop of lavender oil on an old sock!I am thinking that when he’s older we might look and see if he could be used for search and rescue... he needs a job of some sort! 😀

All very basic at the moment but he’s doing really, really well especially for his age. He loves the main trailing and it’s his happiest training class... I think he’s bored by the standard puppy training classes we’re going to!

On the harness front it is a clip round the neck, not an over the head one... and yes, he does go very still... I think you might be right with the clip noise as his collar is a clip and he does a similar thing when I put his collar on and off.... we’ll work on that. Thank you.

We do search and rescue and loooooove it - I would highly recommend it.

PollyRoulson Yes, indeed that could definitely be the case for her.

In fact she did end up with a bit of limp for a couple of days a few years ago after landing awkwardly when she jumped off the bed, which is one of the reason I got the little steps for her.

Although I did try to train her to do so, she never wanted to use the steps to get onto the bed, she still prefers to jump on.

However, she always uses them to get off the bed. She took to the idea of them really quickly, as if she immediately saw the greater benefit of this new method of getting down, which she clearly did; she's never jumped off the bed since.

She's so determined to use them that if the room is very dark, in the middle of the night, and she isn't sure about getting down safely, she will do a couple of little whimpers to wake me knowing I will turn on the light and she can then go down the steps.

They're not the most beautiful addition to my bedroom, being a rather unattractive pink plastic, with pink carpet on the steps, but they're the best £37 I've spent as far as she's concerned.

@PigsDofly she sounds pretty clever. I love the ways dogs can forward plan eg she whines to get the light put on and then can use the steps.

One of my dogs prefers one of the dog beds and often if another dog is in it, he will go to the window and bark. This of course makes the dog in the bed get out of the bed to check out the situation. Dog 1 promptly jumps into the warm bed and nods of to sleep in seconds.

We have all this palaver!
The running halfway up the stairs when lead or harness is picked up, having previously whined to go out.
The barking in the hall or behind the sofa, and when someone investigates, nicking their seat.

Daft.

Sorry to nip in on a completely matter but @PollyRoulson that's so interesting about the play bow and showing their belly.

My dog has been jumped all over by bigger dogs too many times. He is now really nervous of other dogs. When some dogs approach he will just freeze and wait till they pass. Others he will bow to. Which confused me as to me he looks nervy doing it and I know he's NOT wanting to play.

He is also very quick to roll on his back to another dog. I assumed he was submitting to get rid of the dog. But possibly he's after space from it. He will run past as soon as he thinks they won't follow, and then glances nervously over his shoulder until they're out of sight.

But then occasionally a dog comes along that he decides will be fun and he'll have a play. He confuses me!

So thrilled to just discover all these brilliant replies : thank you all so much! And I now rather want to bring back our indoor toddler steps Also so interesting other dogs do similar.

Ours so very young and definitely doesn’t seem worried getting off the bed again as she’s athletic and when in the mood gets up herself but probably finds it harder in the dark.
We have an excellent ‘Perfect Fit’ harness which doesn’t go over her head or anything as clips so easily .

Sorry I even see Perfect Fit was mentioned as still working through lovely replies and glad it is indeed a good one. We do try to stick to off-lead areas and very rural but I guess sometimes the harness might be associated with restraint around young pheasants in our area!

PollyRoulson Yes, she can be quite smart about some things, others not so much

I love the idea that one of your dogs tricks the other one into giving up the bed; very sneaky.

They're a constant source of joy with their funny ways.