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Dog Behavior terms
Why dogs do what they do, and what to do about it.
Barking A dog's most common vocal signal, used to alert, greet, demand, play or express fear, frustration or loneliness. Bite inhibition A dog's learned ability to control the force of its mouth, which puppies normally acquire through play with littermates and people. Chewing A normal behavior in which dogs gnaw on objects to explore, relieve teething, relax or burn off energy. Counter surfing A dog's habit of putting its feet or nose on kitchen counters or tables to take food, kept going because every success is rewarded. Critical socialization period The early weeks of a puppy's life, roughly 3 to 12 weeks, when it learns most easily to accept new people, animals and places. Digging A natural dog behavior of scraping at soil or bedding, done for cooling, hunting, escaping, hiding things or boredom. Dominance A term that properly describes a relationship in which one animal gets priority over a resource, not a personality trait or a reason for a dog's behavior. Enrichment Giving a dog chances to use its natural abilities, such as sniffing, chewing, foraging and problem solving, to improve its well-being. Jumping up A dog's habit of putting its paws on people when greeting them, usually kept going by the attention it gets. Mouthing A dog's use of its mouth on hands, clothes or people during play or greeting, without intent to injure. Pack theory The outdated idea that dogs live in strict wolf-style packs in which an owner must be the alpha to avoid being dominated. Puppy kindergarten An early group class where young puppies learn basic manners and meet other puppies and people in a supervised setting. Puzzle feeder A toy or bowl that makes a dog work to get its food, giving it a mental task and slowing down eating. Resource guarding A dog's tendency to protect food, toys, places or people from others by stiffening, growling, snapping or biting. Scent marking A dog's deposit of urine, feces or gland scent to leave information for other dogs, not the same as house soiling. Snuffle mat A fabric mat with many strips or pockets in which food is hidden so that a dog has to sniff and forage for it. Socialization Exposing a young dog to a wide range of people, animals, places and sounds in a positive way so that new things do not frighten it. Zoomies Sudden bursts of frantic running and circling, often after a bath or a long rest, which are normal and harmless in healthy dogs. Calming signals Subtle behaviors such as yawning, turning away and sniffing that dogs are said to use to ease tension and avoid conflict. Dog body language The postures, faces and movements dogs use to communicate feelings and intentions without sound. Lip licking A quick tongue flick over the lips or nose that, outside mealtimes, often signals a dog is nervous or uncertain. Piloerection The raising of the hair along a dog's neck, shoulders and back, a sign of strong arousal rather than automatic aggression. Play Voluntary, energetic and usually social activity that dogs do for fun, including chasing, wrestling, tugging and bowing. Play bow A posture in which a dog lowers its front legs and chest while keeping its rear up, signalling an invitation to play. Stress signals Small changes in behavior, such as panting without heat, yawning, shaking off or a tucked tail, that show a dog is uneasy. Tail wagging A dog's tail movement, which signals arousal and emotion but does not mean a dog is friendly. Whale eye A look in which a dog turns its head away but keeps its eyes on something, showing a crescent of white, and is often uneasy. Aversive Anything a dog wants to avoid, from a leash pop or shock to a loud noise, when used to change behavior. Classical conditioning Learning that links two events so that a dog reacts to a signal in the same way it reacts to what the signal predicts. Desensitization and counter-conditioning A training plan that exposes a dog to a fear trigger at a level it can handle while pairing it with something good, to change how the dog feels. Fear period A stage, often described around 8 to 11 weeks and again in adolescence, when a young dog may react strongly to things it once ignored. Habituation A dog's learned reduction of its reaction to something harmless that is met again and again without consequence. Leash reactivity Barking, lunging or growling at other dogs or people when on a leash, often from fear or frustration at being unable to move freely. Noise phobia An intense, lasting fear of sudden or loud sounds such as thunder, fireworks or gunshots, shown by trembling, hiding or panic. Reactivity A dog's exaggerated reaction, such as barking, lunging or freezing, to a trigger like other dogs, people or noises. Separation anxiety Real distress shown by a dog when left alone or away from a particular person, such as howling, destruction, pacing or house soiling. Threshold The point at which a dog goes from noticing something to reacting to it, often described as a distance or an intensity. Trigger stacking Several stressful events building up in a short time so that a dog that would normally cope reacts strongly to a small extra trigger.