# Interpreting human body language



## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Wow! That sounds a lot like Tonka's leash aversion.

Near the time when I first got him. I took this video. He wouldn't run from the leash, would always come, but soooo reluctantly. 



And always, when surprised by the leash, would immediately turn away. Which would be great if I commonly hooked the leash to his tail. But a pain in the butt under normal leash operations. 

In our usual situation, Tonka is standing on the landing at the top of the stairs and I'm coming up the stairs. I like to hook him while my head is about the height of his. Easier that way, don'cha know. But, up to a few days ago, he would always turn away just as I lifted the leash toward him. Arrrrrgh!

'Til I realized that if I reach for him first, just reached with my pointer finger to touch him on the breast, he won't turn away. The 'touch' seems to freeze him. After a few tries at that, he seems now to be good even without the 'touch', but the situation is so new that I haven't completely sussed it out yet. 

Dogs are strange... and they keep my mind active!  lol


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

fjm said:


> Sophy has had a stiff neck, and doesn't want to jump (we have been to the osteopath, who has done the necessary adjustments, but he says it will take a few weeks to resolve completely). I don't want her jumping and hurting herself, so have shown her that if she wants me to I will lift her, with the safe two handed lift that she prefers. She is very happy with that when I am standing, but if I am sitting and lean forward to pick her up she backs off immediately - *the leaning forward towards her posture obviously triggers some deep atavistic warning system*. If, however, I scoot forward to the edge of the chair and then lean forward, she positions herself to be picked up! As far as I can tell the only difference is my position on the chair - my body position is much the same. I don't recall that she has ever been dropped or hurt while being picked up, or any other reason why one position should worry her. Does anyone else's dog react like this, or is it one of Sophy's idiosyncratic life rules?!


I believe that's it. Leaning forward or looming over the top of some dogs instinctively bothers them...I'm sure it traces back to a predator-prey thing. I have had dogs that this doesn't bother and some where it does. Jose` is a tad this way. The Poodles seem to be over coming (you might say) this. Chulita didn't have it at all. I'd lean forward like you describe and she'd come close, turn her bum toward me for me to pick her up. It was always a turn first. I must have picked her up with her facing away from me a number of times and she thought this is what she must do to get picked up. lol. The Poodles use to really back up when I went to pick them up, even if I weren't sitting down, but standing and walking toward them. But I started giving them treats when I'd pick them up AND stopped putting them in their ex pen right after. LOL. Now they don't do that anymore. You could try associating treats with your leaning forward like that and see if she changes her tune about that position and never do any inadvertent punishment (ie: nail clipping lol) in association with it. But you already know that. I can't imagine why sitting at the edge of the chair would be so much different to her than when you're sitting back but doing the same thing. That's an interesting question.

I guess you're just interested in what this body language tells a dog. And I think you're right...that it traces back to a survival thing where something bigger might signify a threat when looming over or toward. I think that's why some dogs don't like the top of their head pet. (petted? patted?) What's the right one?:alberteinstein:


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think you are right about the looming - Poppy hates hands over her head but, as a little girl discovered this morning, is instant friends with anyone who crouches down and rubs her chest. It is the difference between Sophy's reaction to me leaning forward while sitting properly, and leaning forward while sitting on the edge that fascinates me. One is clearly mildly aversive, the other more neutral. I shall have to set up mirrors or a camera, and see if I can spot the difference!


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Countryboy said:


> Wow! That sounds a lot like Tonka's leash aversion.
> 
> Near the time when I first got him. I took this video. He wouldn't run from the leash, would always come, but soooo reluctantly.
> 
> ...


Countryboy, can I ask, was Tonka a rescue?? Sorry, don't know his back-story and just curious.

I find leash problems very interesting, as Pippin always puts up a battle to go on her leash for the morning walk - the best, funnest, longest one of the day - and we've never bottomed why. Once she's on it, she's raring to go! She's fine for her pre-nap wee walk and pretty much okay for her afternoon walk with me, but the morning one? Uh, uh.

Maybe we're doing something wrong with the leaning over thing, but I cannot for the life of me see what.

Fjm, just a thought - if you are sitting back in your chair maybe (and please don't take this the wrong way lol) you don't move towards her as easily as if you are perched on the edge? I only know from experience that it's less comfortable for me to get to tpoo level if I'm sitting back than if I'm perched. Maybe she's picking up something from that?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I am wondering if it is linked to the way I move forward to the edge of the chair before slipping down to sit on the floor, which precedes games, massage, and other good things. Or whether she links the sitting back and leaning forward with the less secure one handed lift, which has definitely been uncomfortable at times. Very intriguing, whatever it is, and shows how extremely observant our dogs are.


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Yes, that's why I found The End of the Leash book fascinating and insightful as I'd never given any thought to the sub-messages that my body language gives out. It's no wonder Pippin gets confused


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