Expert: Sandra Case, MEd, CPDT - 10/29/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

I volunteer at one of the animal shelter. These days I have been working with one of the dogs who has been here for over a year. She has dog aggression issue.I have wonderful relation with this dog. She respects & trusts me a lot.

Today after letting her exercise on treadmill, walk & play in dog run I decided to spend some time in her cage with her. Everything was going great, but after 10-15 she growled 4-5 times. I just said "what" and she stopped growling.I was just sitting at the time not even looking at her.

I am 99% sure that it was play growl because her body seemed relaxed & was wagging her tail in fast motion.

1. Is there a way to determine just by listening to a growl if the dog is  acting playful or its being aggressive?  (just like by listening to a bark you can interpret)

2. What are the body parts I need to see to read if the body language is playful or aggressive when she is growling?

Thanks,

Jatinder Kalsi

ANSWER: Wow. A year is a long time for a dog to be institutionalized, and could certainly lead to some pretty conflicted behaviors. A good book to look at for you would be Brenda Aloff's "Canine Body Language." She speaks about how most people look at a single piece of the body (for instance a tail wagging) but that is like looking at a single word out of context. The dog's total posture (is it upright and angular? Forward? Backward, what is the mouth doing? Is it relaxed? drawn back? tight? are the eyes dilated? whiskers standing forward? hackles up?) These are important things to notice if you are going to be working with shelter animals. You'll probably know better from the body than from the tone of the growl. Sandy Case BFA MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello Sandy,

I haven't bought the book yet(waiting for next paycheck ;-)). But can you please expand on:
"it upright and angular? Forward? Backward, what is the mouth doing? Is it relaxed? drawn back? tight? are the eyes dilated? whiskers standing forward? hackles up?"

Thanks!!

Answer
Well, if the dog was stiff and on his toes, whiskers forward and pupils dilated, I'd be carefully moving towards the door of the kennel. If his body posture was soft and floppy, I'd be a whole lot less worried A rapidly wagging tail may not be a sign of friendliness but stimulation. Of course a tail which is up and waving stiffly can be a sign that the dog is very uncomfortable