# Hair Standing Up On His Back



## MyDogsMom (Mar 9, 2010)

We have a pup that is almost 4 months old. For about the last 3 weeks he's really started to jump on us nipping and snapping along with his hair standing up sometimes. Is it normal for the hair to stand up when doing this with people?


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Maybe he is excited and that is why the hair is standing up? I don't know it is just a thought. I'm sure others with experience will chime in.


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## iansgran (May 29, 2010)

I believe at this age it is not aggression, but will see what others who know more have to say.


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## MyDogsMom (Mar 9, 2010)

I'm sure hoping it's not aggression of any sort and just "puppy" behavior. He has bitten me once  And no..it wasn't a puppy bite unfortunately.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

If you havent signed up for any puppy obedience classes I would sign up for one. That will help to build the bond between the two of you and also teach you how to work with him on stopping that behavior. He is learning to assert himself and doesnt know his size is as large as he is.


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## 3SweetGoldens (Feb 28, 2007)

I so agree with Carole. I would get him into some classes as soon as possible, as they can show very Alpha issues, even as young puppies. When I took Klondike to class, there was a 9 week old Rottie puppy. He definitely showed aggression issues even at that young age. The Instructor of the class gave some individual one on one meetings with the puppy and the owners. He also attended the regular classes. It was amazing to see his behavior change for the better during that 7 week class.


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## MyDogsMom (Mar 9, 2010)

He was in puppy obedience classes (attended 2 classes) and we were told to take him out by both a Behaviorist (talked with her on the phone) and someone from a golden rescue. We didn't call the rescue to surrender our dog...we called for some advice. We knew the corrections they were teaching wouldn't be right for our dog since he always reacted negative if we corrected by taking him by the collar to get him down from something, etc. We do have him on a leash at all times and sometimes he doesn't even like when we use that to move him away from something. 

We do all positive corrections using food and commands now. Before the obedience classes I used positive corrections only with lots of loving and not treats as I had done with our other 3 goldens. 

I'm home all the time so bonding with him is constant. We do lot's of playing together along with walks, digging in the sandbox, cooking in the kitchen..yep he loves to counter surf :doh: and we do training. He can sit, stay, walk the steps one at a time when we play "one step". Today I taught him to "stop" when bugging his older sister (11 years old) so he loves to walk up to bug her and then turns and waits for me to say "stop" and give him a treat. Even knows "drop" when he puts something yucky in his mouth like a rock. Knows it so well that he will grab one and then walk up to me and spit it out waiting for the treat without the command. 

He's a very smart dog and learns commands in less then a day. Yes it's food driven that's for sure. Only he has an issue with anything that physically stops him from doing something ... like me or my husband. Sometimes he's ok with it, but sometimes he acts really nasty. The other day I would walk into the middle of the yard and he would jump up and start snapping at me or my coat with his hair standing up. Today...he didn't do it. When he does something that isn't good manners and he just won't stop when told to and starts snapping at me I just walk him to the kennel and he walks right in knowing it's a "time out". When he was smaller I would carry him in and put him in the kennel. Then he would turn and snap at me even showing teeth. Now...after he walks in he'll turn and just sit and look at me...no snapping. 

We thought he had a food aggression when one day he started growling when he was petted while eating. From the day we brought him home we sat by him while he was eating..petting him all over and talking to him. Even had our hand in the food, etc. like I did with my other dogs. Then one day he growled. So we went to hand feeding and he's fine with it. He'll wag his tail sometimes...walk away to check on someone in the kitchen. Even if you drop one and say "sorry" he'll start dancing around kissing you. 

Really....I can't figure it out.


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## MyDogsMom (Mar 9, 2010)

3SweetGoldens said:


> I so agree with Carole. I would get him into some classes as soon as possible, as they can show very Alpha issues, even as young puppies. When I took Klondike to class, there was a 9 week old Rottie puppy. He definitely showed aggression issues even at that young age. The Instructor of the class gave some individual one on one meetings with the puppy and the owners. He also attended the regular classes. It was amazing to see his behavior change for the better during that 7 week class.


Do you know what kind of training took place in those one on one meetings?


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Hair standing up is called piloerection. It's very normal when dogs are excited or upset. My dogs do this if they get very worked up in play or if they are scared.

You may want to talk to a veterinary behaviorist if you think your puppy is worried about people in his space.


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## MyDogsMom (Mar 9, 2010)

RedDogs said:


> Hair standing up is called piloerection. It's very normal when dogs are excited or upset. My dogs do this if they get very worked up in play or if they are scared.
> 
> You may want to talk to a veterinary behaviorist if you think your puppy is worried about people in his space.


When it's up he's excited -- don't know about the upset tho. We will be talking to the vet and the behaviorist too. 

As for noises or another dog barking in the neighborhood...he comes and sits between my legs or goes to his "sister". No hair standing up, but I suppose that is a different kind of fear to him.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

There are enough challenges there that I would recommend a consult with a veterinary behaviorist ( a vet who specializes in behavior and has additional education. Not a vet who is interested in behavior (though that's a good second option) or a behaviorist unless the person is a CAAB, certified applied animal behaviorist.


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## MyDogsMom (Mar 9, 2010)

RedDogs said:


> There are enough challenges there that I would recommend a consult with a veterinary behaviorist ( a vet who specializes in behavior and has additional education. Not a vet who is interested in behavior (though that's a good second option) or a behaviorist unless the person is a CAAB, certified applied animal behaviorist.


Unfortunately we don't have a veterinary behaviorist in our area. Our vet recommends the Vet School in MN which has the University of MN Animal Behavior Service. Here is their website. 

I didn't see "CAAB" anywhere in the info they emailed me or on their site.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Cosmo's hair always stands up when he's first introduced to other dogs. He's excited! Nothing to worry about according to our trainer, unless, of course, he's angry at the same time.


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## MyDogsMom (Mar 9, 2010)

jackie_hubert said:


> Cosmo's hair always stands up when he's first introduced to other dogs. He's excited! Nothing to worry about according to our trainer, unless, of course, he's angry at the same time.


I'll have to really pay attention to what is happening when the hair raises up. I know it happens when he is excited ... meets the dogs next door through the fence. It's happened when he starts jumping up on me and I tell him no and he just keeps jumping and snapping and then I'll see the hair raise up. I don't know if he's being aggressive with me or wants to play way to much and I'm saying "no" to him.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

The purpose of the hair standing up is to make the dog appear larger if they were in the wild per se. It is not something they control, like raising the hair on your arms. It happens through adrenaline. Adrenaline is for excitement. Whether nervous excitement, cautious excitement, happy excitement you need to read your dog. Yes they put their hackles up when they are posturing and trying to act tough, and that is a sign of possible bad things to come, also shows up in protection. In pups it is part of growing up though too. All of it. Trying new and different things. 

I suggest if you can't find a behaviorist nearby, find a GOOD dog trainer. They can help you learn to read your dog and help you understand their body language.


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## MyDogsMom (Mar 9, 2010)

Maxs Mom said:


> The purpose of the hair standing up is to make the dog appear larger if they were in the wild per se. It is not something they control, like raising the hair on your arms. It happens through adrenaline. Adrenaline is for excitement. Whether nervous excitement, cautious excitement, happy excitement you need to read your dog. Yes they put their hackles up when they are posturing and trying to act tough, and that is a sign of possible bad things to come, also shows up in protection. In pups it is part of growing up though too. All of it. Trying new and different things.
> 
> I suggest if you can't find a behaviorist nearby, find a GOOD dog trainer. They can help you learn to read your dog and help you understand their body language.


Hi Maxs Mom 

I've seen dogs hair raise up...just never seen it in a puppy before. At least not in the 5 dogs we've had.

Buddy does it when he's excited..no problem there. It's when he's snapping at me then it is an issue. I have a hard time reading it as play or aggressive attitude. 

We are searching for a good trainer in our area. Have some leads and will be making phone calls today.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Cosmo play bows as his hackles are raised so that is always a telling sign to me. He's never shown any aggression though has postured. It happened more when he was little and I think it was indeed something he needed to learn to do as part of his growing up.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

When Flora gets very excited during play or if she sees something that arouses her (like, gets her excited or gets her nervous) all the hair on her back stands up. It's a frequent thing with her, as she is easily excited.


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## MyDogsMom (Mar 9, 2010)

If postured is standing facing me/us with hair up on his back -- no I've not seen our dog do that to us. 

It's usually when he's excited during his nipping, snapping, jumping and playing with his sister. It doesn't start out with his hair up, but it does happen during these times.


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