# Possible Dominance Problem??



## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I've never paid attention to tail placement. I watch my dog's entire reaction to a particular situation.


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## WoodysMum (Mar 13, 2007)

Woody always bows his front end down, arse up in the air, i take it he's saying come and play with me. He's never had ANY problems with dogs.


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

Tucker's tail is always up. And he's the furthest away from aggressive you could probably get. I can easily stick my hand in his mouth and pull his tongue or ears and poke him all over and he won't budge...


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## Augustus McCrae (Jun 10, 2007)

Thanks, that's reassuring. I took it from his overall reaction to the dogs that it wasn't anything to really worry about, but I wanted to ask the experts!


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

I aint no expert LOL I just know how my dog acts 

From what I've watched on TV, tails mainly wagging to the right are happy pups, wagging to the left they are feeling intimidated/scared.


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

I remember that episode of the Dog Whisperer, he was rehabilitating some dogs ... was it an unneutered dog rescued from Katrina? But he did specifically say that the tail up was a sign of trouble.


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Many goldens just carry their tails higher.


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## Augustus McCrae (Jun 10, 2007)

Yeah, he usually talks about it a little on every episode that I have seen. I don't mind Gus being confident, but I do think he is going to be a big boy one day and I don't want him to be a bully.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

I agree wtih Kimm - it is a whole body picture...but if I see a tail high and twitching like a rattlesnake I do take note - Im getting my dog outta there...that is one intensely focused dog and I aint hanging around to find out to find out what he is focused on...

Vern is right some just carry their tails high (My Miss Liberty)...
She carries hers like a great big "welcome and howdy-do" flag!
Not a mean bone in her goofy body...


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

If something peaks Samson's interest, his tail sticks staight up. I've never thought of it being a dominance thing at all....


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## Rachel's Mom (Feb 26, 2007)

*hmmm*

rach carries her tail high and wags her tail back and forth...only time I see it down is if she concentrating on something or scared....


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## z&mom (Oct 7, 2006)

Z has her tail way up high and both ears up and forward when something catches her attention, e.g. a dog. But when the dog comes near enough she will do a playbow with wagging tail.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

Tail up by itself is a sign of confidence. If you saw tail up and straight out, hackles up, and ears back, then you might want to get concerned.


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## Daisy n Me (May 17, 2007)

I think it's confidence, which is a good thing! Daisy's usual routine is to waggle her butt all over the place and then roll over and show her belly to whoever she is meeting (even itty bitty dogs). She is starting to gain a little more confidence as she gets bigger.


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## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

It was the tail up and slightly curved that sent of the message to an already troubled dog, i'm sure there were other signs as well not pointed out, just one that was and could be easily seen by the viewers.

There are so many tail signals that mean so many different things, such as a tail up and curved can mean something totally different then just a tail up. But there are also other signs along with this, you can't really just go by one sign alone. You would have noted also stiff legs along with tail up and curved and such if it were something to be concerned with.

I see no reason for concern for you, you mention no other signs along with the tail up. If you notice dogs most will have the tail up if they are not fearful and allow the other dog to read the newspaper so too speak. lol


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

A dominant dog does not mean he is aggressive.It only means he's confident.Priska always meets other dogs with her tail up but wouldn't hurt a fly.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Sounds like you have..........


A puppy....  Almost all young puppies hold their tails higher than they will as an adult. My Whippet puppy raises his tail because he's happy and loves to meet new dogs.

Lord how I hate that whole "if my dog looks at me/walks out a door in front of me/(fill in ridiculous thing here) he must be DOMINANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I don't mean this badly at you or any other pet owner trying to learn. It's just a disturbing trend that should have died out of dog training years ago.


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

Tucker always goes in and out of doors before me. That way I make sure he actually gets in the house because otherwise I'll go in first and he'll stop right at the door, turn around and run off to play again LOL.


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## Augustus McCrae (Jun 10, 2007)

I know what you mean Golden Lover. I haven't seen any other signs that Gus is aggressive, he gets onto his belly all the time for us to rub it. He got growled at the other day by a Graet Dane pup while in class and he didn't react at all, which was a really good sign!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I disagree.

My golden when he is happy and playing, he tail is carried high and curvy.

My Great Pyr when he was younger and would run around happy, he would carry it in a "wheel shape".

If we are reprimanding my Golden, yes, his tail will go between his legs. I can never remember my Great Pyr ever putting his tail between his legs.

I think you have to look at the dog as a whole, and see how the tail, ears, etc. - all the body language works together.


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

AquaClaraCanines said:


> Lord how I hate that whole "if my dog looks at me/walks out a door in front of me/(fill in ridiculous thing here) he must be DOMINANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
> 
> I don't mean this badly at you or any other pet owner trying to learn. It's just a disturbing trend that should have died out of dog training years ago.


Bravo ACC...my favorite one is that you should have some of your own food near your dogs bowl and take a bite (pretending you got it out of his bowl) then you are allowed to put down the dogs dinner as it thinks you are now an 'alpha dog' as you have eaten before it...(forgetting the fact that even if our dogs were wild wolves it is the pups that eat first anyway!) the whole dominance theory has a lot to answer for!

As the OP os asking about dominance between dogs I really wouldnt worry about the position of the tail, you have a perfectly normal pup meeting other dogs...its great that you are introducing him to canine friends, don't worry about where his tail is concentrate on having fun with him! Gus is gorgeous by the way!


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Oh yes, and maybe, just MAYBE, dogs run out of the door before us because they are *excited* about going for a walk? Wait, no no... it's actually a secret doggy plot to take over the world. Dogs are born knowing what a door is, and that exiting first is a Doggy Dom ritual. After all, who picks up whose crap? LOL


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Whenever I tried to go through the door before my dogs it it just too awkward. It is just so much easier to follow them. They are too interested in what is going to happen next to even think about who is going through the door next.


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

LOL...yup...just check these out, taken from a 'training' website...these are the signs of a dominant dog...apparently...

_Pushing through doors, inside or outside, before you. 

Jumping or reaching for food or treat before it is put down or in reach. 

Putting his or her feet on you, standing on or pawing at you. 

Barking at you when told to do something or when he or she wants something. 

Getting on furniture before you or before being given permission. 

Reluctance to move from a spot you want to sit on, walk through or put something in. 

Running into you or jumping on you hard during play. This is a display of physical superiority and rights. 

Growling or barking at you during play. 

Holding chews or toys against you while chewing or playing with toy. 

Any attempt to shove you out of the way when walking, sitting with, moving past or laying with you. 

Getting playful or cute instead of obeying when told to do things. The dog may obey briefly and immediately resume previous behavior. _

...now are those signs of a dog wanting to take over the world...or perhaps the sign of a enthusiastic, boisterous dog trapped in a world of aliens that don't speak his language! on a more serious note I do get saddened when I see 'pack theory' stuff like that...I honestly believe it can seriously damage the relationship between some humans and their dogs when owners go in for stuff like that...


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Well, I don't think these are signs of dominance, which, IMO, is one of the most widely mis-used terms in dog training (along with sep. anxiety). However, I do choose to be bossy and don't let my dogs do a number of the things below....... (thoughts in pink)



Emma&Tilly said:


> LOL...yup...just check these out, taken from a 'training' website...these are the signs of a dominant dog...apparently...
> 
> _Pushing through doors, inside or outside, before you.
> *Pushing* past me is just rude and I don't allow that. My dogs sit first and then I release them to go in/out.
> ...


I'm not a huge fan of some of the pack theory, but a lot of it lends itslef quite well to the idea of simply being bossy and controlling the resources. I teach a lesson in Pack Leader's Bill of Rights and the only one of the eleven on the list that bugs me is the "feed yourself before the dog". I'm seriously considering editing that one out of the handout. The things like being bossy about furniature and doorways give me a chance to ask students to expect their dogs to sit before getting those privilages, so to me, it creates more trainable moments between dog and handler.

The one that really irks me is that the dog should never walk in front. That, to me, is silly. IMO, so long as the dog isn't *pulling* I really don't care where he is.

-Stephanie


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

BTW, regarding tail position, generally speaking, a high, fast-wagging tail is generally a sign of arousal (which isn't always a negative thing) and a low, slow wagging tail is calm and relaxed.

-S


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

Gee, I wonder how I live with these dominant dogs of mine. I'm surprised Dusty has run all these agility courses off-leash hundreds of times when he could run off to take over the park. :uhoh:

Dusty and I sometimes play rough to get him excited and I don't care if he runs into me or anything because I'm on the floor trying to run into him : Though I guess I must make up for it by dominantly growling and barking at them when we play : (saying "grr" makes them tug harder, and yes they give me the toy when I ask, and their cue to bark is me barking at them).


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## Augustus McCrae (Jun 10, 2007)

Just as an update, I took Gus over to a relative's house yesterday and he was _GReat_ with their Lab. His tail was up, but it was wagging and he was as playful as could it be. It was so cute, he followed her everywhere and loved playing with her. No dominant pup here from what I can tell


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

Thanks stephanie for your notes...I totally agree with you about most of those points are just bad manners of an untrained dog...the 'D' word really shouldn't even feature at all...what worries me that some trainers scare owners into thinking if their dog displays any of these behaviours then they are somehow trying to take over the family...


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Gus you are just a happy,confident loving puppy. No dominance issues with you.


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

Hmm... I guess Tucker is the boss then LOL. I suppose he's "dominant"

Pushing through doors, inside or outside, before you.
*not through doors, he does go first, sometimes he pushes me as he runs up or down the stairs*

Jumping or reaching for food or treat before it is put down or in reach.
*This he doesn't do, he waits until I give it to him*

Putting his or her feet on you, standing on or pawing at you.
*This he does when we're on the couch, or when I say "hugs" he jumps up on me and I hug him*

Barking at you when told to do something or when he or she wants something.
*He barks when he has to ****... aren't they supposed to bark when they want something? lol*

Getting on furniture before you or before being given permission.
*Of course he does... what's wrong with dogs being on the couch. My brothers don't ask permission either...*

Reluctance to move from a spot you want to sit on, walk through or put something in. * When he does this, I just sit on him...then he moves lol*

Running into you or jumping on you hard during play. This is a display of physical superiority and rights. *I thought this was just playing... I push him around too*

Growling or barking at you during play. *Yep. He's a barker.*

Holding chews or toys against you while chewing or playing with toy.*He likes to push against us with his toy. It lets us know he wants us to throw it.*

Any attempt to shove you out of the way when walking, sitting with, moving past or laying with you.* When on the couch, he pushes my arm up out of the way with his nose and cuddles right into me. He then continues to roll all over me until I give in and pet him*

Getting playful or cute instead of obeying when told to do things. The dog may obey briefly and immediately resume previous behavior.*He has a short attention span*


I guess I'm supposed to go get my dog proffessionally trained? :doh:


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