The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs

by Patricia B. McConnell

The direction in which a dog’s body is shifted, whether forward or backward, is critical information to an Applied Animal Behaviorist. A dog may be snarling when I meet him in the lobby, but if his body is shifted even the slightest bit backward, I know that he’s on defense rather than ready to attack. No matter how much he’s growling and flashing his teeth, there’s little danger if I don’t put pressure on him. I’m much more concerned about the quiet, stiff-legged dog who stands still, shifting just a tad forward while he stares directly into my eyes. Dogs who alternate charging forward and retreating are ambivalent, torn between wanting to attack and wanting to flee. You can learn a tremendous amount about a dog by learning to read which way his body is leaning. Once you have a “template” in your brain, you’ll find that you see it everywhere—in the little Sheltie who drops her shoulder and leans the slightest bit backward when you forget yourself and reach over her head with your paw. You’ll see it at the dog park when two dogs greet, one dog leaning forward and the other shifting back. It becomes like a neon sign, and you’ll wonder how you could’ve missed it before.