Body Language
The language of the Doberman, as well as all dogs, consists mostly of body language and an extensively complex alphabet of smell with which we, being human, are not especially concerned with. Much of this body language is very subtle and complex, such as facial expressions, so rather than focusing on these minute complexities, we will explore body postures consisting of: Relaxed, Alert, Offensive Threat, Defensive Threat, Passive, Submission, Active Submission, Play Bow, and Stress Body Postures. I believe it is also important to understand some additional behaviors and why they are performed (Drives). We will also look at the audio communications they use such as barking, whining, growling, and howling, and why they use them.
Dogs are born with a set of instinctive body postures built in. This, however, does not mean that they can recognize them or know what they mean. Much of their language is learned within the first few weeks of their lives from their parents, littermates, and superior pack members (often their human family). Dogs expect people to understand this language. A young overly excited puppy may greet its owner after being let out of its kennel by jumping up and barking. The owner, rather than heading straight for the door and using the puppy's follow instinct to shuffle it outside right away, is overcome by the puppy's cute exuberance, leans down and reaches for the pup. The already overly excited puppy then continues the greeting by customarily releasing a small puddle of urine on the carpet two feet from the opened back door. This is just one of many examples of simple misscommunication between man and his best friend. Once understood, this communication can decrease stress for the dog owner, but more so for the dog.
It is important also to understand that many of these postures will be displayed during play and that they are just that, play. Puppies use play as exercise and as practice for when these behaviors will become essential for their survival. Adult dogs will only waste such amounts of energy in times of great bounty, such as living in a home were they are feed at the same time every day.
Relaxed Body Posture
The relaxed posture is the posture the Doberman should usually be displaying. This is the posture that you see when your Doberman is laying at your feet, chewing a fresh bone while you read an interesting book. The ears on most other breeds will be comfortably drooped to the sides but the Doberman's ears, or any dog with a successful ear crop, in this posture will be in a leisure upward stance. Additionally, the tail on most other breeds would be slumped down while the Doberman's docked tail will be wherever it pleases, regardless of gravity. The mouth would be relaxed, as if frowning or as if in accompaniment of deep thought.
Alert Body Posture
The Alert Body Posture is similar to the Relaxed Body Posture with some very noticeable differences. The ears of the Doberman are up and forward, the eyes locked in a beaming stare, its body standing tall and still. Also in this posture, rather than not really indicating anything, the dog is indicating interest or concern and is at the verge of going into another behavior, depending upon what it decides is appropriate for what ever is interesting or concerning it. A stranger should never approach a dog in this position because the dog has not yet decided if this person is a threat. When training, a dog owner must be very aware of this posture. This posture indicates that the dog's wheels are turning, it is compiling the code, what ever it does next is direct result of how it perceives it's current situation. If a correction is to be made it will most effectively be made now, before an inappropriate behavior and not afterward.
Offensive Threat Posture
In the Offensive Threat Posture the dog is standing tall with its ears up and forward. Its eyes are forward in a penetrating stare and the lips are pulled up in an ugly smile, revealing the teeth. The hair down it's back and over it's haunches is bristled up; if there is a tail to speak of it is raised. This posture is indicating that the dog has determined something a threat that must be dealt with. If this posture alone will not end the situation the dog will attack. A stranger should NEVER approach a dog displaying the Offensive Threat Posture. A dog owner should also understand that if their dog displays this posture inappropriately, a physical correction is unwise, as it can often reinforce any aggression. While this posture is displayed, only a verbal correction should be used. If this verbal correction is ineffective, that is a sign that the dog is in need of further training. Remember, the key is to administer the physical correction just before the inappropriate behavior.
Defensive Threat Posture
The Defensive Threat Posture is similar to the Offensive Threat Posture in that the dog is ready and about to attack. This posture is indicated by the same growling and showing of teeth but instead of standing tall the dog is crouched up around its self, low to the ground, with its head down. The posture indicates that the dog has perceived a threat and must protect itself. The dog would rather run from the threat but feels either cornered, surrounded, or that the threat could catch it easily. The hope by displaying this posture is that the threat will decide not to risk an attack on the dog and will go away. However, if the threat remains, the dog's only hope for survival is to wait for the right moment and lash out inflicting as much injury as possible, hoping that an escape rout appears. Like the Offensive Threat Posture, a stranger should certainly not approach the dog and the dog's owner should not administer a physical correction while this posture is being displayed. The owner should rather lead the dog away from the perceived threat, possibly with a food treat, and allow the dog to relax. One must remember that the dog is simply frightened and needs to learn not to inappropriately perceive a threat. A dog regularly inapropriately displaying this posture often simply lacks socialization.
Passive Submission
Passive Submission is how a dog shows submission to another dog or human. This posture is displayed by a subordinate dog in situations where a dominant dog is asserting its dominance or correcting it. As people, we mostly see Passive Submission in our dogs when we scolded harshly. During Passive Submission a dog tucks back its ears, looks away from whom it is submitting to, crouches down and roles over onto its side or back. The tail curls under the body and in excessive submission a little urine will be expelled.
Active Submission
Active submission comes in a few different levels of intensity. The basic posture consists of the ears almost always tucked back, the tail sometimes down, corners of the mouth up in a bit of a smile, face happy, low body position, this time looking at its senior, and with lots of sniffing and licking. This is how fellow pack members greet each other. Active Submission simply means that the dog is not afraid, it's not a threat, and it's happy. At one end of the spectrum, a dog displaying Active Submission would have its ears tucked back, wagging its little stub of a tail along with its whole body, prancing around a room, greeting some company. At the other end is when you find the trash having been dumped and picked through and the culprit slithers around the corner to apologize. Active submission is also what a well-trained dog should display while under most commands.
Play Bow
The Play Bow posture indicates that the dog is very interested in playing, wouldn't you know. In this posture the dog's tail is wagging and its head is brought down with it's back end still high. Its feet stretch out ninety degrees from each other. The mouth is usually open displaying the tongue and ears are forward. This posture is also usually accompanied be lots of bouncing around and high to medium pitch short barks. A dog displaying this posture is obviously happy and comfortable but it also must learn the appropriate time and place for this behavior.
Stress Posture
The Stress Posture can indicate several things. It could indicate that the dog is easily stressed and special attention needs to be made when it is introduced into stressful or unfamiliar environments. In many cases this could be caused by the dog having suffered from abuse or neglect. Dobermans are rarely susceptible to stress on short occasions, but if neglected and left without stimulation for long periods of time, it can become very susceptible. A dog also may display the Stress Posture if it is being worked or trained too hard. Trainers must keep a lookout for this posture, as when a dog is stressed it is not learning anything good. This posture can also indicate that the dog is experiencing pain. In the dog world, it is only a liability to show pain or weakness, so as dog owners we must be very attentive to our animal's disposition. Something as miner as constipation can grow into a devastating problem if not tended to in time.
Dogs displaying the Stress Posture have their tail down and ears back. Their pupils are dilated. They are panting rapidly with the corners of their mouth pulled back. The body is usually scrunched up and lowered to the ground. Sometime, sweating can be notice from the pads of their feet. If no good reason can be found for this behavior or if once that reason is removed, no improvement in the behavior is observed, the responsible dog owner should have the dog examined by a veterinarian.
Drives
Every dog is an individual. This fact should be taken into consideration during its training. An excellent way to understand each individual dog and what motivates it is to understand the different instinctive drives that greatly influences how it reacts to its environment. Understanding these drives will also allow a better understanding of different and more complex behaviors than simple postures. The four drives outlined by Jack and Wendy Valhard are the prey, pack, fight, and flight drives.
Prey Drive
The Prey Drive is responsible for the behaviors used for hunting and foraging. These behaviors include stalking, chasing, pouncing, chewing up toys, bones and sticks, and following scents. Dogs with a high prey drive will display these behaviors often and are motivated easily with a throw toy. Physical corrections may be used and are often necessary in the beginning stages of training for such a dog.
Pack Drive
The Pack Drive is responsible for many Doberman owners' favorite Doberman behaviors. These behaviors include its affinity for our attention and companionship, and that of other animals. This drive is what makes our Dobermans so loving and makes them never tire of our affection. Dogs with a very high Pack Drive do not like being alone and tend to stay right next to their owners throughout the day. These dogs are easily motivated with enthusiastic praise and usually require very little physical correction.
Fight Drive
The Fight Drive is responsible for the behaviors involved in defending the pack and it's resources. Dogs with a high Fight Drive are very confident, protective, and able to stand their ground under pressure. This type of dog is not usually very sensitive to physical correction or especially motivated through toys or praise and can often be a bit of a challenge to train. Once trained, however, they are very obedient.
Flight Drive
The Flight Drive is responsible for the offensive behaviors such as the Defensive Threat Posture and defensive biting. Dogs with a high Flight Drive are usually not very confident and tend to be very fearful and submissive. This type of dog should not be administered physical corrections. The use of prays, food treats, and a plain collar are in order along with a great deal of socialization.
Audio Communications
Dobermans, in general are a very vocal dog. To many Doberman owners, including
our selves, have felt at times that their Dobermans often try to actually communicate verbally. I have noticed with our Dobermans that they are each very unique in their sound making but I have also noticed many similarities that I can now understand.
