We begin this week’s “RUFF TAILS” featuring a beautiful 1-year-old Great Pyrenees named Beanie.
Beanie is full of personality. With his family he is a sweet and loving silly goose, always doing things that make people laugh.
He tends to show his spooky and more serious guardian breed side when around strangers. His favourite activities include going on boat rides, catching the waves coming in at the cottage, and digging holes any chance he can.
Welcome to Doggie Dialogue
Displacement behaviour is when your K9 is experiencing conflict and isn’t quite sure what to do with it. This may be a sign of anxiety or stress. This can also be frustration. This conflict causes your K9 to feel pulled between reactions to a particular situation.
For example, your K9 wants to approach a person or another dog but is nervous and afraid. Another example, you call your K9, he/she wants to “come”, but the shiny floor is making them nervous, therefore they hesitate.
Frustration is different. Your K9 wants to do a “meet and greet” but is on a leash, or behind a fence. Displacement behaviour will show up in forms of your K9 barking, circling, grabbing a toy, mounting, or even yawning.
Which behaviour that shows up will vary depending on the individual dog and situation.
For example, many K9’s want to meet other dogs, however they are unsure how the other dog will response, therefore they stay a safe distance away deciding to eat grass or licking excessively.
Some dogs out of frustration, may whine and start pacing.
Remember stress is part of your K9’s life. Your K9 can experience positive stress, when excited, and negative stress when anxious.
Understanding your K9’s body language and understanding why he/she is showing displacement behaviour will help you navigate any conflicts you may be having.
Ask yourself is the displacement behaviour coming out of place of insecurity, frustration, or fear?
The answer to this question will assist you in how to redirect this behaviour. Should you need any assistance with this behaviour, please free feel to reach out to Paul at any time.
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