Some of you may have dogs that are more shy or fearful, even around you, the owner. If this is the case, your Golden Retriever will require a little extra help before you can begin training in earnest. Today’s Golden Retriever Training Tip will focus on how to notice signs that your dog is stressed or afraid.
Some of your Golden’s behaviors are obvious signs of stress, such as cowering before you. But here are some others that may be a bit more subtle:
1. Ears pinned / turned back. Your Golden’s ears should be relaxed or slightly curved upward most of the time. If the ears appear to be significantly pinned back, this is a sign of fear.
2. Yawning. One of the most subtle ones. All dogs yawn, but if your Golden Retriever is yawning quite a bit, it could be a sign of stress. Watch his or her body language for other signs as well, this will help in determining if your dog is just relaxing or under stress.
3. Tucking tail between legs. Your Golden is wary of something or someone if you see this behavior.
4. Shaking. Fairly obvious, but if your dog is shaking, he or she is under some seriously high stress.
5. Crouching. Like cowering, often accompanied by tail between the legs. Head is down. Sign of submission and fear of being hurt.
6. Involuntary elimination of bladder or bowels. Certainly a sign of fear!
Take time to observe your golden retriever, and if you are seeing some of these signs, remember to have patience. Rushing your dog could set him or her back further. You want your dog to trust you and learn to behave in a confident manner.
I hope this has been helpful. The sooner you start, the sooner you will have a happy and healthy relationship with your Golden Retriever!