Dog Care Guide

A few things that you need to know about what your dog is telling you directly or indirectly:

• When your dog lies on his back with his underside exposed, he is showing submission to you.
• Dogs have sweat glands all over their body and full cooling can only happen when there is air movement over the dog’s tongue. That is why water is so important to dog. If your dog did not answer a command and panting, he is telling you that he needs to rest for a while.
• A dog that sprawled flat on the floor does not necessarily mean that he is suffering from pain or exhaustion. It can be that he is relaxing.
• When a dog gives you his paw, he is asking something from you. This action is in the dog’s instinct. They learn it on the kneading of their mother’s teats to stimulate the flow of milk.
• Jumping on a wolf that comes home with a kill is normal. That is why when you come home from groceries, your dog may jump on you to show his excitement over your return if he smells groceries or new toy.
• In the wild, only the leader dog makes eye contact. Dogs learn that they can make eye contact with human. If your dog makes eye contact with you that combines with growling, he is telling you that he is feeling dominant.

A dog bark, no matter how you spell it, whether arf, ruff, woof, yip, it means that the dog is not sure what is going on and is stalling until he can decide what to do. If a dog is submissive, a continuous bark when a stranger approached the house being directed to the owner. The dog’s job, is to alert its owner as a lower ranking family member. By reasurring that you are handling the situation, you will calm your dog. A dog who considers himself to be leader will keep on barking since its his territory and not yours.

It is usually necessary to note the context of the dog’s barking. For example, if the dog barks when a car pull up alongside, he will bark because he feels that his territory is being invaded. If the dog barks at the birds and dogs he sees in the TV, it could be that he is feeling excited.

Some dog breeds bark more than others. It depends on the environment in which the dog is being raised. A dog that lives with a retired person will be less proned to bark than a dog who lives in a house full of children who rough house a lot. A dog who is teased will bark more than a dog who is treated with respect and love.

If your dog bark after you give a command, it means that he is defying you. Don’t let it go uncorrected, it will make the dog thinks he is the leader.

No matter how loud a dog is barking, you don’t have to worry too much as it won’t bring harm. The dog is dangerous when he seems quiet or growling. If a dog growls a lot, it means that he has consider himself to be the top leader and will protect what he think he has. This happens because the dog has not received constant training or he may be responding to abuse.

Dogs learn that whining can help them get what they want. If your dog feels separated from the family, he may start a howling session. This separation feeling can come from being left alone, or being locked in another room. Howling is so instinctive that dogs in the neighborhood will join whenever any of the dog felt the need.