Читать книгу Collins Good Dog Behaviour: An Owner’s Guide - Gwen Bailey - Страница 30

Frightened dogs will have a lot of their weight on their back legs ready to run. Their head is held high ready for a defensive bite if necessary. They hold their tail low or tucked in, ears drawn back but not pinned flat against the head. They will often pant in short, sharp breaths and may yawn a lot. In extreme cases, or if the dog is afraid for too long, they may begin to shake or tremble. The whites of their eyes can be seen as their eyes are held as wide open as possible. The pupils are often wide open and consequently the eyes may have a reddish tinge to them. If the eyes appear red and glassy, the dog is very fearful and should be approached with caution as he may well bite in self defence. The hair along the back of the neck (the hackles) and along the spine may also be raised, especially if he is fearful of other dogs. These make a dog look larger than he really is and help to reduce the chances of him being attacked.

This dog’s tail is lowered and his ears are drawn back in a fearful posture.

Dogs that are anxious but not yet very fearful will exhibit some or all of these signs in varying degrees. Watching for subtle clues that your dog is ill-at-ease can help you to take the appropriate action sooner rather than later and may help to prevent your dog from becoming scared or aggressive.