Canine Ladder of Aggression (Kendal Shepherd)
11 Biting (most frightened and threatened)
10 Snapping
9 Growling
8 Stiffening up, staring
7 Lying down, leg up
6 Standing crouched, tail tucked under
5 Creeping, ears back
4 Walking away
3 Turning body away, sitting, pawing
2 Turning head away
1 Yawning, blinking, nose licking (least frightened and threatened)
Human Ladder of Aggression
11) Slap, punch, kick
10) Push, throw something
9) Clench fist, threaten
8) Shout, scream, swear
7) "I've said I'm sorry! Stop it!"
6) "I'm sorry"
5) "Please calm down"
4) Walk away
3) Argue
2) Fold arms, frown, turn away
1) Smile, hand shaking
Oftentimes the rungs of the ladder are climbed directly whether we notice it or not. Other times, rungs may be skipped because in the past they have been proven to have little effect or perceived threat happens too quickly or is too close for comfort. If you consistently ignore all appeasement signals they may cease and a dog may feel little choice but to defend aggressively. This is one of the reasons a good trainer or behaviorist will tell you never to "train out" a growl -the warning, request for space, the growl is expressing is before snapping and biting - pay attention to it and the next step on the ladder does not need to be climbed.
Understanding how these reactions are being used to communicate and handle stress can allow you to respond to them. So when you see that yawn out of context or look away, etc., you can take the time to look at what else is going on in the environment. Remember to consider this in a hopefully canine relevant perspective. What is the behavior a reaction to? A good grasp of what preceded the behavior and the context it occurs in are vital clues in determining how to mitigate the perceived threat. In our case of scolding the dog, we can stop the scolding so the dog no longer needs to appease us. If a raised voice brings on a yawn, we can lower the voice and hopefully alleviate the pressure from the dog and see the behavior change.
Paying closer attention to what you are seeing with your dog and how you can best offset potential concerns will lessen the stress on both of you. (Read more about working with aggression in dogs .)
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