Do dogs know how to avenge a bad attitude. How do dogs get revenge? How to understand the language of dogs

Has your pet become aggressive all of a sudden? Does he no longer listen to you and does not miss a single opportunity to play dirty tricks? It's bad: most likely, he was offended and wants you to know about it.

Puppy Ray was never left alone at home. Either someone always looked after him, or he was taken with them. But this time, despite the requests, the puppy's plaintive whining, the owners left and closed the door right in front of him. He looked at them sadly from the window and ... immediately thought of what he would do alone.

He tore up all the children's toys that he could only reach, ruined the pillow, gnawed on the TV remote control ... To complete the picture, he laid out an even layer in the corridor from potato peels, which he fished out of the trash can. Then, to heighten the effect, he relieved himself on the linoleum in the kitchen and, with a sense of accomplishment, lay down to rest on the master's bed. "They will know how to leave me alone!" most likely, he thought.

What did the owners do after returning? They scolded the dog, perhaps slapped it on the butt a couple of times for prevention, poked its muzzle into everything he did ... And, of course, they didn’t even try to figure out the motives for the offended dog’s act! But they themselves are to blame for what happened much more than poor Ray!

The fact is that the owners should accustom the animal to loneliness gradually. First, leave the pet alone for fifteen minutes, and then increase the intervals. Then the forced separation will not be shocking for him, he will know that in an hour, in the evening or the next day, the owner will return.

In this case, the punishment will not lead to anything good, and if the owners again leave for a long time, the animal will most likely begin to spoil what it did not manage to get to last time. Therefore, the only true solution to the problem is gradual and patient work.

Be aware of dogs!

We gave an example from the life of a completely harmless puppy. But after all, an inattentive or irresponsible attitude towards an animal can lead to a real tragedy, especially when it comes to a large dog. Angry or offended, it can lash out at its owner or family members and inflict serious, possibly even fatal injuries.

Before you take responsibility for a big dog, you need to take a training course for the owners. The nature of dogs is formed in childhood, so it depends on you, and not on a trainer hired for a month, whether the dog will be kind or aggressive.

It must be remembered: a big dog is also a big responsibility, so you have to deal with it every day. And being busy and tired is not an excuse.

A terrible incident that occurred in Slovenia is indicative: three killed the owner. After that, there was a debate in the country about who was responsible for the death of a person. And only later, the investigation found out that the dogs had been killed for a reason: for a long time they endured the cruel bullying of the owner, which was proved by the examination ...

But it happens that animals with a less stable psyche get to our home, for which our neglect is enough to break loose ...

Who is the most vindictive?

Revenge of dogs is not groundless. Their behavior is a reflection of the actions of their masters.

P.S. We decided to find out which animal people consider the most vindictive. The result shocked us. Internet users answered the question in different ways: there were cats, dogs, elephants, rats, and even vipers. But the majority of respondents agreed that the most vindictive creature is a HUMAN. There is something to think about here...

When we hear the phrase "man's best friend", we imagine a dog - smart, loving and loyal. Why are these animals so close to people? Why hasn't any other animal domesticated by man brought us so many benefits? The dog has evolved from a hunting partner to a full member of the family. Why the dog? The thing is that communication with a dog is different from communication with other animals. No other animal is able to express its feelings so clearly that a person understands them. And no other animal has the ability to understand a person so correctly and clearly. But the coin always has two sides: a person, having accepted a dog as an equal being, began to perceive the language of dogs in the same way as he perceives human language. But a dog is still a dog! Giving it a human mind, imagining that it has a consciousness like ours, we make the mistake of interpreting the dog's body language according to our own, human standards.

How does the dog think?

Dogs do not know how to think the way we imagine this process. They are only able to analyze a specific situation, linking the action and the subsequent result (associative memory). To understand the difference between human and dog thought processes, consider a specific example (part of a 2009 study by US zoologists).

The challenge was to get through a narrow gap with a long stick in your teeth. The length of the stick is greater than the width of the passage, i.e., in order to fulfill the condition, the stick must be held almost vertically. All the dogs, trying to get through the opening, failed - the ends of the stick rested against the walls. They tried again and again until a moment of insight came: "My actions do not lead to a result, it is necessary to change tactics." At this point, the dogs began to turn the stick this way and that, until they guessed to turn their heads to the side so that the stick was in the right position. Now imagine that such a test would be offered to people - it is clear that a person, looking at the door and the stick, would understand in advance exactly how it should be carried through the passage. But the dog needs experience to get the skill. It is noteworthy that most of the test animals, who were asked to solve the same problem again, almost immediately took the stick in the right way. That is, the dog remembers his own experience, and only in this way, and the person is able to think over the consequences of this or that action in advance, even if he did not have such an experience at all.

It is important to understand that the dog acts on the basis of its own experience and acquired skills. If you realize this moment, training and communication with the dog becomes much easier. We are constantly trying to wean the dog from barking at passers-by, peeing on the carpet, chasing cats. We reshape, reshape, re-educate and correct behavior. And you need to go the other way - to give the dog knowledge, give it experience and help develop the skill not to bark at passers-by, write on the street, keep calm at the sight of a cat. At first glance, there is no difference, but if you think about it, it is colossal. You don't have to train your dog, teach him. So that education does not drag on for many months, it is important to understand how to communicate with the dog correctly. The puppy peed on the carpet - the owner poked his nose into a puddle. Result: the puddle is even more smeared, the dog's nose is dirty, the puppy remembers that the puddle plus the person plus the puppy lead to negative consequences. The owner takes the baby for a walk: "Do business, come on, here's the weed, pee!". Puppy: “I am, there is a person, if I make a puddle, it will be bad. I'd rather be patient and do things at home when no one is looking at me. They returned home, a new puddle, the owner is even more angry - again with his nose on the floor: “Aha! Well, now I definitely will not pee in his presence! And all you had to do was ignore the puddle and catch the moment when the puppy, not being afraid of the owner, pee on the street, and give him a treat: “Yeah, when I pee here, they praise me, but when at home, nothing happens. It's not easy to fool me! Now I will write only on grass, stock up on cheese!

How to talk to a dog?

Dogs do not understand the meaning of words, but they can associate sounds with certain objects and phenomena. It is believed that in a lifetime an ordinary dog, not distinguished by genius, can remember the meaning of about a hundred words. In addition to words, our pets draw conclusions by remembering the intonation, postures and gestures of the owner, which is more important for animals than human speech. We can say anything, but the dog "reads" a person by smell, movement, look (it is for this reason that it is almost impossible to deceive it). In order for the dog to understand you, try to speak in short phrases, remembering to emotionally color your speech. The younger the dog, the more carefully it is necessary to select intonation words for communication with it: "Sharik, let's go for a walk." Growing up, dogs learn to independently select the necessary signal words from common phrases, even those spoken in an ordinary tone.

Can a dog take revenge and harm?

The mind of a dog is fundamentally different from that of a human. They are by nature incapable of doing anything out of spite, out of revenge, out of harm, etc. “He knows not to pee on the bed, but he does it anyway! He knows that he will be punished, but he does not stop - you just have to be distracted for a minute, he makes a puddle right on the pillow! He is mischievous, pissing in spite! No matter how sure the owner is that he is right, he is wrong. With such behavior, the pet is trying to tell us something. How to understand a dog? How can you guess what she wants? Analyze your behavior, the behavior of family members, remember any changes in your usual way of life. If the dog attracts attention in this way, it is unhappy and wants to correct the situation. Find the cause - solve the problem in a matter of days. The reason may be in the dog itself - feeling unwell, for example, often leads to the fact that the dog requires increased attention, trying to convey to the person: “It hurts me! Help!”

Is the dog aware of the guilt?

We make another mistake when we think that the dog feels guilty for making a mistake. We more easily forgive a person who feels guilty and admits it: “Yes, he offended me, but he understands that he did badly, and this is the main thing.” Therefore, we ourselves are happy to interpret the guilty look of the dog as we want. In fact, the guilty look of the dog is the pose of submission. Puppies take exactly the same pose when an adult compatriot grins at them - a lowered head, a sad look, flattened ears, a timid wagging of the tail. To understand how to communicate with a dog without making mistakes, it is important to realize that the dog does not feel guilty, which means that it is useless to simply expect him to change his behavior. It makes no sense to hope for a correction, based on a delusion: “She looks guilty, which means she understands that this cannot be done. Once he understands, it won't happen again." It is necessary to teach the dog not to perform the action that we do not want. Just punishing a misdemeanor will not be enough!

How to understand the language of dogs?

The dog is frank and straightforward. These animals do not know how to lie, dissemble and hide their feelings. Having accustomed ourselves to observe a pet, we learn to understand the language of dogs, remember the model of their behavior in a normal environment and notice the slightest changes in a given situation. A novice dog breeder should develop the habit of being attentive: how does the dog wake up, how does he get up, how does he stretch, how does he eat and drink, how does he play, how does he walk, looks at the world around him? Every little thing is important, because they form a certain image of our pet. How to understand the language of dogs without learning it? This is impossible in principle, so it is important at first to literally force yourself to always look at the dog. After two or three months, observation "out of the corner of the eye" becomes a habit - the owner has already compared in his mind the external changes in behavior and the internal state of the dog, and he is watching him just as closely, but almost at an unconscious level. However, in the beginning you will have to try a little, and teach yourself to look at the dog precisely by analyzing, and not just by observing.

How to understand a dog or a dictionary for inexperienced owners

In addition to individual habits, almost every pet gives us some signals common to all dogs. To better study them, we recommend watching several documentaries about the life of wolves: during the filming of dogs in their natural habitat, their habits and methods of transmitting information are recorded, which are largely identical to the methods of communication of domestic dogs.

I'm happy, glad- the ears are upright, the mouth is ajar, the dog "smiles". The tongue may be protruding, the dog is breathing a little faster than usual. The pet intensively wags its raised tail, and sometimes the entire rear part of the body.

I want to play- the dog bends its front legs, sometimes hitting the ground with its sternum, and, on the contrary, lifts the back of the body. The tail fervently wags or freezes in a highly raised position. The expression of the muzzle is very foolish, the head can be tilted to the side, the ears are upright. If there is a toy nearby, the pet grabs it, bounces to the side, as if teasing the owner.

I ask for attention- the dog caresses, walks near the legs, stands on its hind legs. If he can reach, he slips his head under the owner's arm, sometimes sighing sadly.

I need attention- the dog covers the owner's hand with its paw several times in a row, as if drumming on it. Often, in this way, pets test the soil: “Maybe I'm already in charge?”. For dominant dogs, the habit of placing a paw on a person's hand or knee is a show of superiority, so do not encourage this behavior! If the dog defiantly puts its paw on your hand, as if thumping it, looking into your eyes, brush off the paw with a confident gesture and look closely into the eyes of the pet so that it understands: “No, my friend, the main thing here is me!”. For those who are especially dull, you can reinforce your “words” by placing your “paw” on the dog’s head or back, holding your hand in this position for a few seconds.

Important: if you came to visit, and an unfamiliar owner's Rottweiler thumped his paw on your knee - without changing your position, look away. You should not enter into a confrontation with someone else's dog, especially if he is able to seriously bite.

I'm completely at your mercy, please don't eat me, I'm good- the dog rolls over on its back, showing us its tummy. When trying to stroke the belly, the pet does not resist, does not twist, does not push the hand away with its paws, does not try to run away.

I'm in charge, I threaten, I'm ready to attack- the muscles are tense, the gait is springy, the dog moves from side to side in one line. The coat rises, the dog seems to lean forward, the withers are raised. The mouth is closed, the lips are tense. When the “enemy” approaches, the dog can stretch its head forward so that the skull, neck and back are almost on the same level. Having met such a dog on a walk, calmly step back, not approaching it, but not turning your back either. A yapping and jumping dog is usually far less dangerous than one that threatens silently.

I hunt- the dog crouches to the ground with his whole body, his ears are turned towards the "prey". The pet moves very slowly and carefully, trying not to frighten the victim. Breathing slows down and becomes absolutely silent, the gaze is fixed at one point. A moment - and your pet will rush at what it considers its prey, so be careful! Hunting for birds, cats and other animals can result in serious injury for a small dog.

Come on, shove- the dog approaches the owner with a distracted look and thumps right on him. In this way, dogs try to climb the hierarchical ladder. If your pet sleeps in the same bed as you, this behavior should not be encouraged. A submissive dog will lie next to him, clinging to the "leader", but not on him! Do not give up your seat, move the sly one away from you, as if to say: "I choose where I sleep, and you will have to put up with it."

I'm in pain, I don't feel well- a tossing dog that cannot find a place for itself, walking back and forth, sighing. The pet cannot lie down, tossing and turning. When a dog has a headache, it will bury its forehead on the floor or wall, freezing in this position. When a dog licks the same area of the body all the time, it also tells us that the dog is in pain or discomfort.

Understanding the language of dogs is not difficult, you just need to sincerely love your pet and be attentive.

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Be aware of dogs!

It must be remembered: a big dog is also a big responsibility, so you have to deal with it every day. And being busy and tired is not an excuse.

A terrible incident that occurred in Slovenia is indicative: three bullmastiffs bit their owner. After that, there was a debate in the country about the aggression of dogs responsible for the death of a person. And only later, the investigation found out that the dogs had been killed for a reason: for a long time they endured the cruel bullying of the owner, which was proved by the examination ...

But it happens that animals with a less stable psyche get to our home, for which our neglect is enough to break loose ...

Who is the most vindictive?

Revenge of dogs is not groundless. Their behavior is a reflection of the actions of their masters.

First, let's define terminology. When raising dogs, owners often intuitively use violence in the form of punishment or coercion.

Coercion is a physical or psychological impact on a dog that is unpleasant for an animal, with the aim of forcing it to do or not to do anything beyond the will of the dog itself. The animal is forced to do or not to do something by force, so coercion is violence, at least an integral part of it.

Punishment is either a physical or psychological effect on the dog, with the aim of causing her trouble for any action committed by her will.

The measures of influence taken in relation to the dog during coercion and punishment can be completely identical. The difference between coercion and punishment is only in the time of application of these measures.

During (coercion) or after (punishment) the dog's refusal to do something.

In training practice, coercion is often referred to as negative reinforcement. (In contrast to the positive when the dog is given a treat at the moment of the right action).

Punishment in the sense described above has a synonym in everyday life - revenge.

Since the dog at any moment of time reacts to the maximum stimulus, linking all the events of the given moment with this stimulus, then negative reinforcement is a more effective method than punishment, because it allows the dog to instantly associate his actions with unpleasant sensations and abandon these actions, thus avoiding trouble next time.

It is much more difficult to use punishment, because it is enough to be a little late, and the dog will associate the trouble with another action of his to punish for which it would be ridiculous.

Some owners humanize their pets so much that they begin to attribute human motivation to their actions. For example, if, after being punished, an excited dog makes a puddle, they believe the dog has "taken revenge". In fact, vindictiveness is a quality inherent only in man. The animal is not capable of revenge, since it cannot consciously plan any actions in advance, and keep this plan in its head for a long time. Any action of a dog is an instantaneous response to an external or internal stimulus that manifests itself at a given moment in time.

Do not be afraid to put the dog in his place. You cannot humiliate an animal with your demands.

The dog in the house should be led like a good English servant. Those. be inconspicuous, keep traditions and not be offended by the antics of the owner. Especially to take revenge on him.

So, the dog has committed a misdemeanor (stealing meat from the table or tearing the pillow) - your indignation at the loss and disgusting act of the dog is beyond description!

The first thing that comes to mind is to punish the dog. So, take your time!

The dog reacts at any moment of time to the maximum irritant of all existing at that moment of time! In other words, if the punishment for the offense and the offense itself do not coincide in time, the dog will not understand what exactly it was punished for. The moment in time when the dog tormented the pillow was associated solely with pleasure.

If the punishment came at the moment when the dog was engaged in another object, then in her mind the punishment will be associated with this, another object, and not with a pillow. And this will lead to the fact that the dog will bypass another object along the tenth dog path, and the pillow will be torn apart more than once until it manages to comprehend the logic of its owner.

So, it is necessary to punish the dog during the commission of a misconduct in order to link this misconduct with punishment in its mind. Then the dog will already choose which stimulus is stronger, the desire to grab the pillow or the fear of punishment.

I would like to note that if the punishment was symbolic, the pillow will again lose some of the feathers.

Suppose that you did everything, it would seem, correctly, but faced such a problem: the dog does not touch the pillow in your presence, but as soon as you leave the house, the dog again takes up the old.

The next rule for punishing a dog is: it is not the owner who should punish the dog, but something that brings joy to the dog, and grief to the owner - the pillow itself or the piece of meat itself.

Radio-controlled current collars can be widely used for this purpose.

You can, of course, do without complex technical means, having shown ingenuity, for example, by sewing a “hedgehog” welded from nails into a pillow.

It can be said with certainty that, having tried such a pillow on the tooth, the dog is unlikely to allow itself to continue to have a familiar attitude towards it.

Every dog owner should keep in mind that punishment only makes sense if the dog has been previously trained in an alternative (correct from the owner's point of view) behavior.

Then, sorting through the possible options, the dog will stop at the correct behavior that is safe for her.

If the owner is constantly trying to "catch" the dog on the wrong behavior and punish, and the correct behavior has not been developed in advance, then this is not education, but mockery of the dog.