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RE: Animal Behavior, Nonverbal Communication, Rituals, and How Read A Dog's Disposition and Intentions
In the first set of pictures it looks like your dog is at 3.2, second picture it looks like the dog on the right is at 1.1 with the ears straight up.
Great article btw, I can't imagine personally being ok with my friends' dogs seriously biting me. Dog training is something I'm really curious about but have little knowledge of.
Not bad. In the first picture the change is somewhat subtle. from the left image to the right. On the left I'd call that 3.2 as well, on the right I'd say 2.2 or possibly 1.2.
For the second I'd say you're spot on. Additionally I'd say the dog on the left in that picture is 4.3-5.4. Licking of the lips or licking the other dogs mouth is a declaration that "I don't want to fight" in dogs. Similarly, in a dominant dog, clicking of the tongue also says "I don't want to fight", however simultaneous baring of the teeth communicates "but I will if required".
I find dog training to be extremely interesting. Dogs with the genetic makeup for that sort of work... the best analogy is it is like a mixed martial artist getting into the octagon. They want to be in that fight, and it is a real fight in the sense of one must physically dominate the opponent or be dominated, in either case with the near certainty of some injury and possibility of severe injury or death... but there is something deep inside that draws a minority of people (and dogs) to relish the fight and dominating another. Its aggression and fear, while present to a degree, is not a major component of the emotional state.
Take the same MMA fighter and imagine he gets jumped in a back alley walking home. He is now under a very different mindset than when in the ring. Its defensive, and fear is a very significant component of the emotional state.
Take men and put them into combat over and over and over again and sometimes the initial mindset of defensiveness and fear will change to aggression and something almost like lust... they grow to love the combat though most won't admit it or feel great guilt for feeling pleasure in it.
This is the nature of combat and violence. I train dogs for protection work only if they are like the MMA fighter in the ring, and not in a fear-motivated state like in the alley. The dog that works out of fear is of no use for any practical protection roles other than to be a visual deterrent.