Question
My puppy is really submissive/afraid with other dogs. Low back, tail between the legs, turn on his back when other dogs come to play with him and won't let any dogs smell his butt. That being said he absolutely loves the dog park. He runs toward it, become crazy excited in the car when we go near it, wag his tail like crazy when inside the park. He goes to every dog to sniff them. He let dogs sniff his face and his privates, when a dog owner pull his dog away from mine, he will run toward the dog to continue playing.
I can tell he wants to play, he will run toward other dog and then turn around in a "chase me" style, but if it works he runs toward a safe spot (a human, a fence, under a bench...) and play with the other dog there.
My dog is small (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, ~15lbs / 7kg) and he is 6 months old. His behaviour is the same no matter the size of the other dogs, no matter if they are exited or really calm.
What should I do to increase his confidence. Any thing I should do/avoid? When he is playing I never pick him up I watch closely and in the rare occasions where the other dog is "too much" I will gently push the other dog away, but that doesn't happen often.
Answer
In short: you don't have to do anything.
Your dog is excellent at communicating with other dogs. The submissive body language is very normal for puppies and in addition to signalling possible fear, it's also a signal that he doesn't want a fight. This is very good dog-to-dog communication in a public place with dogs that might be strangers to him.
As he grows older he might become less submissive in body language, but even if he doesn't, that's no need to worry at all. In human terms he's a very friendly and well-behaved dog who introduces himself before engaging in play.
The only things I would try to avoid are:
- If he rolls onto his back and whines loudly at the same time another dog might be too aggressive for his taste. You should intervene and push the other dog away.
- Him sitting on your feet or very close next to you and watching the other dogs without playing. This can be a sign of protective behavior and can lead to aggression if another dog comes too close to you.
- Him covering behind your legs or beneath the bench you're sitting on or trying to climb you. That signals he's afraid of something and tries to hide away. If he only stays a short while and then continnues playing, there's no need to worry.
Answered By - Elmy