There isn't a day that goes by that I don't hear the words, "I think he was abused," when someone is talking about their own dog or a dog that they know.
It seems like every other dog in Fort Collins has suffered abuse at the hands of someone, and this explains the dog's submissive posturing and attitude toward strangers. I call this the "abused dog conspiracy."
The reality is that dogs that are abused don't act the way submissive dogs act. Dogs that are truly victims of abuse might cringe in the presence of strangers, but they are more likely to be snarling while doing so. The most common behavior displayed by abused dogs is defensive aggression, not submission. What many people mistake for behaviors caused by abuse is simply a dog's way of greeting someone with whom it isn’t familiar.
Genetics also play a huge role in the posture of a dog greeting a stranger. Submissive posturing tends to run in families. Puppies either inherit the behavior or learn it from their mother. Submissive wetting also is frequently mistaken for behavior associated with abuse. This also is an inherited behavior and is common with dogs that are naturally subservient.
When greeting humans, this type of dog will pass urine completely unintentionally. This behavior is a behavior that puppies display, carried over into adulthood by dogs that are behaviorally submissive. In a dog pack, the passing of urine by a puppy tells the older, more dominant dog through scent that the greeter is a puppy and therefore shouldn't be too roughly admonished for inappropriate behaviors.
The best way to deal with a submissively wetting or fearful dog is to completely ignore it while being greeted. By ignoring the dog and actually acting as if there is no dog, the human gives the submissive dog a chance to come forward and sniff without the dog having to make a rush to judgment.
Scent is extremely important to dogs. A dog not given the opportunity to thoroughly sniff someone is not going to be able to relax and be accepting until they can get that good sniff in. When a fearful or submissive dog is acknowledged during the greeting process, the dog may be too intimidated by eye contact to come forward and sniff.
Because the dog is being "put on the spot," it may feel a rush to judge, and when that occurs, the judgment is almost always a negative one. By not making eye contact and allowing the dog to come forward and sniff without fear of being put on the spot, the submissive dog can collect the information it needs through the sniffing process and then relax.
Being consistent and setting up the fearful or submissive dog to greet people in this manner will help ensure a more relaxed and friendly dog.
