The dog’s submissive behavior
The dog’s submissive behavior
The posture of submission stems from the ritualization of the urination process by the mother. At the end of the meal, the mother turns the puppies over and grooms them. This same posture is also seen in adults. During a fight, the subordinate dog lies on his back, which serves to stop the aggression of the adversary. However, other forms of submission can also be observed such as the cry a puppy makes when he is grabbed by the skin of his neck. Pressure exerted in this region is associated with hierarchical fights. The submissive position is a ritual. It has a cohesive function in the social group. It helps prevent attacks. Some dogs are unable to acquire the ability to submit (absence of submissive posture) and are dangerous because they are very aggressive. And since they do not submit, the other dog becomes aggressive. Other signs of submission are also observed such as averting the eyes in an indirect look to avoid the eyes of the dominant dog, tail dropped low, lateral decubitus position with one hind leg lifted and flight. In a human-dog pack, the owner must learn to recognize the submissive posture of his dog because continuing to be aggressive toward the dog when the dog has already submitted may lead to behavioral problems.