[LuvourGSDs]

Just wondered why at times our rescue will snap at our older Goldens face.

Not liking this at all & do correct asap (happens fast) with a stern NO.

Why is he doing this ?

They do fine together, but there are times when you are there with both & he will just do a quick snap over at her. Dominance thing ?

I did read over the calming signial signs & this once isn't mentioned.

Thanks

 

[pinkanml]

Can you be more specific about what's going on when the snapping happens? Is she looking at him before he snaps, are they walking past each other, laying down together, is one getting affection from you when this happens, bones/toys nearby etc.?

Sorry for all the questions, just need to get a better idea of what leads up to the snapping.

 

[LuvourGSDs]

The Golden & him are just sitting there by us & he will just snap, 1 quick snap at her. Not all the time, just have caught him at times. No toys or nothing just pets from us.

I did see him when we first brought him home do this more often than now. He did this once to our GS female when walking past her.

I just wondered why he did this & what it would mean in dog langauge ?

I have seen him also lick the mouths of our GS female when taking a walk together & also has done this once or twice with our Golden. I thought this meant.....want to be friends or took it as a nice sign.

Just afraid of the snap behavior though.

Thanks

 

[pinkanml]

It seems like he's correcting the other dog for some perceived infraction. Are you sure the golden isn't maybe staring at him? It doesn't necessarily have to be a hard stare, just that their eyes can meet and she doesn't shift hers away fast enough in his opinion.

That's a really easy to miss sign that can provoke a snap from another dog. Same with the walking past the other dog, perhaps the GS didn't defer to him as he expected her to (didn't move out of his way, or she looked him in the eye) and so he snapped?

As for the petting, you mean that you might be petting one of them when this happens? I think it sounds like he is reacting some kind of behavior/signal from the golden that you haven't been able to pick up yet.

How are they otherwise, do you notice one dog deferring to the other when it comes to picking up a toy, or getting your attention?

 

[LuvourGSDs]

Not sur eon what the golden would have done, she was just sitting there along with this boy & he just will snap 1 quick snap at her at certain times.

I was trying to figure out why he would do this ????

I notice only playing ball with him & the Golden, he is getting the ball & playing so no issue there.

Lucky we were right there with him & our GS female when he snapped because she will not let that go over IF not watching them.

Just trying to understand why a dog would do this, I haven't seen this out of our dogs when all together.

 

[Tina & Dave]

My gal does this too... but I have come to realize she is correcting the other dog. She tolerates no bad behaviour from any foster..

Tina

 

[Lola1969]

Ozzy will do this to VERY excited dogs who get in his personal space too fast. I have read that the snapping is always intentionally missed and is a signal to the other dog to back off.

However, Ozzy has a Golden he plays with who snaps at him and then play bows. So I have also read this as perhaps an invitation to play or play behavior.

 

[LuvourGSDs]

Originally Posted By: Lola1969Ozzy will do this to VERY excited dogs who get in his personal space too fast. I have read that the snapping is always intentionally missed and is a signal to the other dog to back off.

However, Ozzy has a Golden he plays with who snaps at him and then play bows. So I have also read this as perhaps an invitation to play or play behavior.

Play behavior ?

Boy I was taking it as bad, bad, & bad ! Scared me to even try him back with our female GS due to this behavior, because she is dominate & feared she wouldn't like this !

Ok, keep the inputs coming.

 

[Parsifal]

Annie does a mouth air-clopping thing to start play with us or when she's being snuggled -- it's clearly not a snap, but it does look as if she's kind of popping her jaw and biting the air. I've seen her do it with other dogs too if she knows them -- they've never taken offense, and it's always during or just before starting play.

I've never seen her snap around other dogs (although I've seen her "air clop" around them), but I've seen them snap around her. I've never worried about it (I know all the dogs involved). Annie's very big and sometimes too rough for smaller dogs when she plays. They're warning her to back off, which she does. The play continues.

My first dog had a very good buddy she played with daily for years, and they snapped and snarled and screamed like mad at each other. It was play.

The serious "back off or I'll take drastic measures" snaps that I've seen amongst the dogs I know well are always accompanied by lots of warning signals -- snarls, ruffs up, eyes hard, tails up. Except for one very spoiled small dog that snapped and bit without warning.

 

[Lola1969]

I think you have to watch the body language when the snaps happen. Ozzy's playmate will snap in his direction (sometimes inches from his face) and he doesn't budge and he isn't frightened. After this she will play bow and beg him to start playing with her.

However, when Ozzy snaps it is clearly a "get out of my face" type thing. No play bowing etc. So I really think body language is key in determining intent.

 

[bearlasmom]

bearla snaps at the pup alot lately when the pup is getting in her face, i read one of your answers here to OP and wondered about it. Bearla has even growled and barked once at both the pup and pit, but usually only does this when the pit has been bad and she knows it

 

[LuvourGSDs]

Thanks so far all..............

He has normally been sitting when this happens......just will do here & there. Seems to me (if I can remember) he is always sitting except once when he was walking past our female GS.

 

[Lilo]

I was wondering also why they snappe at other dog...

Lilo want to go see the dog but once near the other dog the first thing she does is snappe the dog on the side of the face ...???

I don't understand why she does it, we just moved and my neighbor as a 10 years old lab very calm
and submissive and yet Lilo snapped at her both times we went over...after that she is o.k and want to play
but why the snapp first??? She never does it at home to my other dog only the new one she meet...(on leash)