In dog body language, exposing the underbelly is a gesture of submission or appeasement. However, when a dog feels safe and calm, she may sometimes relax and snooze belly up. Forcing a dog onto its back is scary and threatening, but gently teaching him/her to take that position and relax can improve your dog’s confidence and sense of safety.Begin by kneeling beside your dog and have him/her lie down. Show your dog a treat then move it slowly toward its hip, letting it lick and nibble on it. When he/she rolls its weight onto the opposite hip, give him/her the treat. From there you can lay it on its side by using a treat to lure its nose toward its ribcage.
Once on its side, feed several treats in succession, each one rolling him/her a little further onto its back. Then help him/her relax on its back by holding a treat for it to nibble on while you slowly stroke its chest. Allow it to lean its weight against you or gently support one of its front legs to help it balance. When it is has done this movement a few times, add verbal cues like, “On your back” saying it as you lure your dog in that direction.
Teaching your dog to lie on its back will help it relax and make grooming easier to handle.
The main purpose of Doggie-Corral.com is to provide dog owners with an entire line of dog supplies needed to care for their beloved pets. We ship to the entire United States and provide a one stop shopping experience. We offer dog-training aids, dog insurance, health care essentials, dog apparel (e.g. dog shirts, Dog Pro sports apparel, dog boots, dog coats, dog College Sports apparel, dog blankets, dog sweaters, dog pajamas),dog beds, plastic and wood doghouses, dog crates and kennels, dog toys, dog chews, dog treats, dog and puppy foods, dog grooming products and more. Feel free to check us out at Doggie-Corral.com.
We would also love to have you connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
Doggie-Corral on Facebook
Doggie-Corral on Twitter
Submissive sums it up in my house. My Tiki likes to have her belly rubbed and she doesn't care who does it. If you slow down, she's going to be on her back across your feet before you can get moving again. Sometimes it's funny and sometimes I tell her she's going to have to learn how to do it for herself. She gets a puzzled look on her face as if she's trying to figure out how to do just that.
ReplyDeleteIt means there easy! I've never seen a dog in this position bite or even bark.
ReplyDeleteThat's a clear sign to me that the dog is not aggressive. For some reason dogs like to bite me so if they are not good natured, I stay clear.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! I'm only 17 yrs old so this blog is very helpful to me. My parents gave me a dog for my b-day and I need help!
ReplyDelete