Can a dog look Brave but actually be Anxious?

Ever seem like your dog is scared or anxious about a trigger, but still going up to them and sniffing? In other words, does it seem like your dog is anxious or worried about an event, but still demonstrating brave signals?

This episode talks about dogs who experience anxiety attacks while simultaneously demonstrating behaviors associated with bravery. The discussion originated from a coaching call where Team Lola and Mater's interactions sparked curiosity about the complex interplay between anxious and brave behaviors in dogs.

"You must train your eye to look objectively, to get rid of outside bias. We must reject blanket statements on social media. Saying a lip lick means this is one thing. Saying a lip lick is correlated to stress. So, you need to keep an eye out for it, and you need to track where in your dog's stress repertoire does the lip lick occurs."

We explore the paradoxical nature of a dog's response to adversity, considering both the biological fight, flight, or freeze responses and the historical selection of certain breeds for traits that defy self-preservation. This episode challenges conventional labels attached to behaviors, emphasizing the need to objectively observe and interpret a dog's actions without predetermined notions of good or bad, stress or bravery.

Join us in unraveling the nuanced dynamics of anxiety, bravery, and the importance of objectively assessing canine behavior in this thought-provoking conversation.

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