Starting the wood splitter

[Ravenbird]

Our original trainer told us that if the hackles are in a thin line it's fear and if they are wide it means they mean business.

I think the hairs for hackling have a wide spot at withers and base of tail, but down the spine it's just not as wide. Or maybe it's different for different breeds? Asha's "mild" alert starts at the withers and at the tail, but if the hair down the spine also comes up, it's just like your photo, thiner down the center of the spine. And yes, full tilt at the ready.

The other day I was walk our road out here and I saw her hackles coming up on the withers and her trot started getting stiff, then the hackles came up on her rump, so I leashed her up. Around the bend there was another lady walking her dogs toward me. We said hello and talked a bit and Asha was already chill about it, but when she knows something is different, but doesn't know who or what it is, her body language shows it all.

 

[Gelcoater]

She's gonna give it a what-for.

I use to believe that hackles are a form of fear in a dog, and they can be, but just like a cat, nature made the hackles to stand up and warn the opponent that this cat wants you to back off. And Asha always "barks forward" going towards the thing, not backing up. So I quit believing it is a sign of fear as I was taught years ago. She's a total wimp at the vet, shaking in her boots, but doesn't hackle up or growl at those folks. More like throws in the towel. She's definitely got an all or nothing attitude.

Rocky never Mohawked or hackled out of fear? It usually meant something was about to get tuned up. A critter. Millie. Something is about to pay


In this one it was Millie. He needed a time out.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

Non-Doberman content:

Zephyr has very active hackles and I love it.

They go up when he's defensive over the house. They go up when he sees another dog on a walk.

He is already fairly large – tall with a big neck/shoulders/upper arms. The hackles take it to another level of intimidating.

One or two times, back when he was young, he got real spooked by seeing a wild animal. Hackles up, but you should've seen his tail! It's like someone blew it up like a long balloon.

 

[MyBuddy]

Riley has gotten a lot of experience with equipment this year. He does the same thing with the chainsaw, chipper and splitter. Hopefully all the dead wood is out of all the trees now. My body feels like we have cut, split or chipped every single tree on our property!

Tell me about it. It's never ending.

 

[MyBuddy]

Yes. I tell them thanks for train our dogs every day:

They approach, dog barks, they leave, dog rewarded!

Most understand, thumbs-up...
others, not amused.

I laugh when I watch the cameras and see them put the package down, take a picture, Annie Barks in the window, and they start running for the truck!