Have you ever noticed your dog's back hairs standing on end? It is a normal reaction, similar to the goosebumps that people experience, and is caused by the adrenaline secretion It is a hormone that appears in situations of stress, excitement, fear, anger, or nervousness.
To understand why your furry's back bristles in different situations, it is important to know the body language of dogs, since depending on the state of their tail, their ears or other types of non-verbal communication, we can find out if it is for something positive or negative. If you've ever wondered Why does my dog get goosebumps and want to know the answer, keep reading this article on our site:
1. Anger
When a dog gets angry and prepares to attack, he usually shows a bristling back, however, you should pay attention to the other signs of aggressiveness to know if this is really the cause. If your dog is angry, he will show his teeth, growl or bark, have a tense tail, and stick his ears forward.
If you notice that your dog is angry, it is best to try to divert his attentionfrom what is causing him discomfort. Take it to another place quickly and consider go to a specialist in dog education and training. This type of behavior, in the long run, can lead to
two. Fear
A fearful dog may experience anxiety in stressful times and this will make his back stand on end. Once again, you'll need to look at your furry friend's body language to see if your dog's bristling back is due to fear.
Fear can make them reactive, so some dogs will growl and show their teeth, however by looking at the state of their ears and tail you can tell if it is fear or anger. A fearful dog will hide his tail between his paws and put his ears back. He will also be submissive and try to hide from whatever he is afraid of
3. Dominance
Dominance occurs when two or more dogs try to relate to each other by forging a temporary hierarchical structure. Dominant dogs try to demonstrate their status and assert themselves through body language and other forms of dog relationships.
For that reason, when your dog bristles in front of another it can mean that he is trying to assert himself and be the dominant dog in that relationship. However, remember that not all dogs are always dominant, some will be dominant in some relationships but submissive in others.
4. Nerves and excitement
Not all the reasons why your dog's back bristles are negative, the brain also secretes adrenaline in moments of nervousness or excitementWhen your dog meets another dog, for example, his hair may stand on end with excitement. The body gestures are typical of a happy dog and nervous, tail high and moving, invitation to play, jumps or licks.
