The Belly Rub: Affection Or Appeasment?

There  is a long standing idea that when a dog rolls over, and presents their  belly, that they are asking for a belly rub…but did you know that this  is a myth?

There are situational  reasons for a dog to present their belly and while it can legitimately  be that they would like their belly rubbed, it can also be an  appeasement gesture telling you that they aren’t a threat and don’t want  you to harm them.  This is more commonly referred to as a submissive  gesture, but the meaning is the same; they are asking for space.

The  difference between the two behaviours can be subtle, and situational.   It often happens in dog-on-dog situations to deescalate a tense  situation and reduce threat by putting themselves into a vulnerable  position.  The same is true for when they present their belly to humans.   Quite often it is an anxious or fear-based behaviour and it either  follows, or is followed by, other more subtle body language ques that  express their discomfort in the situation.

For  a dog to expose their belly to a human in a positive gesture, that is  genuinely asking for belly rubs, requires a great deal of trust.  Or  they’re just a stupid Labrador who does it to everyone because they have  no concept of stranger danger!

The problem is that no one really knows or appreciates that not all dogs want belly rubs!  

When  a dog rolls over, puts themselves in that vulnerable position, and then  has a human leaning/kneeling or otherwise moving over them to rub their  belly, it makes them feel threatened and uncomfortable.
However,  the human has also put themselves in a vulnerable position!  They are  looming over a dog that may feel it needs to defend itself because it’s  signals for space have been ignored.  Should the dog feel they need to  escalate their behaviour to protect themselves, you can be darn sure  that they are going to move a lot faster than that human!  
The result of this, whether intentional or not, is that that human ends up getting nipped!

It  often surprises people that an exposed belly means ‘leave me alone’ and  when the dog acts defensively as a result of a human ignoring what (in  their mind) is a clear signal, they blame the dog and label them  aggressive because they don’t understand what they did wrong.

Thankfully,  Greyhounds are known for being an incredibly passive, gentle, and  tolerant breed…but like all dogs, they use the same universal body  language.  As such they will show several signs that they are  uncomfortable with a situation, such as having their belly rubbed, all  the while tolerating what is being done to them, because that is their  default setting.  But like any dog, if they are pushed and their signs  are repeatedly ignored over time, they may be a little less subtle by  doing a little bit of growling!

It  takes quite a lot to elicit a growl, or anything more, from a greyhound  but if it’s going to happen at any point, it is most likely going to be  in the first few weeks of settling your new hound into the home.  But  it can also occur at times of stress, routine change or in response to  pain (but we’ll cover this subject in a future post!)

Given  the looming holiday season and inevitable family visits and parties,  there is no time like the present to quiz up on doggy body language!   Knowing the signs of a dog’s discomfort, particularly in relation to  children, can spare everyone a disastrous family Christmas!

Explaining  to visitors the ins and outs of canine body language can be a bit of a  chore…so it’s often easier to just advocate for your dog and request  that they leave your hound alone unless they specifically ask for  attention.  This sets easy to follow ground rules for both adults and  children during their visits, and ensures your greyhound gets in their  much-needed sleeping time without too much disruption!

It  is important to note that understanding your dog’s body language is not  limited to the holiday season.  Knowing these signs are a matter of  responsible dog ownership and while they might take a little minute to  learn, they’re really obvious once you know what you are looking for!

Signs of discomfort include:
- Turning head away
- Lip Licking
- Yawning
- Whale Eye (eyes bulging/white of the eye showing)
- Stiff facial muscles
- Giving a ‘kiss’ and then turning or moving away
- ‘Smiling’
- Rolling over ‘for belly rubs’

A  dog may give the child a ‘kiss’ and then turn away or attempt to move  away. A quick lick (or kiss) is a displacement behaviour to create  distance and get out of the situation that is making them uncomfortable.  It looks cute and often is misinterpreted as the dog loving the child,  but it is a sign they want out of the situation.  This is often followed  by the additional request for space in the rolling over for ‘belly  rubs.’

To fuss or not to fuss,  that is the question!  While it is hard to resist those beautiful  bellies, you really should…unless you really know what they’re asking!   Which begs the question, how do you tell the difference?

The  ‘appeasement gesture’ is often started long before you get into the  dogs personal space, as we’ve explained above, as they are trying to  warn you off approaching then.

A 'I don't want belly rubs' appeasement gesture involves:

- Tight body language
- Tight facial expression/smile/worry lines
- Legs stiff held close over the belly
- Eyes wide (showing the white)
- Ears pressed tight back
- Closed mouth
- Lip licking

A genuine ‘I want a belly rub’ gesture involves:

- Loose body language
- Floppy legs (often extended out)
- Open mouth and sometimes a ‘smile’
- Nice open and relaxed expression
- Rolling around or wiggling

Imagine  that typical ridiculous wiggly happy Labrador that lacks common  sense…that’s what you want!  Although greyhounds may be a bit less  theatrical about it, they will give their own quirky signs of wanting a  belly rub.  Usually followed with a very dramatic paw of more if you  deign to stop!

What we’re getting  at is if a dog wants a belly rub they will have a much more open, loose  and wiggly body rather than holding themselves rigid.

While  there are exceptions to this rule, for instance,  submissive-greeters…you know the one, that one mad spaniel at the park  that throws itself at your feet because they really want to be your  friend and they do want a belly rub but they’re also scared of having a  belly rub so they roll over and are all wiggly while also being tense!   Not that we’re trying to confuse you at all!

If  you aren’t sure, the safest way to respect a dog’s personal space is to  stay hands off until they make their intentions clearer, or call your  dog in a happy tone and open gesture and gauge their intentions by their  reaction.  Have they got the wiggles!?