Excitment and Hackles

[VanillaBean]

I am not concerned about this, as I think it is normal. I just wanted to see if anybody had any ideas

Honey from an early age has always had her hackles up when she gets excited and wants to play. People have commented on that her hackles are up, given that most encounters I would think with dogs and hackles is that dog is on alert and would start to growl/bark and is concerned about environment etc. and could then turn into a fight.
I just explain that is normal for her as she is just excited and after a while they start to go down. But of course during the rush of excitement and play they can come back. Now she never growls at dogs and only bark she does is a play bark. The other dogs that she plays with never take it as a wrong cue/engagement of threat and play together. Of course when people see Vanilla and Honey play it is a bit more intense compared to other engagement with dogs. That is sibling play, cause we all know our boundaries.

I have seen Honey have her hackles up including tail etc. when and she does change and barks as you expect, but not against other dogs more at strange new things. Once she has accepted them next time round she would be calmer until eventually she ignores it. Lots of work with her until we got to that point, but now she is pretty calm.
Which is why the play hackles doe snot concern me, as I can tell the difference with her.

Anyone else come across this, and/or if they have how did you get them to be calmer and show the hackles less. I think it is just her personality and won't change, or will change over time naturally. But thought I would ask..

 

[Rosie]

Pongo's hackles come up when he is Very Very Excited.

 

[Candy]

I think that probably just like us hoomans, our dogs are complex beings and express themselves in individual ways. Joy only ever play growls at dogs she feels very comfortable with. I only ever insult (always jokingly) people with whom I feel very comfortable. It could be like this with hackles up? How do the other dogs react? Do they understand that it's to do with play? We have so much to learn about our dogs, and from them.

 

[VanillaBean]

Other dogs are fine and happy to play. That is why it does not bother me. It just the human comments that are hard, cause it feels like you have to explain yourself or your dog really.
Of course never helps when the two of them play together and are fairly rough with each other, and you can see people thinking twice to allow their dog/s to play.
Main thing is they are happy and enjoy playing, plus they pick their friends to play with so all is good in the world of 'The blonde girls'

 

[Candy]

Other dogs are fine and happy to play. That is why it does not bother me. It just the human comments that are hard, cause it feels like you have to explain yourself or your dog really.
Of course never helps when the two of them play together and are fairly rough with each other, and you can see people thinking twice to allow their dog/s to play.
Main thing is they are happy and enjoy playing, plus they pick their friends to play with so all is good in the world of 'The blonde girls'

Beautiful blonde girls!

 

[SwampDonkey]

Iver often has his shoulder and bum hacks up when he's playing or up to something he finds exciting. Rory hardly every. It's seems to be s combination over pure excitement or a bit of concern about something. Q. Other dog walker ooo is you pup a Ridgeback? Me after looking at them for a second or two A. yes
It seems to be like growling it's a communication but often misinterpreted. Ivers also going through a fear period at the moment so I think he's just feeling a bit more excitable.

 

[Emily]

Ella never has bum hackles but her back ones stick up for the first minute or so nearly every time she plays with another dog. It's just her "I'm so excited that I'm a bit over the threshold" body response.

 

[Atemas]

Think I only ever saw Sky’s hackles rise once when we were camping and someone came too close to our tent. She also barked which frightened the life out of us as she’d never barked before - she was a very very quiet dog.

Red on the other hand regularly has her hackles rise but not out of excitement. If she is spooked or frightened, they go up. It happens less now but she went through the classic fear period when they rose a lot

 

[VanillaBean]

Thought it was normal as Honey's behaviour is just full of play. If she is concerned about something new or spooked then they just look different when they go up, plus her body tenses more.
Of course trying to explain that to others when all they see is 'hackles' is becoming a chore....but 'c'est la vie'

 

[MellowYellow]

Merlin’s hackles always go up when he sees another dog. It is NOT aggression, just a reaction to uncertainty or excitement. It’s been this way since he was a puppy. Yes, sometimes I have to explain to people who don’t know him, and yes I’ve also had the “is he a ridgeback?” question - to which I normally answer “yes, a Norwegian Ridgeback” (Harry Potter, anyone?). He’s a very nice, calm dog with excellent social skills - just that his hackles go up at a ‘meet and greet’!

 

[kateincornwall]

Reuben is just like Merlin , he always meets and greets with hackles up , no harm meant, just pleased x

 

[FayRose]

Molly is just the same too and has been like this since she was a pup. What she often does next though, is to cringe and roll on to her back, exposing her belly to any approaching dog. I take this all to mean that she is very excited, also a little anxious and keen to appease - just in case.

 

[kateincornwall]

Reubs also goes low down , in a sort of crawl , I take this to mean that he is being submissive , no harm intended ?

 

[Emily]

Of course trying to explain that to others when all they see is 'hackles' is becoming a chore....but 'c'est la vie'

If OH and I are together we usually start saying (loudly enough for others to hear) "oh there go her hackles again. Silly girl, it's funny that they always do that when she's excited"

 

[Atemas]

roll on to her back

also goes low down , in a sort of crawl

Red does both these things to approaching dogs and people.

 

[Loraseal]

Hunter is also a hackle man and bows! I look at his tail for distress. If the tail high in the air and wagging away it just means he having a good time.
If his tail is pointed and rigid or tucked behind his legs, then it is time to get away.

 

[SteffiS]

This is Ripple, any excitement, hackles up. That coupled with his silly behaviour and I often find myself explaining to disbelieving dog owners that he’s just an idiot . As for Toffee, I’m not even sure he knows he has hackles.

 

[Loraseal]

I think Hunter and Ripple are very alike! Ialso find myself also apologizing(frequently) for his idiot behavior!

 

[Emily]

I think Hunter and Ripple are very alike! Ialso find myself also apologizing(frequently) for his idiot behavior!

I'm just lucky because everyone seems to think Ella is a puppy. I never feel the need to tell them otherwise

 

[Boogie]

Echo’s hackles go up like a lion! I’ve never seen fur rise so high or so fast on a dog. He’s like one of those hooded lizards.

It’s a response to all sorts of emotions - excitement, uncertainty, anxiety, silliness - you name it!

I’ve never seen Tatze’s hackles, not once.