Incorrect accusations

Well I finally got a squint from my boy Luke. What you are asking yourself is a squint? When a dog submits to you they do many different things with their body to portray to you that they are submitting. Squinting is one of them and some dogs squint much more than other dogs. My sisters dog which can be seen in the Jan 08 issue of Dog World squints like crazy. Everytime you greet her; her whole body is shrunk down and her eyes are just about shut. It is very cute when she does it. The dogs most likely to squint are the unsure dogs, not necessarily submissive by nature but not overly confident types.

Yesterday my overly confident boy Luke squinted at me. I was shocked as he approached and I noticed the tiniest squinting from him. Luke was squinting because I was angry; lets face it I don't get angry very often with my dogs. As I have said many times before I am a very strong leader and my dogs know by the slightest change in my posture if I am displeased so they don't see much of a big display most of the time.

I was super busy yesterday; in and out of the house and as I entered the backyard I noticed a pile of dirt outside one of the planters. One of the planters that I had just swept up from a previous dig. The scene was set; Luke was standing with both front feet up on the raised planter with his head stuck in the bushes. Forecasting the future I could see that this could become a daily routine that I did not have time for. The dirt was on the ground and so of course I assumed. I have learned over the years that you should never assume, but I did it anyway. AAAHHHHHHH, GET OUT OF THERE!!!!!!!! YOU STAY OUT OF THOSE BUSHES.

Now, for most dogs that would have been nothing. Afterall I just angrily told him to get out of the bushes but for Luke who is typically a very confident dog; he is a baby with me. He does not llike to get into trouble and is very sensitive as are most boys. So he lowered his tail, his body and his head and squint. I was quite literally in shock; wow this was a first. I stood there thinking that this was very strange when the thought came to mind that maybe it wasn't what it looked like. I called Luke over and felt under his stomach where the dirt tends to be drawn upward, nothing. I checked his front feet and nothing.

I then called Tilley outside; yes my perfect dog that never does anything bad; ever. The evidence was clear; her front feet were very dirty and her underbelly held more evidence of her crime. Ahh, I made the wrong assumption; I hate when that happens. It has probably only happened twice in the life of these dogs that I have now because they are all so different that it is very clear who has done what. So; feeling very guilty I called my boy over for some big hugs and kisses. He was very happy for the affection from Mom and we were cool once again.

So was this behavior from Luke a clear sign that I had assumed wrong right from the start? I think so. I have caught Luke in the act before and although he is submissive he has clearly understood what was going on. This time I believe I caught him off guard because he had done nothing wrong. Well, hopefully they will both stay out of the planter now.

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