# Hair standing up on back?



## Rocko'sMommy

I have a 5 month old GSD pup and recently when he's met a few other dogs the hair across his entire spine stands up, not just near his neck. He does not growl, he just sniffs around their mouths a lot. He has never shown agression with dogs but he has not had much socialization because majority of the dogs I know are much smaller than him and he does not have good manners yet when it comes to play. I plan on putting him in doggie day care a few times to see if this will help him to be socialized.
Does the hair on his back mean agression or does it mean he is fearful or that he wants to play? It has only happened with a few dogs and they are all dogs that are bigger than him (but not every dog that is bigger than him). When he is on a leash, he does very well with little dogs since he cannot smack them around with his massive paws too much.

Thanks so much for the input!!


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## DanielleOttoMom

It's called a hackel. It's to make them appear big that what they really are. More than likely your pup is more scared or not sure of the other dogs and that is why his hackle goes up. Kinda like I'm going to look big and scary before you even think about coming over here.


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## Jax08

I would guess either fear, uncertainty, or excitement in a 5 month old. Raised hackles don't just mean fear or aggression.


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## Rocko'sMommy

So I should not be terribly concerned? Do you think more socialization could help? Thanks again!


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## Castlemaid

Rocko'sMommy said:


> So I should not be terribly concerned? Do you think more socialization could help? Thanks again!


No, and yes. Hackles usually indicate fear, and some dogs hackle out of exitment - my dog does the same when playing with my older female. 

Very unlikely that a five month old will be showing aggression, and hackles normally show fear anyways, not dominant aggression. The sniffing (licking?) around the mouth is a show of submission - very appropriate for a puppy to act this way when meeting other dogs. 

More socialization can always help, as long as it is positive. Calmer, easy going older dogs, young pups his age, all good! Meeting fear aggressive dogs, dominant bullies: try to avoid!


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## KZoppa

Castlemaid said:


> No, and yes. Hackles usually indicate fear, and some dogs hackle out of exitment - my dog does the same when playing with my older female.
> 
> Very unlikely that a five month old will be showing aggression, and hackles normally show fear anyways, not dominant aggression. The sniffing (licking?) around the mouth is a show of submission - very appropriate for a puppy to act this way when meeting other dogs.
> 
> More socialization can always help, as long as it is positive. Calmer, easy going older dogs, young pups his age, all good! Meeting fear aggressive dogs, dominant bullies: try to avoid!


 
:thumbup::thumbup:

Shasta's hackles go up when she gets excited or something spooks her. Riley's go up because he is either excited about something or gets that I'm gonna get you before you get me attitude going. Riley is 6 years old. He's had bad experiences with dogs bigger than him IE saint bernards are his issue so he gets excited/nervous around other dogs and up goes the fur.


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## blehmannwa

I will actually smooth the hackles down. Sometimes smoothing the raised hair helps the dog relax--especially if they are over reacting to a perceived threat. I also tell the dog that raised hackles (piloerection) make them look silly. The touch and gentle talk usually redirects the dog's attention back to me and hopefully I'll be able to manage whatever is exciting/scaring/spooking my dog.


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## DCluver33

blehmannwa said:


> I will actually smooth the hackles down. Sometimes smoothing the raised hair helps the dog relax--especially if they are over reacting to a perceived threat. I also tell the dog that raised hackles (piloerection) make them look silly. The touch and gentle talk usually redirects the dog's attention back to me and hopefully I'll be able to manage whatever is exciting/scaring/spooking my dog.


so you're petting the dog, by smoothing the hair down, thus re-enforcing the behavior?


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## blehmannwa

Since the raising of hackles is an involuntary behavior--much like goosebumps in people--smoothing them can get the dog out of the anxious zone. The dog's feeling of raised hackles can be associated with the stimulus that caused it. Smoothing and re-directing the dog can get the dog over the initial adrenaline surge of fear or excitement that caused the piloerection.


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## carmspack

Hackling is fear arousal . The facial licking is a calming signal , subordinate behaviour. The dog is afraid and he is asking for mercy by showing infantile behaviour "don't harm me please".

I would get out of this situation ,  keep on moving by . Dogs don't need to get in to each others face. 

Watch that you don't have a bite incident , when the pressure is too much .

Carmen


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## myshepharley

What if they do it around people? Adult and children? Harley will do that to young kids, maybe 7 and under and some adults, can't really pinpoint a pattern. And sometimes he will do the nip thing if I am not there.


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## GSDElsa

Each dog is different. Elsa raises her hackles when she's excited ("aroused). Doesn't tend to be in scary situations, but rather when she's ramped up such as playing chase or ball after a long day cooped up (as well as when meeting new dogs).

In a 5 month old it likely does have something to do with fear as well, though. Especially if it's happening around people. I don't think they should be getting excited enough around people to have that reaction.

I agree with the smoothing of the fur. I've hear it before and tried it a couple times when she's meeting a dog and it does tend to redirect. You're not cooing and coddling them. You're touching them with the action of "soothing" the area that is stimuated.


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## Stosh

At that age Stosh's fur went up at all kinds of things- and he has a lot of fur! He's always been a very mellow confident pup so I figured he was just trying it out. His best friend is a younger male gsd and his fur goes up at his shoulders and the base of his tail when they're running around and all ramped up. Like others have said, each dog is different and at 5 mos they're becoming aware of their instincts and learning how to use them.


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## codmaster

Hackling can also be caused simply by the dog getting excited, not just from fear.


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## stolibaby

Stoli will raise his hackles when he sees a dog nearby and we aren't going to go see it. It's no as common as it was when he was a puppy and I have never worried about him attacking another dog; he is def not that aggressive and is really more curious and is usually pissed I am not letting him go make another friend. If he sits and calms down and the other owner agrees he gets to go say hi which is always him giving kisses all over hte other dog whether it's big or small....So for us I would say his hackle raising is mostly due to curiousity and throwing a tantrum he can't go see the other dog.


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## Chicagocanine

Hackles up indicates arousal, which can be fear, aggression, excitement, or other (some dogs even do it around prey.)


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## erpeden

Well I have only had my 9 month old for a couple of days (Rescue) but he is great around people in our house but last night and today when I was out walking him on a leash when we would stop and someone would try and walk up to meet him he would get defensive and bark with the hair standing up. I had them stop where they were at and tried to calm him and talk to him and carried on a conversation with the people. Does this just take time or is there something else I can do?


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## PaddyD

Chicagocanine said:


> Hackles up indicates arousal, which can be fear, aggression, excitement, or other (some dogs even do it around prey.)


Agreed. It's just something to watch and see what the dog will do next. Hopefully, he will see there is nothing to be excited about and the hackles will go down.
Some dogs get "raised hackles" more easily than others; it's like some people who get red in the face very easily.


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## trish07

What if Phenix's hackels go up, his posture start to stiffen, he put his head high, but he licks the other dog's mouth ????? How should I interprete it?


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## Dr89

As others have said it may just be an excitement thing. Rambo's hackles are up almost the entirety of our walks because there's just so much neat stuff going on in the city haha. He's been walking the same route 3 times a day since he was a tiny little pup so, there's no fear, just squirrels, joggers, dogs, etc, and he loves meeting everything. 

So if you want, you can try stroking them down slowly and somewhat firmly, may help relax him. I only had to figure this out because now that he's 85lbs and still growing, the hackles just look extremely intimidating when little kids and other dog owners see him/want to pet him. So I just try to make it a little more comfortable for them by trying to get those hackles down! lol


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## CPH

My guy is now 11 months and used to do this all the time! Doesn't happen as much now but he did the exact same when he met dogs hackles would go up and he would proceed to lick their faces. The more we socialized the less it happened. Just introduce him to as many people, situations and dogs as possible to make him more confident. 

To erpeden -->The barking at people sounds like fear barking which we are just getting out of with our pup. It took meeting a lot of new people to stop being scared of him. Just make sure people don't force themselves on him making him feel more threatened. Put him in a sit or down and let him get comfortable at his own pace.


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## rebelsgirl

All my GSD's hackles will go up while their playing sometimes. Zoe's hackles alot (she is my reactive dog), mostly out of fear and uncertainty. I will smooth hers down when she is that situation. It seems to calm her down.


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## codmaster

Hackles are usually just a sign of excitement and don't mean aggression all the time!


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## Antonia_Tertia

Nero's hackles can be up while he's wagging his tail and giving his puppy "play with me!" yip. They just show general excitement, not necessarily aggression.


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## Meg g

Every time my King Shepherd passes by my Pomeranian whether going outside or coming back inside, she tends to have her head down with her Hackles raised at the little dog. I am wondering if this is aggressive behavior towards him. My little Pomeranian hides behind my feet with fear.


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## pets4life

dogs do it when being real goofy also

my dog did it today in the snow we had a insane snowfall today i let her out 

she leaped into the snow started racing like a hyena and all the hair on her was sticking up as she bolted back and fourth like a beast.


ive seen my dog do it to rabbits also and she really really loves rabbit meat, when she cant get to a rabbit at the other side of af ence she might hackle.


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## shantinath1000

Myah does this out of excitement- yesterday we went for a long off leash walk- when we got the locations I let her out of the car and she hackled up and started running sprints and barking her head off- not a another soul in sight.


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