Free Tips to Stop Submissive Dog Behavior Around New People

For this Omaha dog training session we share tips to stop rewarding and reinforcing 1 year-old Border Collie Ruby’s submissive dog behavior.

I spent over an hour trying to get Ruby to relax and feel comfortable with my presence. While I made some progress, she was still very unsteady.

Signs of Submissive Dog Behavior

Her guardians reported this was unusual behavior from her. This was quite concerning for me. I had adopted soft, non-confrontational body language just seconds after arriving. It wasn’t until I took her out for a walk before she finally relaxed.

It was wonderful seeing how playful, tender and sweet this dog was. When I returned to her home, I became worried again. She showed fearful body language as soon as we reached her front porch.

Her ears were pinned back, her lips were stretched, and her body was stiff. I noticed her pupils were dilated too. I took a seat on the steps and waited for a few minutes until she seemed to relax again.

She was noticeably better than before, but still clearly uncomfortable. She showed some submissive dog behaviors linked to low self-esteem.

Many behaviors can show that a dog is being submissive. For example, licking another dog’s mouth or nose is a gentle way to express respect or calm the other dog.

A tucked tail often shows fear or submission. For humans it’s like hiding your face. This position covers their genitals and makes it harder for other dogs to sniff them.

Crouching low to the ground is another friendly and submissive behavior. Dogs may also roll onto their backs and show their bellies, which is playful and submissive. Lip-licking can help ease tension and make greetings feel more relaxed.

Additionally, if a dog looks away or avoids eye contact, it may feel threatened. Turning away from a dog that’s staring is also a sign of submission.

Lastly, some dogs may let others win at tug-of-war. They might also allow others to take their toys or food. This behavior shows their submissive nature.

Help a Dog Stop Acting Submissive

I gave the guardians my camera so we could record a free dog training video. This video would share tips to help a dog stop acting submissive. Watch it below for free.

There are many things you can do to stop a dog from acting submissive. I would like the guardians to invite people to visit a few times each week. This way, they can use some of the tips I share in the video.

I also showed the guardians a focus exercise. This exercise can help redirect her attention from things that may upset her. It can also lower the stress hormone in her blood.

It was slightly challenging as I had given her so many treats earlier in the session. But anyone can do this, even if they aren’t a professional Border Collie dog trainer.

We discussed several dog behavior tips that can help reduce your dog’s insecurity and submissive behaviors. I asked the guardians to practice these for a month or so.

If she still lunges at or tries to herd cars, we can set up a session to focus on that issue.

We created a roadmap to success video to help the guardians remember the dog behavior tips from the training session. Check it out below.