For a hyperactive or hyperaggressive pup, a gentle judo method is effective in establishing dominance and in teaching the animal to be gentle. A dog signals submission by breaking eye contact, looking away, crouching, slinking, lowering the tail and ears, and pulling the lips back horizontally into a submissive grin. Our own submissive grin is almost identical. Also in times of fear, dogs and humans alike give a slight backwards movement of the body. Other signals of submission include raising one forepaw, rolling over onto one side, and, especially in young dogs, releasing a little urine.
Most dogs grow out of submissive urination.
Punishing the dog for urinating is not only unjustifiable, it can reinforce the behavior. All dogs present their hindquarters as a friendly, submissive gesture. Dogs nuzzle each other in the flank, and we can mimic this behavior simply by placing one hand gently on the dog s loin. This is the canine equivalent of the human handshake. Humans can reciprocate the hug with a large dog, and most dog owners return kisses in one way or another.