Canine Cues: Interpreting Displacement Behavior in Dogs

Did you know that if your dog yawns when they aren’t tired or licks their lips if there isn’t food nearby, it could be a sign that they’re stressed out or anxious? Misunderstanding or ignoring displacement behavior in dogs can lead to people getting bitten and dogs being punished inappropriately.

What is a displacement behavior in dogs? Is displacement behavior in dogs bad? What does displacement behavior in dogs look like, and what can you do about it? Keep reading for all this information and more.

Defining Displacement Behavior in Dogs

Displacement behavior is when a dog does normal behaviors in out-of-context situations, such as yawning when they aren’t tired, licking their lips when there is no food around, or scratching themselves when they shouldn’t be itchy.

Since displacement behaviors indicate that a dog is uncomfortable, recognizing and addressing them can prevent worse behaviors like barking or biting. Displacement behaviors may indicate that a dog is afraid, anxious, tired, frustrated, or experiencing conflicting emotions, like fear and excitement when greeting strangers.

The Underlying Causes of Displacement Behavior in Dogs

Displacement behaviors are often caused by situations that result in mixed emotions for the dog. Meeting new people, for example, might cause a dog to be both excited and nervous. Other common triggers of displacement behavior include environmental changes, social interactions, and resource guarding.

Is Displacement Behavior in Dogs Bad?

No. In fact, it’s better for a dog to display displacement behavior rather than lashing out. If you notice your dog showing displacement behaviors, you have the opportunity to address the underlying cause before your dog moves onto worse behaviors like biting or barking.

However, displacement behaviors in dogs do indicate that the pup is uncomfortable, so you should figure out what’s triggering the behavior and address that trigger.

Identifying Common Displacement Behaviors in Dogs

Any behavior a dog does out of context may be a displacement behavior, but here are some of the most common displacement behaviors.

Tail Wagging

Tail wagging doesn’t automatically indicate a happy dog. A dog wagging their tail when it’s tucked between their legs, stiff and high, low, or slow may indicate a dog that is stressed out rather than excited. Be sure to read the rest of your dog’s body language to determine how they actually feel about the situation.

Sniffing

As much as dogs love to sniff, a dog sniffing the air when there doesn’t seem to be anything to smell could indicate a displacement behavior and may indicate anxiety, as well.

Scratching

While everybody needs to scratch an itch now and then, excessive scratching or paw licking with no apparent reason can be a displacement behavior.

Pacing

If your dog is pacing around and doesn’t want to settle, they may be stressed or anxious without a better outlet. Taking your dog for a walk may help your pup release their pent-up energy and finally relax.

Yawning

We all tend to yawn when we first wake up or are ready to sleep, and that includes our dogs. However, if your dog seems to be wide awake but starts yawning, it may be a displacement behavior indicating that they’re anxious or nervous about a situation.

Recognizing Signs of Distress That Accompany Displacement Behaviors

Just like people all show different signs of stress, so do dogs. Apart from the above common displacement behaviors, other signs that a dog may be feeling distressed include whining, panting, trembling, dilated pupils, sudden extreme shedding, and excessive vocalization.

When you see that your dog is upset, do what you can to relieve that stress. Even if you can’t stop the thing they’re afraid of (like a visit to the vet), you can give them praise, encouragement, or treats to help them understand that there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Real-Life Examples of Displacement Behavior in Dogs

A dog meeting a new baby for the first time might yawn a lot or lick their lips, showing conflicting emotions of uncertainty and curiosity. Another example of displacement behaviors could be a dog going to a new dog park and sitting down to scratch themselves rather than immediately running over to play with the other pups.

Delving into Stress and Its Effects on Dogs

While dogs may not need to worry about jobs or bills, they can still experience stress and suffer physically and emotionally. Common stressors for dogs include loud noises, changes in routine, conflicts with other animals, and unfamiliar environments.

When you can recognize signs that your dog is stressed and take steps to reduce their stress level, they can lead healthier and happier lives.

Critical Observation Skills for Identifying Displacement Behavior

Since the secret to recognizing displacement behaviors is to notice that they are happening out of context, understanding dog body language is crucial to better notice when your pup is stressed or anxious based on their behavior. When trying to decide whether a behavior is normal or out of context, make sure to factor in your dog’s ear position, tail position, eye contact, and other body language or behavior.

The Link Between Avoidance Behavior and Displacement Behavior in Dogs

Similarly to displacement behavior, avoidance behaviors show that a dog is uncomfortable and trying to escape the situation. Avoidance behaviors include backing away, turning their head, or attempting to hide. When you recognize that your dog is uncomfortable, you can address the situation to try to resolve their fears rather than risking a bite by pushing them into something they are not comfortable with.

Management and Prevention of Displacement Behaviors

Managing and preventing displacement behaviors comes down to three main things: identify your dog’s triggers, change the dog’s response to the trigger, and avoid punishing the dog for showing displacement behaviors.

Identify Triggers

When you notice your dog showing displacement behaviors, figure out what may be triggering the behavior. Does your dog display these behaviors around new people? Other dogs? At the vet? During thunderstorms? Around your new baby?

Change the Dog’s Response to the Trigger

Once you have figured out what’s triggering your dog’s displacement behaviors, change your dog’s response to the trigger. You may need to work with a professional trainer for this part. The goal is to help your dog feel more comfortable with the situation so they don’t feel the need to show displacement behaviors in the future.

Avoid Punishing Displacement Behaviors

Since displacement behaviors indicate that your dog is uncomfortable, punishing them will only make the situation worse. If you were sweating and shaking before giving a big speech, having somebody yell at you wouldn’t make you feel any better, would it? Punishing displacement behaviors can result in the dog skipping the behavior the next time they are uncomfortable and going directly for a bite, instead.

On the other hand, you also don’t want to reinforce displacement behaviors because they may become compulsive behaviors. The key is to identify and address triggers rather than doing anything about the behavior itself.

Training Techniques to Modify Displacement Behavior in Dogs

Strengthening your dog’s frustration tolerance and impulse control can help them better manage their emotions so they can respond appropriately to a variety of situations without resorting to displacement behaviors. Working on these commands and training techniques can give your dog more tools to be confident without needing to resort to displacement behaviors.

“Leave it”

Teaching your dog to “leave it” not only improves their impulse control, but it can actually save their life because you can prevent them from eating harmful items.

“Wait”

Train your dog to wait patiently before getting their meals or going through doors so they learn patience.

“Drop it”

Not only does teaching your dog to “drop it” allow you to take potentially hazardous items from your dog before they can consume them, but it also helps prevent possessive behaviors.

“Stay”

Training your dog to stay in place until called teaches patience and is a cornerstone for helping dogs overcome separation anxiety.

“Focus”

Teaching your dog to keep eye contact with you gives them something to focus on in distracting environments rather than becoming overwhelmed and displaying displacement behaviors.

Counter-conditioning and Desensitization

Use counterconditioning and desensitization to get your dog used to their triggers and reward them for calm behavior rather than resorting to their displacement behaviors.

Gradually Increased Difficulty

Slowly train your dog to stay calm through increasingly difficult situations and triggers until they learn to trust you to keep them safe in any situation and stop displaying their displacement behaviors.

Interactive Feeding and Puzzle Toys

Not only do puzzle toys and other types of interactive feeders teach your dog delayed gratification, but they also provide critical mental and physical stimulation. If you have a high-energy working dog or a pup with separation anxiety, you can give them multiple smaller meals throughout the day to help keep them busy.

We Feed Raw stuffed into a Kong or spread on a lick mat and then frozen is one excellent example of interactive feeding that gives your dog far more stimulation than gobbling kibble out of a bowl once or twice a day.

The Connection Between Diet and Behavior: Why a Raw Diet May Help

You probably get cranky when you’re struggling with your digestion, and your dog is no different. Did you know that raw dog food is more digestible than any other type of dog food? Although dogs don’t look like wolves on the outside, their digestive systems are nearly identical. From their hinged jaws and pointy teeth to their highly acidic stomachs and short digestive tracts, it’s clear that dogs are meant to thrive on raw meat and bones.

A raw diet for dogs doesn’t need to be complicated, either. We Feed Raw makes raw feeding as easy as possible with pre-portioned patties that contain approximately 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meat, and 10% finely ground bone along with a small amount of a vitamin pre-mix for complete and balanced meals.

Worried about raw food making your dog or your family sick? We Feed Raw uses a cold-pressure process to inactivate potential pathogens, and we’ve never been involved in a recall.

We offer 6 proteins (beef, chicken, lamb, venison, turkey, and duck), and all of our recipes meet AAFCO nutrition standards for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies.

Take our quiz now to start your dog’s life-changing raw journey.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are displacement behaviors in dogs?

Displacement behaviors are things that dogs do out of context when they are stressed or conflicted. These behaviors include things like yawning when they aren’t tired, licking their lips when there is no food around, and scratching themselves when they don’t seem to be itchy.

In a way, displacement behaviors are a good thing because your dog is choosing to deal with their stress or anxiety without biting or barking. However, these behaviors do indicate that your dog is uncomfortable, so you should identify what is triggering the behaviors and work with your dog to make them feel more comfortable in the situation.

What is displacement behavior in dogs?

Displacement behavior is something a dog does to show that they are uncomfortable in a certain situation. Examples of displacement behavior include repeatedly yawning when they aren’t tired, shaking themselves off when they aren’t wet or dirty, and sniffing the air at an unusual time.

When you see your dog showing a displacement behavior, you should identify what is triggering the behavior and work with your dog to help them overcome their uncertainty or anxiety.

How can I tell if my dog is displaying displacement behaviors?

Any time your dog is doing something out of context—such as yawning when they aren’t tired or licking their lips when there is no food around—you can safely assume that your dog is displaying a displacement behavior.

What should I do if I notice my dog displaying displacement behaviors?

If you notice your dog showing displacement behaviors, you should figure out what is triggering the behaviors and then work with your dog to help them feel more comfortable around the trigger. You may want to consult with a professional dog trainer for the best results.

Have a Healthier Dog: Switch to We Feed Raw

Unlock the secret to a happier, healthier dog with We Feed Raw! Understanding displacement behaviors in dogs is crucial for their well-being, but did you know that a balanced diet plays a pivotal role too? By recognizing stress indicators and addressing them promptly, you nurture a serene environment for your furry friend. Now, take that care a step further with We Feed Raw's tailored raw diet plans, designed to enhance your dog's digestion and overall health—because a nourished dog is a content dog.

We Feed Raw provides pre-portioned, raw meals that cater to your dog's natural dietary needs, promoting a calmer demeanor and potentially reducing stress-triggered displacement behaviors. With a range of proteins and AAFCO-compliant recipes, our meals are not only safe and nutritious but also engaging for your pet, offering mental stimulation during mealtime.

Ready to transform your dog's diet and watch those displacement behaviors fade? Visit wefeedraw.com today, and let our experts guide you on an enlightening journey to optimal nutrition and a harmonious life for you and your dog. Take the quiz and start your dog on the path to a raw, revitalizing lifestyle with We Feed Raw!