Which body position is associated with FAS in dogs?

Which body position is associated with FAS in dogs?

• A. Lowered body postures
• B. Mouthing
• C. Attempts to flee/hide
• D. Standing upright and tense

Answer: (C)

When a dog feels fear, the strongest impulse is to remove themselves from the stressful situation. The body position that best signals this Fearful Arousal is an attempt to flee or hide. It shows the dog is actively looking for an escape and a place to feel safe, which tells you the environment is overwhelming for them. In practice, notice this as a clear cue to give distance, pause any approaching interaction, and provide a safe retreat or quiet corner the dog can move to. This kind of flight-hiding gesture is more definitive of fear than a simply lowered posture (which can be submissive or ambiguous) or standing upright and tense (which indicates arousal or readiness to react but not necessarily a wish to escape). Mouthing can occur in stressed dogs too, but it’s not as direct a signal of wanting to flee as the behavior of trying to hide or run away.

When a dog feels fear, the strongest impulse is to remove themselves from the stressful situation. The body position that best signals this Fearful Arousal is an attempt to flee or hide. It shows the dog is actively looking for an escape and a place to feel safe, which tells you the environment is overwhelming for them.

In practice, notice this as a clear cue to give distance, pause any approaching interaction, and provide a safe retreat or quiet corner the dog can move to. This kind of flight-hiding gesture is more definitive of fear than a simply lowered posture (which can be submissive or ambiguous) or standing upright and tense (which indicates arousal or readiness to react but not necessarily a wish to escape). Mouthing can occur in stressed dogs too, but it’s not as direct a signal of wanting to flee as the behavior of trying to hide or run away.