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Reading Dog Behavior Helps with Dog Training in Burton, Ohio

Dog Training Burton Ohio

Written by Ohio Dog Trainer (Middlefield)

Middlefield Ohio -Dog Training - Articles

Comment(s): 0

August 14, 2025


I did a great program at the Burton Library, “What is My Dog Communicating to Me?.” Attendees learned about reading dog behavior and how it helped with dog training in Burton, Ohio.

Dogs may not speak our language, but they are master communicators. Learning to read a dog’s body language can help prevent misunderstandings, deepen the human-canine bond, and ensure safety for everyone involved. This post explores how to identify key emotional states in dogs—fear, friendliness, aggression, and resource guarding—while highlighting calming signals described by renowned dog behaviorist Turid Rugaas.

1. Fearful Dog Behavior helps with dog training in Burton, Ohio

A fearful dog isn’t always easy to spot at first. They may freeze, slink away, or become reactive if they feel cornered.

Common signs of fear:

  • Tail tucked between legs or low and wagging nervously
  • Ears pinned back or to the side
  • Avoiding eye contact or showing the whites of their eyes (“whale eye”)
  • Crouched body posture or shifting weight backward
  • Tense eyebrows, furrowed brow
  • Yawning, licking lips, or sniffing the ground (calming signals)
  • Hackles may rise in some dogs
  • Curved spine, making themselves small or avoiding confrontation

Fearful dogs need space, gentle handling, and confidence-building experiences.

2. Friendly Dog Behavior

A friendly dog exhibits relaxed, open body language that invites interaction. However, friendliness can vary depending on the dog’s personality and comfort level.

Signs of friendliness:

  • Tail wagging in wide, loose arcs (not stiff or high)
  • Relaxed ears, often forward or slightly floppy depending on breed
  • Soft eyes, no hard stare
  • Loose, wiggly body and evenly distributed weight
  • Play bows (front end down, rear up) – an invitation to play
  • Open mouth with relaxed jawline and gentle panting
  • Curved body movements, not rigid or straight

Friendliness is often shown through curved, soft approaches and an overall balanced body posture.

3. Aggressive Dog Behavior

Aggression is often a last resort when a dog feels threatened, territorial, or overstimulated. Understanding the early signs can help avoid escalation.

Warning signs of aggression:

  • Erect ears (alert or forward)
  • Tail held high, sometimes stiff and wagging in short bursts
  • Hard stare with dilated pupils
  • Stiff, upright posture, forward-leaning weight
  • Raised hackles (piloerection) along the shoulders and back
  • Tense jawline, closed mouth, tight lips
  • Barking, growling, or lunging
  • Straight spine, little movement or fluidity

An aggressive dog may not be “mean”—they’re often scared or overwhelmed. Respecting their space is key.

4. Resource Guarding Body Posture

Resource guarding occurs when a dog feels the need to protect a valuable item—such as food, toys, bones, a bed, or even a person. This behavior can escalate if the warning signs are missed or misunderstood.

Common signs of resource guarding:

  • Stiff, still body while hovering over the resource
  • Lowered head and direct stare when approached
  • Ears pinned back or slightly rotated outward
  • Tail still or low and tense
  • Freezing or subtle growling
  • Hard mouth, tight jawline, or lip curl
  • Weight shifted forward defensively
  • Raised hackles in some cases
  • Side eye or sudden stillness when someone gets too close

A resource-guarding dog is communicating discomfort and fear of losing what they value. Never try to take the item by force. Instead, work on building trust and using behavior modification under the guidance of a qualified trainer.

5. Calming Signals (Based on Turid Rugaas) are important to learn for successful dog training in Burton, Ohio

Turid Rugaas introduced the concept of “calming signals”—subtle behaviors dogs use to de-escalate tension and avoid conflict. They use these signals with other dogs and with humans.

Common calming signals:

  • Turning head away or averting gaze
  • Yawning, sniffing the ground, licking lips
  • Moving in slow motion
  • Curved approach, not direct
  • Freezing or sitting down
  • Lifting a paw
  • Blinking slowly
  • Shaking off (like drying after a bath)

Recognizing these signals helps you respond appropriately—by softening your tone, lowering your energy, or giving the dog space.

Reading Body Language Helps with Dog Training in Burton Ohio

Here’s a quick reference guide for interpreting specific parts of a dog’s body:

Body PartMeaning
EarsForward = alert/curious; Back = fearful/submissive; Neutral = relaxed
TailHigh and stiff = aroused/aggressive; Low or tucked = fearful; Wagging low and wide = friendly
EyesSoft gaze = calm; Whale eye = stress/fear; Hard stare = challenge
HacklesRaised = arousal, fear, or aggression (context matters)
Mouth/JawlineRelaxed, open = calm; Tight lips = tension or stress; Lip licking = calming signal
Spine/PostureStraight and rigid = stress or aggression; Curved and loose = relaxed or friendly
Weight DistributionForward = assertive/aggressive; Backward = fearful; Balanced = calm
EyebrowsTense/furrowed = stress or confusion; Relaxed = calm and open
Body MovementWiggly/curvy = friendly; Stiff/straight = defensive or assertive

Past Event on Reading Dog Behavior and How It Helps with Reading Dog Behavior in Burton Ohio

We did a past event“What Is My Dog Communicating to Me?”, where we explored canine communication in an interactive, engaging format.

During this program, we practiced identifying emotional states like fear, friendliness, and resource guarding using real-life scenarios and videos. Attendees walked away with a broader understanding of reading dog behavior and communication which helped them with dog training in Burton, Ohio.

There will be many future dog training workshops at the Burton Library. We do one to two workshops a year. Check them out on the events page.

Dealing with behavioral issues with your dog? Check out this post from Setbacks to Success.

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Danielle Hope
13:48 26 Jul 24
After the loss of our blue heeler. We adopted a young 2 year old blue heeler that didn’t have any training. When we 1st got him he was going to the bathroom in the house, playing with humans like we were pups (strong and bitty), waking up everyday at 4am, jumped on everyone entering the house, pulling/ jumping while walking, playing tug with leash, chasing cars, grabbing food off the counter and barking at us while eating our food.

We contacted Johanna with all of this being so overwhelming for our family.
Johanna was so much support through all the struggles and was a life saver teaching us how to how to train our young herding dog. She was friendly and understood everything going on through zoom classes. She worked around our schedule. The zoom classes were very beneficial for learning.

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Cindy Sheehan
18:57 06 Sep 23
Johanna was very thorough and offered many good suggestions and examples to train for or correct various behaviors. I liked that her training methods were very positive and based on science - and that they really worked. Our dog absolutely LOVES her!
Kathleen Clyde
00:10 05 Sep 23
Johanna is a really special trainer. We signed our rescue dog Scout up for training because she almost ran away chasing deer in our neighborhood. Scout also pulled really hard on the leash and I was afraid someone might fall when walking her.

Johanna helped us fix all that and more. Scout is a boxer hound mix, so her smell/chase instinct is really strong. Using all positive reinforcement, we were able to train her to go "easy" on our walks and not pull the leash. Scout also comes when we call her, even facing tough distractions like other dogs or food. We can now walk her off leash on trails and be confident she'll stay near or next to us and not run off chasing something. She also learned other commands like sit/stay, go get it, and lay on your bed.

We humans were trained too! We learned what harness and leashes to use, which treats were best, when to treat her, how to get her interested in training, how to progress through a more complex command, and more. Johanna really knows both animal and human psychology, and working with her was such a fulfilling and rewarding experience — well worth the investment. Scout loved her and we did too. We cannot recommend her strongly enough!
Kit Blair
18:01 05 Jul 23
When our newly adopted dog started showing ‘stranger danger’ and other anxiety related behaviors, our veterinarian recommended that we contact Johanna Teresi at Four Legged Scholars. Johanna reviewed the issues we were seeing and developed a training plan. We were able to do the working sessions with her using live Zoom and videos of our ‘homework’. Johanna also has a significant file of relevant training videos that she shared to help reinforce the training modification techniques. We are following the training plan and continue to see incremental improvements in our dog’s behavior. We have also been able to apply what we learned to other issues such as separation anxiety and leash walking. We are more confident going forward with a happier dog! Kudos to Johanna and The Four Legged Scholars program.
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18:40 08 Nov 24
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Bradley Woodrum
18:38 15 Aug 24
Johanna was amazing to work with! This was my first time working with a trainer for my new puppy and she made it fun to learn alongside my dog. It was a very pleasant experience!!
Cyndi Istre
14:34 20 Apr 24
Johanna has been a God send inhelping us learn not only the basic ways of dog training but in how we as humans contribute to our pups behaviors. Biting, jumping and potty training were our biggest challenges and accomplishments. Johanna provided us with the training and informational tools to be successful. She also provided guidance in changing our behavior and reactions to achieve the positive results we were looking for.
Christina Fleck
18:11 15 Mar 24
Johanna has been super helpful and knowledgeable in helping me train our puppy. We went over several techniques including practicing not pulling while on the leash. Our puppy is very responsive to the training tools Johanna has taught my children and me. She’s a wonderful person and a terrific trainer! Highly recommend!
Caleb Edwards
19:11 20 Dec 23
Working with Johanna was an absolute pleasure and my crazy Corgi Skye enjoyed it very much as well. Johanna was extremely diligent and patient with her and myself throughout our learning process. She explained the concepts very well and broke them down into simple to understand steps, which was super impactful for me. It’s a lot of information to learn at once but taking it a step at a time truly helps comprehension. She has helped us get Skye on track to being a calmer and more welcoming household dog and also helped us find better ways to get Skye’s energy out when she needs to. If you need assistance or advice on training or just being better connected with your pets, I would highly recommend Johanna!
Rosemary Krupar
18:04 01 Dec 23
Johanna's positive training system has not only helped our dog but has also helped us to be better pet owners. By learning our dog's body language and applying our own calm demeanor and positive reinforcement, we can help her maintain her own level of calmness during what used to be stressful situations for her. The knowledge and the tools we have gained with Johanna have brought about a more peaceful and pleasant relationship with our dog, Ginny. We highly recommend Johanna for your dog training needs.
Kathleen Clyde
17:25 22 Sep 23
Johanna is a really special trainer. We signed our rescue dog Scout up for training because she almost ran away chasing deer in our neighborhood. Scout also pulled really hard on the leash and I was afraid someone might fall when walking her.

Johanna helped us fix all that and more. Scout is a boxer hound mix, so her smell/chase instinct is really strong. Using all positive reinforcement, we were able to train her to go "easy" on our walks and not pull the leash. Scout also comes when we call her, even facing tough distractions like other dogs or food. We can now walk her off leash on trails and be confident she'll stay near or next to us and not run off chasing something. She also learned other commands like sit/stay, go get it, and lay on your bed.

We humans were trained too! We learned what harness and leashes to use, which treats were best, when to treat her, how to get her interested in training, how to progress through a more complex command, and more. Johanna really knows both animal and human psychology, and working with her was such a fulfilling and rewarding experience — well worth the investment. Scout loved her and we did too. We cannot recommend her strongly enough!
Christi LaPrairie
17:58 16 Sep 21
I felt pressured to pay prior to services.
Donna Shaffer
19:51 04 Sep 18
Our dog, Bella, was skittish around new people. She would bark and growl. Our veterinarian recommended training. We contacted Johanna from Ohio4LeggedScholars. Johanna taught us counter conditioning and commands paired with treats. Bella has responded well to the training. She has become more comfortable with new people and new situations. We learned to watch Bella's body language to know when she is feeling confident and comfortable.Thank you Johanna!
rachel downey
19:32 23 Aug 18
I love them. Before they came, my dog max, didnt know how to sit for anything, he kept pulling on the leash when we went for walks on our road, and he kept not waiting when we tried to take him out. He would bolt out. Now he sits a waits for the leash to get it on him. Hes such a great listener now.
Stacey Brazie
00:23 26 Jul 18
We were ready to rip our hair out when I found Johanna online. I contacted her and discussed our problems with our 1 year old Lab Laney. She was jumping on us, afraid of people, barked at everyone/everything that walked by, walked horribly on a leash, and barged at the door when someone was there. Johanna immediately reassured me that she could help! She taught us the different signs that our dog gives us. She also taught us about counter conditioning. She gave us the tools we need to change Laney’s behavior. It is not an overnight fix. You need to be able to work with your pup until it sinks in. Laney has made much improvement in all areas! We are grateful to have found Johanna!!!
David McCoy
02:49 21 Jun 18
Four Legged Scholars provided our family with the expertise and guidance needed to train our new puppy Drew. Trainer Johanna Teresi was the perfect person to help us. Johanna's calm demeanor, excellent knowledge and organized approach allayed any fears that we had about dog training. Drew responded well to her weekly training visits and our ongoing daily training routines. My family wholeheartedly recommends Four Legged Scholars and Johanna Teresi as fantastic and caring solutions when one considers the best method to train your dog.
Dave McCoy Ravenna, Ohio
Karen A
20:25 10 Jun 18
I contacted Johanna when Cooper was almost 6 months old. He had major issues with jumping on people and constantly barking at other dogs. I was impressed with her persistence and patience when training. She probably spent as much time training me as we spent training Cooper. Classes are over for now and Cooper has met all but one of the goals that we set for him. Johanna has given me the tools and techniques to continue to train him, and I am confident that he/we will someday be able to walk in the park without his barking at every dog he meets. Taking the class has and will continue to benefit my relationship with Cooper for years to come. Thank you Johanna.
Sandy Bailey
00:19 12 Mar 18
Johanna Teresi with Four Legged Scholars helped my husband and I so much with our Chocolate Lab, Autumn.
It has been years since we have had a puppy and forgot how much work they can be.
Our major concern was how excited Autumn would get when we would get company or our grandchildren would come over. Autumn would jump on everyone. The little kids would get knocked down.
My husband and I finally said, we're calling for help and called Four Legged Scholars and spoke with Johanna.
Johanna was able to see what we were doing wrong and how we were causing more stress for Autumn by being stressed ourselves and within a few sessions we could see a hug change in Autumn's behavior.
Johanna showed us how to react to Autumn"s jumping on our guest. We let all our guest know how to respond if Autumn tried to jump on them and they were all great about helping with the training. We providing a video to Johanna that my grandson took while having a birthday celebration with a house full of people.
Johanna was able to look at our video and see that her techniques were working and she could see the improvement in Autumn the next time she came to our door.
Autumn's behavior is so much better and we are not afraid for guest to come over or be embarrassed at Autumn"s behavior anymore.
The leash training was also extremely helpful. Autumn was constantly biting at her leash and actually had bitten them to the point of breaking her leashes.
I was amazed at how the clicker training works, but it was great.
Thank you Johanna!
Portage Rescue
16:39 24 May 17
Johanna has been volunteering her time at the County Dog Warden for several months. I love her positive methods. She is very patient with the dogs even when they are acting hyper. Johanna explains everything to me and takes notes so I know what she has done with each dog. I strongly recommend her progressive and positive methods. She has helped me learn so much.
Jamie Flanders
19:34 17 May 17
Johanna was a mentor for me when I was first starting out as a dog trainer. I took my very first puppy class through her with my very first puppy. Johanna is unfailingly kind, not only to the dogs that she works with but the people as well, which is a great trait for a dog trainer to have. Many trainers can work with dogs but have very poor people skills but if you want to make a difference for the dog you have to be able to reach the person. Johanna helped shaped me into the trainer I am today and with her initial guidance my puppy turned into a great companion and muse.
Robyn Jones
01:26 13 May 17
Johanna Teresi with Four Legged Scholars is an incredible trainer. She constantly goes above and beyond the expectations of her clients. I watched her train her own dog in the kindest of ways. She thinks so easily from the perspective of the dog, and is always making sure that the dogs needs are being met as well as the owners needs (both emotional and the training goals). Her classes move smoothly as she is very knowledgeable about all things positive reinforcement. She uses the clicker training and it works magically. She really knows her stuff and uses those skills fantastically. She is the only trainer I'd let help me train my dog.
Ruth Weisman
20:22 12 May 17
I had the opportunity to observe Johanna's work for about two years. She is committed to ethical training through humane practices and tuning herself and her clients to their dog's behaviors and needs. In her own home she focused on addressing even the comfort level of her dog as her family grew, making sure that he felt safe with an over excited toddler as well as successful training to lessen his barking at the door. I highly recommend Johanna for both basic dog training and specific needs. She'll tailor the training to suit your pet and your family.
Angie Kieffer
16:05 11 May 17
I met Johanna about 8 years ago, and I was a full-time parent. I had four kids and four animals. One of my dogs needed training. I see my animals as equals, so I was looking for a positive way to connect with my dog that didn’t involve alpha rolls. One of my dogs, Karma, was very skittish.

I had Johanna come to my home. She taught me that my feelings of anxiety were being projected on my dog. I learned to shift and let go of my thoughts and emotions especially around fear and anxiety. I was then able to be more present and focused with Karma. She was able to release her anxiety. Karma has gained more confidence around people, places, dogs, grooming, and other animals such as horses and cows. Johanna taught me how to allow Karma to have her own experience and to not project my own life experiences and thoughts onto my dog.

Working with Johanna was a rewarding opportunity. I would recommend Johanna to anyone looking for a successful option to positive reinforcement training with their dog.
Susan Steinwand
17:28 10 May 17
I volunteered with Johanna for about one year, attending and assisting in her group courses. Having met numerous dog trainers using varying training techniques, I can say with confidence that Johanna truly cares about her clients, both human and canine, and will work together to ensure a happy, understanding relationship between pet and owner. She teaches with positive methods that help owners understand how to effectively and kindly communicate with their dog, which results in better training outcomes. One thing that makes her training unique is that she not only focuses on how to modify the dog's behavior, but also helps owners understand how their actions can affect the dog's behavior, and how changing them can help the dog to learn more quickly.

I have been using Johanna's training methods with my own dog, Aspen, and in the short time we have had her, she has already learned so much and we have clear, mutual understanding of each other. Whenever I have difficulty with training a behavior, or get frustrated, I think back to Johanna's words and am able to re-approach the situation and get better results.

I highly recommend Four Legged Scholars for anyone seeking help training their dog. Johanna creates an open, fun, and accepting environment where owners can learn how to have a loving relationship with their well-behaved dog.
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