05/27/2026
This is really important.
These dogs can “give in” instead of growl.
And because of that, there’s no obvious conflict, but there can be discomfort.
“They’re OK together.”
“Let them work it out.”
“They’ll get used to each other.”
Tolerating something happening is not always the same as feeling safe with it.
Some dogs become very good at avoiding conflict instead of resolving it or escalating.
Some will just simply endure social pressure.
Being aloof can work for them too.
A quieter dog, that doesn’t move too much or isn’t vocal around others has sometimes worked out how to “fly under the radar”
Now there really isn’t anything wrong with that, but we need to be mindful.
Some freeze as a dog approaches.
Some repeatedly roll over and just stay there until the other dog loses interest.
But sometimes they can escalate only after ‘tolerating’ things for too long.
Unfortunately, these quieter dogs are often the ones people can miss completely.
They can also be put into social situations they don’t want to be in at all.
That quietness is mistaken for calmness, acceptance.
Not every struggling dog is loud.
