What is fawning behavior in dogs?

Fight or flight are well known responses to fear, but there are two other reactions that are less well known – namely freeze and fawn. Fawning is a learned behaviour that can help to diffuse a stressful situation. Some dogs have a genetic predisposition to one response or the other, whilst some make a choice based on what they have experienced in life. Fawning gives a dog a way to deal with a stressful situation by rolling over and showing their belly, lifting a paw, or ‘grinning’ with wide open eyes. Freezing gives a dog time to think about their next move, whilst fawning is an active attempt to calm the situation.

The instinctive reaction to either face an aggressor head-on or turn and run to escape conflict, and the biological processes which accompany these responses, are well-known and well-discussed in the animal kingdom. We may also talk about the “freeze” response, where animals remain motionless to avoid drawing attention from a threat. However, another response occurs which is often overlooked - the "fawn" response. What is the fawn response, Better described in studies of human trauma responses, the fawn response refers to displaying behaviours such as submission to avoid negative consequences from aggressors. If you are familiar with canine behaviour, these may sound familiar to some seen in some rescue dogs; adopting submissive posturing, attempting to seem small, and acting overly friendly or non-threatening. These behaviours aim to de-escalate, telling a potential threat “I don’t mean any harm” to defuse the tension and avoid negative consequences. Many so-termed submissive behaviours such as rolling onto their back, submissive grooming, and avoiding eye contact are all behaviours that less dominant individuals may display to show more dominant animals that they are not a threat in times of stress. Recognizing these fawn responses allows us to better understand animal communication and social dynamics, providing valuable insight into how some species address conflict and reduce tension within a group.