Dog Behaviour Clinic
Body language
Dogs communicate with us in a variety of ways. Sadly, we often miss the more subtle communication or humanise their communications.
There are lots of resources on the internet showing us how to read our dog's body language.
A number of behaviour problems would be avoided if we just took the time to understand what our dogs are saying to us and how they feel.
Just eaten something tasty or a calming signal? Dogs often show they are anxious by licking their lips. How many times has your dog been in the middle of licking his lips when you take a photograph? Cameras often produce a stress reaction in dogs which they display by licking their lips.
Shaking off. Rocky in the video above shakes off after a stressful encounter with meeting sheep for the first time. The dog above is actually shaking off after a bout of vigorous play.
Stressed or just woken up?
Just eaten something tasty or a calming signal? Dogs often show they are anxious by licking their lips. How many times has your dog been in the middle of licking his lips when you take a photograph? Cameras often produce a stress reaction in dogs which they display by licking their lips.
Dogs communicate mainly through a complex language of body signals—nonverbal gestures and movements. Dogs take cues from their environment and are often able to “predict” what we are about to do. This is because they are very aware of our body language.
Being able to read canine body language allows us to identify signs of fear, anxiety, and stress, change our interactions with dogs, and prevent the communication from escalating to aggression.
Dogs almost always will communicate their uneasiness with a situation if we choose to listen. Conflict or appeasement behaviours are considered “polite” communication between dogs. But because humans don’t always recognise the signals, miscommunication can lead to problems.
Communicating signs of fear are obvious to most – pupil dilation, whale eye, blink rate, ears pinned back close to the head, crouching, cowering, trembling, leaning away, tucked tail, or fear-related urination. Yet signs of anxiety or stress can be extremely subtle.
Get in touch today if you need help to understand your dog. 1:1 dog training practical sessions available.