SIGNS

No, not crop circles or hand gestures, but perhaps a version of sign language. Call it “Canine Life Insurance”. The signals dogs use to communicate are universal and the key to keeping the peace in the world which dogs exist.

For any species that live in a pack, it’s important for the individuals within that pack to be able to communicate with one another. This is necessary in order to cooperate when they hunt, bring up their offspring, and perhaps most importantly, live peacefully with each other. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that conflicts are dangerous; causing at the very least, physical injuries or at worst, death and therefore weakens the pack. For dogs, part of this communication involves the use of “calming signals”.

Dogs have about 30 calming signals (perhaps even more). Since dogs live in a world of “sensory input” consisting of sight, sound, & scent perceptions, they easily perceive even the tiniest detail; a quick signal, a slight change in another’s behavior, or the expression another’s eyes. Certain animals are so perceptive to signals that some say it is possible, for example, to train a horse to respond to the contraction in his trainer’s pupils. And, as in our house, train a dog to respond to a whispering voice.

So what? Why would that affect the relationship we have with our canine companions? It affects our relationship with them because dogs use this communication system with us the same way they would other dogs. Obviously, that’s because it happens to be the only language they know and therefore assume everyone else understands it. However, failing to understand your dog’s use of calming signals on you can cause confusion and lead to problems. In some cases, a dog may ultimately give up on using their innate calming signals completely, even with other dogs, which can put them in danger (think about your dog’s interactions at the dog park or what they may need to know if they were to get loose for any length of time).

Basic knowledge is the key. Consider this example: Joe has learned in class that he needs to sound strict and dominant so that his dog, Prince will understand who’s in charge. When Joe calls Prince, Prince finds Joe’s voice to be aggressive, and being a dog he instantly gives Joe a calming signal in order to make him stop being aggressive. Prince will perhaps lick his own nose, yawn, or turn away. As a result, Joe does become angry & gives Prince a “correction”, perceiving Prince as being pig-headed, stubborn and disobedient. Prince, however, believes that he received the “correction” for using his calming signals to calm Joe. This is an example of something that happens on an everyday basis with many dog owners.

Threatening signals (walking straight at the dog, reaching for the dog, bending over the dog, staring into the dog’s eyes, fast movements, etc.) will always result in a dog using a calming signal. Since there are about 30 different calming signals, be aware that while some dogs will yawn, while other dogs may use some other calming signal. The coolest thing about this is that all dogs know all the signals! For example, when one dog yawns and turns his head to the side, the dog he is ‘talking to’ may lick his nose and turn his back. There will always be some response because the signals are universal. All dogs all over the world have the same language. A dog from Japan would be understood by a dog that lives in an isolated valley in Norway. They would have no language barrier! Here are some examples to help you understand the specifics of a dog’s body language:

Yawning: The dog may yawn when someone bends over him, when you sound angry, when there’s yelling and quarreling in the family, when the dog is at the vet’s office, when someone is walking directly at the dog, when the dog is excited with happiness and anticipation (for instance when you are about to go for a walk), when you have said “NO!” for doing something you disapprove of, etc.

Licking: Licking is another signal that is used often. This signal seems to be especially used by black dogs, dogs with a lot of hair around their faces, and others who’s facial expressions may otherwise be more difficult to see than those of dogs that are lighter in color, have more visible eyes and long noses. But any dog can use licking, and all dogs understand it no matter how quick it is. Sometimes it’s nothing more than a very quick lick; the tip of the tongue is barely visible outside the mouth, and only for a short second. But when other dogs see it, they understand and respond to it. Every signal is always returned with a signal.

Turning away/turning of the head: The dog can turn its head slightly to one side, turn the head completely over to the side, or turn completely around so that the back and tail is facing whoever the dog is calming. This is one of the most common signals you see dogs use.

When someone is approaching your dog from the front, he will turn away in one of these ways. When you seem angry, aggressive or threatening, you will also see one of these variations of the signal. When you bend over a dog to stroke him, he may turn his head away from you. When the dog is taken by surprise, he will turn away quickly. The same happens when someone is staring or acting in a way the dog perceives as threatening.

In most cases, this signal will make the other dog calm down. It’s a fantastic way in which they resolve conflicts, and is used by all dogs, whether they are puppies or adults, high or low ranking, and so on.

Play bow: Going down with front legs in a bowing position can be an invitation to play. Just as often though, the dog is standing still while bowing and may be using the signal to calm someone down. These signals often have double meanings and may be used in many different ways. Often the invitation to play is a calming signal in and of itself because the dog may be making a potentially dangerous situation less tense and diverts it with something safe.

The following story illustrates this signal well: In a puppy class with a mix of puppies, there was one that was initially afraid of the others. The others left him alone and respected his fear. At the end of class he finally dared to approach the others. When he did, he went into a play bow as soon as one of the other dogs looked at him. It was an obvious combination of slight fear of the others, as well as wanting to take part in the playing.

When two dogs approach each other too abruptly, you will often see them go into a play bow. This is one of the signals that is easy to see, especially because they remain standing in the bow position for a few seconds so that you have plenty of time to observe it.

Sniffing the ground: Sniffing the ground is also a frequently used signal. You will see it often in groups of puppies, when you and your dog are out walking and someone comes toward you, in particularly busy or noisy places, or when a dog sees an object he is unsure of and may find intimidating. Sniffing the ground may range from moving the nose swiftly down toward the ground and back up again to sticking the nose to the ground and sniff persistently for several minutes.

Pay attention the next time you’re with your dog and someone is approaching you on the pavement. Take a look at your dog. Did he drop the nose down toward the ground, even slightly? Did he turn his side to the one approaching and sniff the side of the road?

Of course, dogs also sniff a lot in order to get their version of the news and enjoy themselves. Dogs are preprogrammed to use their noses and may very well be their favorite activity. In order to determine whether or not the sniffing you observe is a calming signal, pay attention to when and in which situations the sniffing occurs.

Walking slowly: Moving at high speed may also be seen as threatening to many dogs, and they might want to try and stop the one who is moving very quickly. This is hunting behavior and can be triggered by the sight of a running human or dog. If the one running is coming straight at the dog, it will likely be perceived as a threat and a defense mechanism sets in. Keep in mind, then, that a dog that is insecure will move slowly. If you want to make a dog feel safer, then you might want to try moving slower yourself.

Be aware of your dog’s perceptions. Is your dog coming very slowly when you call him? If so, check the tone of your voice; perhaps you sound angry. That may be enough for him to want to calm you down by walking slowly. Have you ever been angry with him when he came to you? Take a look at your dog the next time you call him. Does he give you any calming signals when coming? If he moves slowly, you may need to do something different in the way you act or sound.

Freezing: “Freezing” is what we call it when the dog is stopping while standing completely still, sitting or laying down and remain in that position. This behavior is believed to have something to do with hunting behavior. When prey is running, the dog attacks; once the prey stops, the dog will stop too. This behavior, however, is used in other situations as well. For example, if you get angry and appear threatening, the dog will often freeze and not move in order to make you be calm again. Other times the dog may walk slowly, freeze, and then move slowly again. Should your dog ever be in a conflict situation with a human or dog, and is unable to escape, freezing may be one way to calm the other dog or person.

Sitting down/lifting one paw: It is rare to see dogs lift their paw as a calming signal, but sometimes it is clearly used to calm another dog. To sit down, or an even stronger signal, to sit down with the back turned has a very calming effect. It’s often seen when one dog wants to calm another dog that is approaching too quickly. Dogs may sit down with their backs turned against their owner when he or she sounds too strict or angry.

Walking in curve (or arc): This signal is frequently used as a calming signal, and it is the main reason dogs may react so strongly when meeting other dogs if they are forced to walk straight at them. Their instincts tell them that it is wrong to approach like that, however the dog’s owner may be saying differently. As a result, the dog may get anxious and defensive.

Dogs, when given a chance, will walk in curves (or arc) around each other. That’s what they do when they meet off leash and are free to do things their own way. It is a good idea to allow your dog to do the same when he’s with you. Some dogs need large curves (arcs), while others only need to walk slightly curved. Allow the dog to decide what feels right and safe for him, then, in time (if you want to work on it), he can learn to pass other dogs in closer proximity.

Meeting situations: A meeting situation between two strange dogs will almost always be something like the following example: King and Prince see each other from 150 meters apart and are headed toward each other. They start sending each other message the moment they see each other. Prince stops and stands still (“freezes”), and King walks slowly while continuing to glance at the other dog through the corner of his eye. As King moves closer, Prince starts licking his nose intensely, and turns his side to King as well as sniffing the ground. Now King is so close that he needs to be even more calming, so he starts slowly walking in a curve and away from Prince while licking his nose. Prince sits down, and looks away by turning his head far to one side.

By now the two dogs have “read” each other so well that they know whether it’s a good idea to go over and greet each other, or that this could get too intense and it is best to stay away from each other.

Never force dogs into meeting others: Allow the dogs to communicate in their own “language” when meeting one another so they feel safe. Sometimes they will walk up to each other and get along right away, other times they feel that it’s safer to keep their distance. Trust that since they have already read each other’s signals from a distance they already know that there is no need to meet face to face.

If you start observing your dog, you will definitely be able to see it for yourself. Understanding your dog’s body language will most likely improve the relationship you have not only with your own dog, but other dogs as well. You may even begin to understand things about your dog & what he does that you were previously unable to figure out.

Welcome to the world of dogs, and to a whole new language!