One of the many questions I get asked by my husband, who never had a dog until recently, is: “Do you two talk to each other?”
I suppose I have had so many pets over the years that some of the things I take for granted seem mysterious to those who are not “reading” the language of their pet. Just like reading another human’s mood when you see him or her, we can learn a lot from observing our dog’s body language and facial expressions — besides the vocalizations that our canine companions make. They really are communicating with us all the time; it’s just in dog lingo.
Body Posture
Some dog posture is pretty easy to recognize. Bared teeth combined with a stiff stance and lowered head is an extreme instance of a dog ready to attack or defend itself, but not all dogs give that obvious sign when they are anxious and feeling defensive. Some more subtle clues can be easy to spot when you know how dogs communicate.
Greetings
One of the most enjoyable things about having a dog is the way that dog will greet you when you get home from a hard day at work. A vigorously wagging tail and a big smile on the dog that comes rushing to the door with enthusiasm are part of the joy of dog ownership. Some dogs vocalize with what sound like little whimpers of delight. Some run around in circles and jump up on you as if you were gone for years!
Dogs greet other dogs with certain rituals as well. If dogs have never met, they will often give each other a moment to see if they want to get closer. A good socialized dog will read the other dog’s signals, then proceed to sniff, and maybe invite to play by crouching with their rear end sticking up in the air and a wagging tail. Dogs who want to show dominance can be a little more aggressive and do things like try to mount the other dog to show who is boss. If your dog is like that, there are many ways you can distract him (or her) so that they will get the message that mounting is not really good pack behavior. What is amazing to me is how often strange dogs become fast friends and play as if they were all one happy family.
Anxiety
When I first brought home our little terrier mix Lenny, he was very shy with people, especially men. I bought a couple of books on the subject, and quickly learned that the sideways glance he often gave had a name — “whale eye” — and was a sign that he was anxious and needed to keep an eye on us at all times. I learned that it was not polite to approach him by quickly staring at him directly, and that a sideways stance made it more comfortable for him to approach.
Anger
According to Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., in her book For the Love of a Dog, even good dogs get mad. The shared expression of anger between us shows in the “closed mouth, lips pushed forward and the eyebrows move together and downward. In dogs this is called an offensive pucker.” McConnell’s book is wonderful in showing many photos of both dogs and people expressing the same feelings side by side on the page.
Happiness
What a wonderful day it was when I first saw our new dog Lenny smile! It took a while, and although he followed me everywhere, and accepted my treats, he still looked like an old soul who carried a heavy burden. Then one day at the park we discovered that he really loved chasing a ball, and the physical exercise and play relaxed his whole body and made him smile.
He looked like a whole different person. His mouth was relaxed and open and his little white pearly teeth were showing. His eyes were sparkling as he ran towards me and shared his joy. Now I am as excited as he is to get out the door in the morning. I can’t wait to see him smile.
Deciphering Barks
In this video of a seminar, British dog expert John Rogerson works to decipher the different barks of dogs. It’s an interesting take on how dogs communicate:
