"Dogs can speak but only to those that know how to listen" - Orhan Panuk
If, like me, you enjoy a good natter with your dog, it may seem hard to believe that, contrary to popular belief, they don’t know English and can’t understand every word we say to them. Instead, they learn to pair certain words with actions, make connections to the tone of our voice and interpret our body language to work out what we want them to do.
Although we recognise dogs as sentient beings with thoughts, feelings and emotions, ultimately we don’t ‘speak dog’. All too often, we see a dog’s action or reaction and assign our own experience of “human” emotions to it (known as anthropomorphism), whereas in reality, we can’t determine exactly what their emotional state is because we are not speaking the same language.
Think about driving a car. In England, we typically flash our lights to tell another driver that we will give them right of way, but in France, flashing your headlights means “I’m coming through, so watch out!”. Because an English driver sees the action as something different to the intended message from the French driver, they could end up having a nasty bump!
The communication between you and your dog can be like this. Often, movements or actions that we assume mean one thing are really the dog telling us something quite different.
Because dogs don't speak our language, the only way to truly comprehend and communicate with them is for us to
develop our understanding of what they are telling us through their body and vocal language either through online learning, reading books or by attending a Canine Body Language course.
Once we understand this, instead of making assumptions about what emotion we believe the dog is feeling, we can evaluate the behaviour we observe in any given situation or environment and then determine what emotion is likely, based on our observations.
Most people consider the typical signs that a dog is uncomfortable in a situation are when they react either by growling, snapping, nipping or biting, but the moment we see the reaction is probably not the moment the dog became uncomfortable.
In most situations dogs will have given a lot of body language signals in the lead up to the growl or bite, and those signals have not been understood. It is up to us, as canine care-givers, to make sure we can recognise the subtle signs our dogs give and diffuse the situation accordingly so that the dog doesn’t get to the point of such a strong negative reaction.
Here are some of our top reasons why learning more about canine body language is so important
To understand how your dog is feeling
Knowing if your dog is relaxed, happy, scared, anxious or uncomfortable ensures you are able to take their emotions into account when planning or undertaking activities or outings. Having an idea of their general mood will help you to ascertain whether they will be comfortable participating or whether they may be happier sitting it out and staying home
To know what they are trying to tell you
All too often, dogs are desperately trying to communicate with their humans with little success. If you can understand signs of stress and discomfort you will be able to recognize when your dog is feeling unhappy in a situation, when they are relaxed and also when they are becoming stressed or over-aroused. This means you can adapt your activity or swap things out BEFORE your dog escalates their behaviour (which we often see as being ‘naughty’)
To be able to recognise if they are enjoying an interaction
We often allow and encourage interactions with other dogs, family members, people and children. The most important thing to consider is whether our dogs are consenting to such interactions and indeed enjoying them. Often young puppies (and sometimes adult dogs too) will resort to nipping, wriggling or backing away to make the interaction end, because the subtle signs that say ‘I’ve had enough’ are not recognised or respected. As care-givers, if we are aware of what to look for and when to interrupt, we can ensure that all parties, human and dog, are enjoying positive experiences to help them build a positive outlook for future interactions
To know if they are feeling uncertain, scared, cautious
Reactivity or suspected ‘aggression’ is often related to a fear response. Being able to recognize the early signs of your dog feeling fearful, scared, wary and responding to those signs can prevent the underlying emotions developing and avoid the experiences that lead to reactivity
So we can respond appropriately to their needs/communication
Canine communication is a complex topic which is often unique to the individual dog. Some dogs will not display certain subtle signs that other dogs will. Each of my three dogs display a different combination of movements and actions, and knowing what these are for each dog allows me to know when to interrupt, intervene and support each of them as individuals
To avoid injuries/bites
Dogs that bite or cause injuries are not bad dogs. In most cases the dogs will have either given many subtle signs and warning that have not been noticed, or over time have learnt that offering the subtle communication doesn’t work and therefore not to bother as others don’t listen. Developing an understanding of body language as early as possible in your dog parenting journey will ensure your dog is understood for most of their life with you.
To ensure we respect our dog
Having a mutual understanding and respect for our canine companions is the foundation of a strong successful relationship. One of the easiest ways to form that desired relationship is to learn as much as possible about the species we share our lives with, so we have the knowledge and skills to be their wingman, provide the security of knowing we will help and support them and advocate for their needs.
Want to learn more about Canine Body Language?
During our
Canine Body Language course we look at each component of the dogs body individually. We take an in-depth look at what the eyes, ears, mouth, posture, hair and tail can tell us.
We also explore how particular emotional states affect body language, common behaviours and what are the ‘red flag’ signs to watch out for.
If your dog could talk, I wonder what they would be saying? Why not come and find out...
Click here to book.