Dog Talk

I am not in any way an expert on dog communication. I may be pretty good at interpreting my dogs whines and nudges at me, but language between dogs is something I am just getting started in. It is certainly a growing area of interest among trainers and behaviorists. However, ask 5 “dog behaviorists” what the best book on the subject is and you will likely get just as many different answers. What I do know, is that dogs communicate very differently than humans and that is something we must all understand. Aggressive is a word that jumps to mind too quickly for most people when a dog communicates in a way that humans do not approve of. There is a lot of dog language that is not pretty, but it is also not aggressive. Recently, a student was upset when her adult dog reacted "negatively" to the persistent nagging of a very young pup. She grabbed her dog, looked shocked and said that he had never acted aggressively before. Fortunately, I saw the reaction and the owner of the puppy was also a trainer. We were able to explain to her how her dog had simply told the puppy to “back off” in very normal dog language. The adult dog was more vocal than anything, there was no lunging at the puppy, showing teeth or snapping. The owner of the puppy also showed her how the puppy was still trying to play with the adult dog, but had backed up a few inches, giving the adult dog some space. The owner was relieved and completely relaxed when just a few minutes later, her dog was inching forward, getting into play mode with the puppy.

Sometimes dogs just need a little time to assess a situation. This is important to understand as an owner. No one wants their dog mislabeled as aggressive, nor should an owner be overly fearful that their dog is aggressive when it is not. If an owner is uneasy, the dog will feel it and can react to it (misunderstanding the owners apprehension), thereby creating a problem that does not really exist.

I think it is a good idea for all dog owners to get a very basic understanding of dog communication. At least enough to know when to seek more information or professional help and when to relax . Check out your local library or dogwise.com for books on the subject and advice on how to find a good trainer/behaviorist.