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Body language and Calming Signals in Dogs - January 17, 2024.

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to read my first installment of the Dog Blog!

Being a passionate DOG LOVER I am continually observing and learning how to be a better communicater with dogs and other humans like yourself. By writing this blog, I hope to build an animal loving community around us to create discussions on positive dog training.

I found this section of Sharon Bolt’s Good Dogs’ Dog Training program to be really interesting and thought this topic would be a fun way to kick off this blogging adventure together.

Let’s talk about how to read what your dog is saying to you through their body language. This is important when being the pack leader, so you can effectively be in control of all situations and leave your dog to his job of having fun, feeling relaxed, and being the cutest happy pup!

In this blog excerpt, I will cover:

  • Dominant Behaviour

  • Submissive Behaviour

  • Calming Signals in Dogs

  • When your dog is communicating, they are the boss without even knowing it.

  • How a pack leader thinks and qualities

  • The desensitizing technique

  • Top tips!

Dominant Signals

  • A large, confident body posture

  • The head, ears, and/or tail are raised.

  • Fixated or staring into the eyes

  • Wrinkled muzzle

  • Hair standing on the back

  • Curled or raised lips

Submissive Signals

  • Lowered body language: sitting or lying down

  • Ears Back

  • Eyes small and looking away

  • The tail is lowered (not curled under), which means fear.

How do dogs calm themselves down or try to calm down a situation?

  • Looking away: Eyes, Head, and Whole Body

Tip: If you are speaking to your dog and you are a bit angry, they may look away or pretend like they cannot hear you to try and calm you down.

  • Licking—flickering tongues, kissing

  • Sniffing: This will encourage other dogs around to also sniff. Calm the situation with a sniffy distraction.

  • Play bow, stretching out but staying still. 

  • Sitting, lying down, and standing in the freeze position.

  • Urinating: stress-based.

  • The spoil sport: when two dogs are playing and it is getting overly zealous, a third dog may come in to try and calm things down. This is when you need to step in to take control as the pack leader, so dog #3 does not have to present themselves as the leader.

When dogs are greeting positively

  • Slow movements and curves ensure there is no head-on confrontation.

  • Sniff from behind, so there is no head-on confrontation.

  • Dogs are looking away, not staring.

  • Flicker the tongue

  • Sniffing the ground

When your dog(s) are communicating, they are the boss without even knowing it.

Your dog(s) are showing any of the dominant signals, such as pawing, whining, barking, staring, maybe clambering all over us, or even nipping and growling.

Some other common signs of dominant behaviour include:

  • Guarding their owner from other dogs or people.

  • Leash Pulling.

  • Inappropriately mounting dogs or humans (seen in males and females)

  • Stealing attention from other dogs.

  • Refusing to move off furniture.

  • Demanding play by putting toys in their owners laps.

Tip: Some dogs become bossy because they need a job to fulfill their role in your pack family. Giving these dogs a role, like carrying a backpack during a walk or hiding a treat and having them find it, can make them feel like they are completing an important task for the pack.

How a pack leader thinks and qualities.

Dogs are pack animals and need to know where they are in the pecking order to feel secure. By taking control of the leadership position, you are doing your pet a great service. When you take control of the top position, it allows your dog(s) to take on the job of relaxing and having fun. You are allowing them to just enjoy their lives.

Remember, dogs communicate using body language, so embody confidence! The leader visualizes what they want to happen, then walks tall and is always in control. Stay calm; there is a lot of power in silence and using your body language. Kids, like dogs, understand the calm but firm approach. If you say nothing and just focus your energy on them, kids and dogs alike will suddenly take you very seriously and see you as the leader. The leader always goes first. Such as when eating or walking through doorways. Be Consistent. Dogs, being instinctual, are creatures of habit. They don’t like variety or surprises. They like to know what to expect and what is expected of them.

Trust your instincts and live in the moment!

Tip: When you come home, walk through the door like you own the place and resist the urge to stop and fuss hello over your dog(s). Embody a strong posture, stand straight shoulders back, and feel confident—this is YOUR house. You come and go as you please. Then, when your dog has settled in, call them over and feel free to make a big fuss. Now you are rewarding calm behaviour.

Full disclosure I always fall into this trap because their happy, wagging tails make me feel so instantly happy when I walk in the door! This tip is especially noteworthy if your pet(s) suffer from separation anxiety. It is in their best interest that you are allowed to come and go as you please. At first, you might think ignoring them is cruel, but it is for their betterment! This reiterates that they do not have to be the leader and control when you are coming and going. It removes the worry so they can feel comfortable being a follower and knowing their job is to relax, have fun, and be loved. The same goes for when you leave: do not make a big fuss about 'goodbye; I’m sorry I have to go to work’. It is best to leave them settled and walk out the door without saying farewell. The pack leader comes and goes as they please, and your behaviour and body language signal to your pet that they do not need to take on the responsibilities of the pack leader, which can be quite stressful for a dog.

The desensitizing technique is the process of reducing a response by presenting the trigger in its least intense form and gradually building up the intensity over time. This means that the dog only experiences the trigger at a level they can cope with. 

Dogs adore routine. Your pet will feel more comfortable knowing what to do the more you practice a desired behaviour with praise and treats during training sessions when you employ positive reinforcement, learning, and focused attention! Your dog will become more at ease and confident if they regularly practice and receive reinforcement for desired behaviours. This can assist them in handling various circumstances, if they are triggered by bikers, other dogs, or like our last example: having to go to work - without being unduly nervous or disturbed. To guarantee that your dog continues to benefit from desensitization training, keep in mind to be patient and progressively increase the strength of triggers. The desensitization approach allows you to progressively expose your dog to circumstances that could worry or upset them, such as bidding them farewell before heading out to work.

Desensitizing Separation Anxiety Tip: Start by calmly leaving your dog in a relaxed state. Do not give any notice to them, just get up and walk out of the room for short periods of time, then gradually increasing the duration. If they go to follow you just reset to where your dog was relaxing. You are the leader and you come and go as you please without them and it is okay for them to just relax without you. Then increase to leaving the house for short periods of time, gradually increasing the duration. This will help your dog become more comfortable with your departures and reduce any potential fuss or distress. Remember to reward their calm relaxed behaviour with praise and treats to reinforce positive associations with your departures. Repetition is key to desensitizing dogs to triggers. By gradually exposing them to the trigger at a manageable level and consistently reinforcing desired behaviours, they will become more comfortable and confident in responding appropriately. This approach not only helps them cope with the trigger but also strengthens their bond with YOU, their leader and person, through positive reinforcement and clear communication.

Thank you so much for reading! Please subscribe to not miss out on our next weekly instalment. If you have any comments or questions about todays topic or suggestions of a topic to discuss please email me. Thank you for being an animal loving community with me!

SaskatoonDogWalk@gmail.com