THE MEANS DOGS COMMUNICATE

THE MEANS DOGS COMMUNICATE

It would be very much appreciated if our dog could use speech to make us understand what he wants sometimes, or simply to know for sure what is in his head.

But that' s not possible, the dog can't speak human. On the other hand, the human can speak dog, but at least he can observe and understand canine language.

Why should we know the dog's means of communication?

In a relationship, whatever it is, communication is a real pillar, without it everything can collapse. Well for the inter-specific relationship between a master and his dog, it is the same. Without communication, without understanding the other, there can be no balanced, healthy and cooperative relationship.

Knowing your dog's means of communication will also allow you to prevent certain problems, anticipate reactions, understand his "state of mind" and to better interact with him.

How does the dog communicate?

When we talk about communication, we obviously think of "verbal" language and sound externalizations such as barking, crying, vocalizations, growling, moaning, etc. But the dog doesn't only have this range of communication means to make himself understood. In fact, the dog functions more with "mute" language and non-verbal communication: its body language!

That's why I always advise my clients to talk to their dogs as little as possible, as this is the best way to lose them. "Losing" in the sense that the communication will be broken due to too much misunderstanding on the part of the dog.

Then, an important point, the dog communicates in an olfactory way in particular. This communication is only intended for other animals, of course, because our sense of smell is not sufficiently developed to perceive all the olfactory messages left behind.

The different means of communication of the dog

I propose to distinguish 4 emotional states in which the dog can be and especially how he will express it.

1. Communicate for a desire to play

A dog that wants to play will let you know by doing the salute position: front paws on the ground and buttocks in the air. But not only that, the dog who wants to play will also be able to make this clear by barking to get the attention of the dog or person he wants to play with.

2. Communicate to say that he feels good

A dog that feels good and is serene will be a dog with relaxed ears and tail, he will also have an open mouth.

You will also observe that a dog feels good if he lies down, especially on his side or on his back: these are "vulnerable" postures that the dog will only adopt if he is comfortable.

Similarly, if you see/hear your dog stretching and exhaling hard, it means that he is also comfortable and serene where he is by adopting this behavior.

Then the dog also adopts means of communication to calm a situation and communicate its "pacifist" side to others: these are called calming signals. So if you see your dog squinting, turning his head/body away, or lying on his back, then he is in a calming process.

Licking is also used by the dog to communicate a desire to soothe and to feel reassured. If it is offered excessively: a professional should be called in to help you understand your dog's need to reassure himself at all times.

3. To communicate stress

A dog that is stressed can show this in various ways, but it is above all by observing his behavior and attitudes on a daily basis that we can suspect a certain amount of stress: the fact that he is not getting fatter or even thinner despite his balanced diet, the fact that he has licking wounds, the fact that he is destroying or is dirty, etc. These attitudes do not always signify an anxious emotional state, they can be explained by other disorders but if a dog is stressed it is in any case by acting in this way that he will show it.

Then the dog will also be able to express some signals that may alert to sudden discomfort such as yawning or repeated licking of the nose.

4. To communicate that he feels threatened

The first way a dog will avoid a threat is to run away! Then, he will also be able to use calming signals to avoid the conflict: turning away from the head or body, squinting his eyes, etc.

A dog that feels threatened and cannot run away will then gradually adopt the panel of his warning signals to communicate his discomfort (in addition to the different signals mentioned above): growling, barking, attacking. Thus, never prevent a dog from running away if he wants to. Preventing a dog from running away will only increase the risk of aggression.

Concerning the language emitted by the positions of the tail, here is a small reminder:

• The tail is between the legs: a bad sign, the dog is anxious, uncomfortable and uneasy.
• The tail is taut and straight: also a bad sign! Your dog is in "attack mode".
• The tail is relaxed: a good sign, your dog is comfortable.

How to communicate with your dog?

Finally, when we communicate with our dog, when we give him orders or when we interact with him in a general way, the dog will feel all our emotions and our state of mind.

Therefore, the intonation of your words and the intention you put in your indications, and not the choice of words used, will be very important. So, Whether you say "Good dog" or "Rusk", it will be the same for your dog. Remember, he doesn't speak French!

One day I had a client who I advised to be firmer in his indications and he answered me: "but I don't want to get angry about my dog". Well, that's precisely the problem, we often tend to associate the way we say it with the emotion we think we're going to go with it. Let me explain, when my dog doesn't listen to me, I can be firmer, but that's not why I'm going to shout at him and get angry. Our attitude and emotions are important to control here because the dog is a real sponge.

If he feels angry, he will no longer be successful and you will enter a vicious circle. If you are sure of yourself, firm but not angry about the situation, your dog will rely on your state of mind.

Finally, be aware that you can also use your dog's canine codes to communicate with him. For example, when he yawns, yawn as well, when he looks into your eyes, squint slowly, etc. This will allow you to enter into real communication with your dog.