CALMING SIGNALS - THE BASICS OF DOG COMMUNICATION THAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW

Every dog ​​owner knows that barking or whining is definitely not the only way a dog communicates. Another is, for example, soothing signals, with which the dog calms itself or us down, shows its agitation or shows that the situation is not at all serious. Knowing them helps to better read the dog's behavior and avoid potential problems.

The term calming signals was made famous by a Norwegian coach Turid Rugaas in his book of the same name. Using photos and descriptions of situations, she pointed out dog body language , through which the dog tries to tell us something. According to Turid Rugaas, the dog has approx 30 such signals and uses them every day. However, their selection and frequency may vary.

LUNCH AND CHALLENGE TO PLAY

Soothing signals can be observed, for example, at walking when we meet another dog . Our dog can crouch down or even lie down, circle around the other person and then sniff, turn its head and look away... By all this, it shows the strange dog that it is not a threat. One of the soothing signals is also an invitation to play, when the front paws are extended, the bottom is raised and the dog wags its tail.

With other body signals, the dog lets us know that he does not like the situation and that he is under stress . We can notice this, for example, in video collages in which small children scratch the dogs' beds. The dog licks, yawns, turns its head, stretches, knocks. The parents are melting over the cute situation, but the dog is not comfortable and is letting us know. In such a case, it is good to intervene and not force the dog to ask for space more forcefully.

DOGS AVOID GUILT

In another case, we can watch videos in which the dog seems to regret a bitten leg from the table or a torn pillow. The dog turns away and rolls his eyes. By behavior that is often misinterpreted as remorse, the dog is actually calming us down because it has understood that something is going on. However, the feeling of guilt did not overtake him .

By understanding soothing signals, we can better penetrate the dog world and thus get a chance to improve the relationship with our dog.