Calming Signals

What on earth is a calming signal? How can we define the difference between it and a normal behavior? First off, I think it's important to understand just what a calming signal is and why dogs use them. It seems to me that many people do not understand what calming signals are about and therefore, often, misread their dogs. These actions cause misinterpretation and this, unfortunately, I have seen, leads to unnecessary scuffles and stressful encounters between dogs. Calming signals can include a variety of behaviors.

Calming Signals include
-lip flicks (a quick lip lick)
-yawning
-stretching
-shaking "off"
-scratching
-panting
-sniffing
-turning the body away
-whale eye (seeing the whites of a dogs eyes)
-approaching from the side rather than straight on
-lowering of the tail and ears

In simple terms, calming signals are what a dog uses to appease and communicate with something that may be scary or potentially threatening. It is a way for many dogs to say "I'm not a threat" or "Let's avoid conflict". Often times these signals are missed because a panting dog may be mistaken for being hot, a yawn may be interpreted as the dog being tired, or sniffing, which is a huge avoidance behavior, can be viewed by some as the dog simple "not wanting to pay attention". Does a yawn always mean a dog is stressed? Does every shake or stretch mean the dog is trying to tell you he or she is scared? Absolutely not. However, it is in the context of which these behaviors happen that we must interpret them. If a dog is being swarmed by several other dogs he doesn't know, then it is fairly certain a lowered posture means the dog is uncomfortable.

Many times, we as owners, miss calming signals and the dog is "forced" to elevate their response and a snap or nip is given. Sometimes, unfortunately, even those signals are missed and this is when a dog finally chooses to bite. Often than not, these bites are interpreted as "attacks for no reason" and the dog is deemed as being at fault. Dogs certainly do not deserve to be punished for trying to communicate with us. It is our job to understand them and accept their body language. Just by reading a dog's calming signal many unfortunate incidents could be avoided.

If you'd like to learn more on calming signals there are many articles that provide such information. There is also an excellent book called "On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals" by Turid Rugaas.

"Lots of people talk to animals.... Not very many listen, though.... That's the problem" -Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Poo

It is up to us to learn how to communicate better with our dogs and to hear what they are trying to tell us. That is my whole intention of this blog. Dogs do speak to us. It is simply up to us, to listen.