WHAT’S MY DOG SAYING?WHAT’S MY DOG SAYING?Cognitive Dog 2010Cognitive Dog 2010

Carolyn Barney, CPDTCarolyn Barney, CPDT

Dogs are a social speciesDogs are a social species

• Live somewhat harmoniously in groups WOLF PACKS, VILLAGE DOGS & OUR PETS

• Wide range of communications TO LIVE IN GROUPS and PACKS SUCCESSFULLY

• Language primarily of body postures w/ some vocalizations

““Normal” communication skill developmentNormal” communication skill development ““

•Need mom & litter until 7 weeks

•Scott and Fuller’s Bar Harbor study

Why dogs lack communication skillsWhy dogs lack communication skills

•Poor or lack of early socialization•Removed from litter too young•Singleton’s•Bad experiences with other dogs

•Isolated from dogs after human adoption

•They are dogs… and have apparently lost communication skills via artificial selection

Behavior problems can occur ifBehavior problems can occur if

•The dog does not know how to communicate properly with other dogs or understand them

•The human does not understand“dog” and reacts inappropriately to a dogs’ communication to thehuman

Learning to understand “Dog”Learning to understand “Dog”

•Develop observation skills

•Prevent and modify behavior issues with a better knowledge of how dogs communicate – see it before it happens….

Postures and body changes to watch for:Postures and body changes to watch for:Head Position:

HighLevelLow

Ear position: Prick ears are the most obvious in their positions but all types of ears change.

Forward Sideways and up Side and lowBack and a little lower than normal

Back and flat

Eyes: (Size ) Normal Wide open with whites showing Squinting or partially closed Closed

Gaze: Fixed forward

Looking away Moving back and forth

Mouth Positions: Closed Lip licking Submissive grin or Agonistic pucker

(warning) both have the lips raised so the front incisors and the

canines are exposed, rest of body will tell the whole story

Fear grin has lips raised and sides drawn back revealing premolars and molars,

Pant (heat vs stress)Yawn

Tail Carriage: High as it can goAbove back levelLevel or slightly belowLow towards groundTucked between hind legs

Tail Movement: No MovementWagging in circlesWagging short fast

movement Wagging slow wide sweep

Whole dog wagging

Body changes:

Balanced front rear relaxed

Balanced front rear tense

Weight on front

Weight on Rear

Front end crouched back end up

Front end crouched back end down and on side ranging to the

whole dog on its back

Pilo Erection: Hair on back raised

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WHAT’S MY DOG SAYING?WHAT’S MY DOG SAYING?GIMME! NO WAY!