Canine Communication Decoded: Understanding Dog Body Language
In the fascinating world of canine communication, humans can learn to interpret dog emotions and body language, albeit with some limitations. A study on dog body language reveals that people, on average, are moderately accurate at recognising dog emotions from facial and bodily cues, but their accuracy is notably lower and more prone to error compared to interpreting human body language [1].
When it comes to signs of stress in dogs, some common indicators include ears down, self-licking, slow movement, pacing, and yawning. Signs of fear might manifest as a slow-no wag tail, trembling, hiding, a deactivated body, and submissive behaviour. It's important to note that understanding dog body language requires knowledge of species-specific signals such as tail position, ear posture, and overall body tension rather than just facial expressions or human-like assumptions [3].
Approaching a dog can be a delicate matter. It's recommended to make a semicircle pattern instead of approaching head-on to avoid startling the dog. When interacting with a dog, it's suggested to turn sideways, squat, and let the dog approach to avoid showing higher status [2].
Dogs bark for various reasons, including fear, loneliness, surprise, irritation, and more. A lower pitch usually indicates more seriousness [1]. Submissive behaviour in dogs includes the hotdog position, grimace facial expression, licking, hushed voice, and rolling over onto the back. Piloerection, or raised hackles, is when a dog's hair stands up, usually indicating a dog is aroused or feeling strong emotions such as anger or distress [1].
Signs of alertness in dogs include a closed mouth, pointed ears, barking, stiff tail, and a tense body. In contrast, signs of happiness in dogs include an open mouth, a relaxed body, play bowing, wagging tail, and exposing the belly [1].
However, people often misinterpret dog emotions by projecting human feelings or relying on situational context rather than distinctive canine behavioural cues. This anthropomorphism leads to frequent errors, underscoring that understanding dog body language requires knowledge of species-specific signals [3].
Interestingly, a study found that people without dogs were more successful than dog owners at identifying dog emotions. This ability appears consistent across cultures but varies somewhat depending on the specific emotions and cultural context [1].
In comparison, people are generally far more adept at reading human body language and emotions, supported by lifelong exposure and evolutionary social skills. The ability to correctly infer dog emotions is less intuitive and requires more specialized learning [1].
While people can reasonably interpret dog emotion cues, they are less accurate and rely on different cognitive mechanisms compared to interpreting human body language. Expertise and training in canine behaviour improve recognition accuracy substantially [3].
Some common misconceptions about dog behaviour include the idea that a dog's "smile" is an emotional response. In reality, a dog's smile might be a result of panting due to being hot, thirsty, excited, anxious, sick, or out of breath from exercise. Dogs howl when they're left alone, feeling lonely or wanting attention, or in response to high-pitched noises.
In conclusion, understanding dog body language is a valuable skill that requires knowledge of species-specific signals and a focus on objective, behaviour-based assessments rather than subjective impressions. By learning to interpret dog body language correctly, we can build stronger, more meaningful relationships with our canine companions.
References:
[1] Miklosi, A. (2007). Dog Behaviour, Evolution, and Cognition: A Comparative Approach. Oxford University Press.
[2] Hollow, L. (2019). Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide Interpreting the Language of the Dog. Dogwise Publishing.
[3] Van der Borg, W., & Topál, J. (2019). The dog's mind: Cognition and behaviour. CABI.
In the pursuit of understanding our canine companions, it's essential to develop an expertise in canine health-and-wellness, particularly focusing on species-specific signals such as tail position, ear posture, and overall body tension, rather than relying on human-like assumptions [3]. It's also crucial to foster our knowledge in science, delving into studies and books like those written by Miklosi [1] and Hollow [2], to accurately interpret dog emotions and strengthen our relationships with them.
