Freeze, Fidget, Flight or Fight
We love to anthropomorphize. I know I find it entertaining in many ways, however it is always at the back of my mind to ask the big question “what is my animal actually trying to communicate here?” So, after taking this course I invite you to begin observing your dog’s body language with fresh eyes. What new information can you garner simply through inquisitive and informed observation. Are there ways in which you interact with your dog that maybe you now can identify as unsavory based off of the subtle cues they exhibit in response? Behavior is contextual, so maybe you see them exhibit stress signals in some contexts but not others. This is extremely valuable information.
So, let’s review some subtle signs of stress, & conflict that our dogs use to communicate. These signals are often referred to as calming signals, cut off signals, and distance increasing signals. They typically occur as subtle warning signs the dog offers before escalating into barking, lunging, air snapping and eventually biting.
If we fail to give our dogs space, or advocate for our dogs when we notice these signals, eventually they will learn that such means of communication is not effective. This is when they are left with no other choice than to escalate into more overt signs of communication such as growling or biting. No dog bites “out of know where” we just regularly fail to recognize their more subtle pleas for space.
