29/03/2024
LISTEN TO YOUR DOG'S WHISPER, SO HE DOESN'T HAVE TO SHOUT
Today, a lazy afternoon trip to the pub turned into an opportunity to people and dog watch. I’m fascinated by the way in which others interact with their dogs, and how well they understand what their dog is communicating to them. I’m particularly drawn to shy and nervous dogs as I have a huge soft spot for them, and today was no exception. I spotted quite an anxious, very pretty little dog, who was attracting the attention of the bar staff. One popped by to feed the dog a treat, which she hesitantly took, and then retreated to eat it. The barmaid looked pleased with herself as she went off with an armful of glasses. Before long, she popped back, empty handed, hopeful of getting a bit closer this time. As she reached out for the dog, the barmaid was warned that the dog was nervous, to which she replied, “I’m really good with dogs,” and carried on regardless. Oh boy. Anyway, her affections were tolerated, although the dog looked uncomfortable.
A bit later, another member of staff stopped by, and as the dog tentatively approached to sniff her, the lady went straight in for a stroke. This person was tall and formidable, the dog noticeably worried by the looming figure overhead. She tried to avoid the lady, turning her head away repeatedly. As the woman continued to lean over the dog to stroke her, next came a lick to the face. “Awwww, kisses! We’re friends now!”, I heard her exclaim, as she continued to fuss and pet the dog, not giving her the opportunity to move away. Having done her very best to make herself understood, but to no avail, the little dog finally lunged towards the lady and barked, unable to tolerate any more. The staff member seemed both put out and confused by the dog’s outburst, whilst the guardian was embarrassed, and chastised the dog as she pulled her away.
This incident led me to wonder how often this scenario occurs. How many people mistake a dog approaching them to have a sniff and gather information as the go-ahead for touching and petting? Dogs learn so much via their sense of smell; it is their primary sense, after all. They need to be able to investigate and assess in their own time, having the opportunity to choose whether they interact with someone. They also need to have the option to walk away and keep themselves feeling safe, without having to negotiate grabbing hands and looming faces.
Licking is also often misunderstood. Although it *can* be a sign of affection, it is also often an anxious behaviour, a request for space. The “kiss to dismiss,” as it was coined, is employed as a distance increasing behaviour; a sudden lick to the face usually causes someone to move away in surprise, and to prevent a further face washing!
These are just two behaviours which are so often misinterpreted. Being able to recognise and understand canine body language is such an important skill- we can never know enough! Our dogs provide us with so many signals that they are feeling uncomfortable, yet these are often missed, or simply not acknowledged. If we can spot the earliest signs that our dogs are beginning to feel stressed and take prompt action, they will not feel the need to escalate their behaviour to make themselves understood.
“Listen to your dog’s whisper so he doesn’t have to shout”- Chirag Patel
You can read more about how to spot the signs of stress here:
https://www.trailiepawsforthought.com/post/the-science-of-stress-part-two-spotting-the-signs
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