21/05/2024
These are some examples of displacement behaviours and serve as indicators of the dog's internal state which can provide valuable insights into their emotional well-being.
Displacement behaviours arise when an animal faces conflicting motivations/ feelings for two or more behaviours, leading to an unrelated action. For instance, birds might peck at grass when torn between attacking or fleeing from a threat, while humans may scratch their heads when indecisive.
Context matters when interpreting animal behaviour. EG: Sniffing and scratching could be due to various reasons like being itchy, exploring scents. Understanding the environment and situation helps in accurately deciphering the dog’s actions.
In interpreting body language, subtle cues matter too. A relaxed dog typically has ‘loose’ muscles, a ‘soft’ eye, and their tail held in the breeds natural carriage, and may pant gently. A stressed dog might have tense muscles, mouth shut, a lowered/ ‘stiff’ tail, flattened ears, and avoid eye contact. Understanding body language in canine communication helps distinguish between comfort and discomfort in the dogs demeanour.
These behaviours can also occur when an animal is hindered from engaging in a highly desired behaviour. Often, out-of-context behaviours provide comfort to the animal, like scratching, grooming, or sniffing.
In animal behaviour evaluations, displacement activities serve as indicators of unmet behavioural needs. For example, humans display self-directed behaviours like fidgeting in stressful situations, indicating negative emotions.
When a dog displays displacement behaviours, these are actions that seem out of place. These behaviours are often seen when a dog is unsure how to react in a particular situation.
This typically happens when the dog experiences conflicting emotions like anxiety, stress, or frustration, and serves as a way for the dog to release tension, or cope with the mixed feelings they are experiencing.
