During developmental periods, puppies learn to communicate and understand communication through body language, facial expressions and vocalization. The dog will practice various body postures and will actually learn what answers he will get from his littermates and his mother. Dogs seem to understand this “dog tongue” as a method of communication, regardless of breed, size or any other form of diversity observed in a dog.
Dogs exchange information among themselves less by voice than by a wide range of facial expressions, body postures and gestures, as well as by various smells. Dogs, which bark at night, probably work on the excess energy or announce their presence, and this is probably the only message transmitted to other dogs within earshot.
When a dog goes to his owner and deliberately barks, it is simply to attract attention. You must try to guess its general behavior, rather than the circumstances and its general behavior, rather than the form or tone of bark it produces. The screaming or barking of hunting dogs is an instinctive hunt that informs the pack that the dog is on a track. Barking strange noises is a warning as well as a threat display.
A solitary bowling dog can send a gathering cry to other dogs nearby. Wild dogs, on the other hand, never come back, they just scream. Could the barking of domesticated dogs be a form of communication closer to the word? A dog that has a close relationship with its owner and has learned to understand many words clearly, sometimes very successfully, makes sense of its own statements.
A dog that wants to assert its importance and boldness instinctively uses all the effects that make it look bigger and more scary, raising its back, increasing its size and holding its head high with challenge. A dog who wants to show his submission does exactly the opposite, getting himself crouching with his tail between his legs and ears flat.
A dog who wishes to assert his dominion will adopt a perpendicular position, the head resting on the shoulders of the other dog, while pushing or pushing the elbow, the arched neck, the head and the tail raised and stretched. The invitation to play conventionally consists of a posture with crouched forehead, high back, a wagging tail, a shining eye and a small barking. A rigid position with a stare and a high, shaky tail is hostile. A high, regular tail is synonymous with self-confidence, and low indicates inferiority, fatigue, poor health, or bad mood.
Patrolling the neck is an expression of affection, the nose is another invitation to play. Giving the paw is a conventional canine gesture with two possible meanings. When he gives his paw to his owner while avoiding eye contact, he says “Please, forgive me” or when he wants to attract attention, he says, “I’m here, do not me” do not forget.” When he offers his paw to another dog, it is a sign of submission.
An owner who takes the trouble to observe his dog and pay him the courtesy of listening to him can establish a simple two-way communication system with his pet. Canine messages are usually very basic because it requires much less than us. “I’m hungry”, “I’m thirsty”, “I need to go out” or “Come with me, I think something is wrong” are among the messages he manages to convey very well given its limited means. His most eloquent expression is the emotional chuckling of barking that means “I missed you!”
Dogs also assume that we also understand their communication system. Problems arise when we misunderstand the message that the dog is forced to transmit us using its communication mode. It is important to begin to recognize the different body postures and behaviors observed by dogs to help us understand their mood.
Dog’s body language
1- Relaxed body position – The dog is relaxed and comfortable with his environment
- Tail down
- Ears in the air but not forward
- Head held high
- Relaxed mouth corners
2- Alert body posture – the dog indicates his interest
- Tail straight out
- Ears forward
- Closed mouth
- Standing on the toes
3- Offensive threat posture – The dog is aggressive and ready to attack
- Tail up and stiff
- Hackles up
- Ears forward
- Wrinkled nose
- Corners of the mouth forward
- Standing and advancing on the toes
4- Posture of defensive threat – The Dog Protects
- Tail tucked
- Hackles up
- Ears back
- Dilated pupil
- Wrinkled nose
- Coins of the mouth back
- Body lowered
5- Active submission – The dog has chosen to submit to the dominant dog / human
- Tail down
- Ears back
- Smooth Forehead
- Licks at mouth of superior dog/human
- Corners of the mouth back
- Creeping movements with front paws
- Body lowered
6- Play – the dog indicates that he would like to play
- Tail up and wagging
- Ears lifted
- Open mouth with visible tongue
- Front end lowered
7- The stress
- The tail is down
- Ears back
- Dilated pupil
- Panting quickly with the corners of the mouth back
- Body lowered
- Sweating through the pads