BODY LANGUAGE: Sorry DOGS ARE NOT HUMANS

 A case for paying attention to the fact that we have a way of Humanizing  our dogs and missing the fact when Dogs communicate with their bodiesMisty tried to console Doris her new fostered rescue like Misty always did her daughter's fear. The noise from the thunderstorm was loud and seemed to be closer each time it crackled and boomed. Misty was inadvertently praised for her fear, and rewarded by the stroking and consoling. But how can you explain to a human that she was encouraging Doris to show fear to get extra attention a strong reward.  Doris is learning that by shaking, peeing, and whimpering an hiding she is exhibiting the appropriate response to the sound of thunder. In Doris's canine mind, if showing fear gets rewarded, then doing so every time will elicit the same response. Imagine getting attention for being scared.

Understand posture. Dogs communicate with their bodies. You should understand and emulate this. When a dog jumps on someone, it’s not because she’s happy; it’s because she wants to control the greeting and set the tone of the relationship. When a dog won’t make eye contact with you, it means she feels intimidated. When a dog bumps another dog at the park, it’s not play; it’s control. A good owner knows what his or her dog is thinking from what the dog does with her body. Master this and you’ll be better able to predict her behavior

Be predictable. Dogs are creatures of ritual. Yet some owners can be unreliable in how they interact; one moment you let your dog up onto the bed, the next you yell at her for the same action. Try to be more like a dog in your predictability. Set rules and routines, and stick to them!

   

Face: Dogs will wrinkle or straighten their foreheads to show confusion or determination.
    Eyes: A dog’s eyes brighten when he looks at a creature he considers friendly. When he is afraid, his pupils dilate and he shows the whites of his eyes.
    Lips, teeth and tongue: If your dog is happy or wants to play, he may pull his lips back and show his teeth in what appears to be a smile. This is a gesture that is reserved only for human/dog communication; a dog will not do this with other dogs.
    Ears: If a dog’s ears are raised, he is relaxed or listening. If they are back, he might be signaling submission.
    Tail: A recent study published in “Current Biology” shows that the way a dog wags its tail indicates how he feels. If the tail wags more to the right, it is a sign of positive feelings; left-side wagging indicates negative feelings.