Stress and Calming Signals

A fundamental tool in dog training is knowing how to read your dog’s body language. Since stress is a big factor in many interactions and behavior, it pays to know some signs of stress.

Typical early signs of stress for a dog include:
*yawning
*looking away
*whale eye (see whites of the eyes)
*licking (tip of nose)
*paw lift
*scratching
*sniffing the ground
*curving on approach
*front tooth smile (sometimes called the appeasement smile lips are lifted up on front teeth, ears folded, head lowered)
*etc.

They can also be considered “calming signals” since it is believed the intent might be to calm the dog herself as well as the other dog, person or animal or even the situation. Turid Rugass was the pioneer of this idea and she has published a book titled "On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals"

She also has a video out as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj7BWxC6iVs
(I personally would substitute the word “social” for ‘pack’ since studies show they do not live in a pack, but are social with other dogs, both related and unrelated.

ACTIVITY:

Observe your dog(s) for the next week or so and see in what situations your dog uses these calming signals. 

Some examples: with adults, with other dogs, with children, in a strange environment, in a specific context such as being barked at by another dog, a person leaning in towards them, a child hugging etc.

In reactive dog class,  Jessie offered the other dog several of these signals to calm a stressed dog. He responded by doing a head turn and sniffing the ground.