Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: 5 Dog Communication Signs That Are Easy To Misinterpret

Despite the time we spend with our pets, most
humans misinterpret many dog communication
signals. We tend to think that dogs have similar
thought patterns to ours. Meanwhile, dogs think
that we understand their language, too.

For humans and dogs to communicate effectively,
we must become more aware of what they are
telling us, since they do not have the capability
of purposefully learning our language. We have
take the first step.

Here are 5 dog communication signals to get you
started.

1. Dog barking is one that you will have to learn
by studying how your dog responds in different
situations. You will notice that if another dog
is walking past the house, he might bark loudly
and purposefully. If the dog ventures onto his
property however, he will probably become a more
aggressive barker. Watch him each time he barks
so that you can learn how they differ and what
each one means. Most importantly, you will
discover that he barks for a reason and not just
because he can.

2. Eye contact has several interpretations.
Unlike humans, dogs do not like to be stared at
or looked at with a fixed gaze. To them, this
often means confrontation and challenge. Yet eye
contact can also indicate playfulness and
curiosity. If he avoids eye contact, he might be
showing respect or he could be submissive or feel
defeated or fearful. How your dog stands helps
other dogs to read his intentions. Knowing these
will help you as well.

3. Body language, such as head down and eyes
diverted is a sign of submission. If the hair on
the dog's back is raised, this is a distinct sign
of aggression. Combine that with long looks and
enlarged pupils and you can be sure that your dog
is issuing a threat. Bared and clenched teeth
with lips curled is a sign of aggression. Take it
as a warning. If the dog holds his mouth slightly
ajar with his tongue rolled to one side, your dog
is relaxed. Some dogs will bare their teeth and
roll their top lip when they are very happy.
There is a difference between this behavior and
aggression.

4. Ears are another tool that dogs use to
communicate. Up and forward indicates he is
alert. If they are rotated sideways, he is
feeling insecure. If they are pulled straight
back and down, it shows that he is being
submissive. These signs are more obvious in
shorthaired dogs with pointed ears. Floppy eared
dogs communicate the same way but it is less
obvious. You will have to look a little harder to
spot the subtle changes.

5. A dog's tail can say a lot but many people do
not understand how to interpret their messages.
One misconception is that if the dog is wagging
his tail he is happy and friendly, but this is
not always true. If the tail is straight out and
wagging slowly, it shows that he is mildly
interested in whatever is before them. If it is
wagging very quickly, this indicates that his
energy levels are high and perhaps is overly
excited. If a dog is wagging his tail and shows
any signs of aggression as discussed, it is a
sure sign to back off and be careful.

One interesting discovery made by one researcher
is that when dogs are attracted to someone or
something, they will wag their tails
predominately to right and when he is fearful and
apprehensive, they will wag to the left. Study
your dog and see if you can spot this sign.

As you can see, there are many dog communication
signs that can help you to understand your pet's
messages. Use them to help communicate with him
more effectively.

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love talking about dogs. You can read such
stories at Dog Talk Weekly. It's a free ezine
that provides tips on dog care, dog training and
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having at http://www.dogtalkweekly.com

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