Body Language - The Mouth

A dog's mouth can tell you everything from "I'm happy" to "Back off"!

A happy and relaxed dog will have the mouth loosely open. The tongue hangs free and may even drape over the side of bottom teeth.

A playful dog will have a slightly opened and relaxed mouth. The tongue and teeth are visible.

A dog will communicate stress or being anxious by panting. The difference between that and a relaxed dog panting is that the tongue hangs down wide in the front and there are no teeth showing like the doggie smile we see in the first picture.

A dog will yawn to either boost his energy or calm himself down. If you notice your dog feeling stressed you can use this calming signal as well.

A dog that licks its lips when there is no food involved can be telling you she is stressed, anxious or unsure of the situation.

An alert or dominant dog will have a closed or just slightly opened mouth with no teeth showing.

A dog that is guarding someone or something will have a slightly opened mouth with a little teeth showing.

An aggressive or fearful dog will have teeth bared in a snarl.



Start making a habit to watch your dog's mouth and how it changes depending on the situation. It takes time and practice but you can learn this wonderful language.

Body Language

Can you tell when your dog is?

• Relaxed
• Bored
• Curious
• Playful
• Excited
• Unsure
• Fearful
• Anxious
• Nervous
• Aggressive
• Confident

Dogs use body language to communicate to those around them. Dogs know exactly what other dogs are saying but this is where most humans have trouble. Sometimes a gesture happens so fast, it can be easy to miss. When people say that a dog has bitten them "out of the blue", it usually means that they didn't notice all the warning signs that came before the bite. The lowered head, the flattened ears, the slight lift of the lip, the low growl are all warnings to stay away. If you ignore them, a dog may feel no other choice but to bite.

(c) Graphic created by http://dfdk9.wordpress.com/

The picture above gives you several examples to illustrate how a dog is feeling. Notice that generally, the smaller a dog looks the more anxious, frightened or submissive he is. The bigger the dog looks, the calmer, more alert or dominant he is. Each state of mind has a distinct body posture but there is more going on. A dog's head, mouth, ears, eyes, paws and tail also hold a lot of information. 

The next several articles will look at dog body language in more detail. Each article will focus on one body part of a dog to help give you a better understanding of all the signals that are being communicated to other dogs and to you.

The more we learn our dog's language, the stronger relationship and bond we will have with them.

• Body Language - The Mouth
• Body Language - The Eyes
• Body Language - The Tail

It's all in the approach

As a dog owner, you have the opportunity to educate others how to say hello to your dog properly.  Most people mean well but often get in a dog's face and that can turn dangerous in an instant. We can all help to avoid these unfortunate interactions by educating others. Until then dogs will continue to be blamed every time. Keep in mind that dog's react, they don't premeditate. So we have to take some responsibility for their actions.

A few simple rules can make all the difference.

Let a dog smell you

 

Dogs first learn about you with their nose. So the best approach is no approach, especially with a dog you don't know. Ignoring a dog might seem rude to you but it's not to a dog. It's actually more respectful then bombarding them. Simply let the dog come to you and smell you. Remember that if you present your hand for sniffing, make sure your fingers are safely tucked or pointed downward.

Even dog owners are sometimes guilty of approaching a dog the wrong way, even when they know better. That is because people who have dogs generally love dogs and want to meet and interact with them. Add a puppy to the mix and all good judgement tends to go out the window. How many people have you seen ignoring a puppy and waiting for them to approach?

Petting

Many dogs are uncomfortable with a stranger's hand going up over their head. It can be taken as a challenge or a threat. So never go for a dog's head that you just met. The best places to pet a dog are the chest, side or chin. Petting under the chin can even boost the confidence of an insecure or shy dog. Why? Because petting under the chin raises the head higher and that raises confidence. The same goes for a dog's tail. The higher it is, the more confident the dog. 

Tone

The pitch you use should vary and depend on the dog you encounter and what you are trying to achieve. Your tone of voice can affect a dog's state of mind. A really high pitch tone can create excitement but bring that down a notch and it can be encouraging and friendly. A lower more stern tone usually signifies that you mean business and will command more attention and respect. Whatever the tone you use, keep it at a normal volume.

Unfamiliar Dogs

In general you should never approach an unfamiliar dog. If you do encounter one wandering around and are unsure, you can do the following:

• turn your body sideways
• avoid eye contact
• keep your arms by your side
• remain calm

You can also tell the dog to "Stay" or "Go home" in a stern lower pitch tone if you feel confident.

As a general rule never approach a dog, familiar or unfamiliar to you that is:

• working
• sleeping
• eating
• chained up
• behind a fence
• fearful
• aggressive
• barking
• growling

And keep in mind that a dog's tail wagging is not always a sign of friendship. Be careful if the tail is high, stiff and wagging fast.

Jumping

While some people do appreciate their dog's jumping and sometimes even encourage it, this behaviour can be annoying, unwanted and even dangerous. A big dog could unintentionally knock over a small child or cause an elderly or injured person to fall.


Is your dog's jumping love or disrespect? 

Owners often associate a dog jumping on them with love, affection or excitement. Dog professionals usually associate a dog jumping on humans as disrespectful and a sign of dominance. Depending on the dog, it could be either. Whichever you believe doesn't change the fact that it can be potentially dangerous if done at the wrong time or to the wrong person.  That is why it's best to teach your dog to keep all four paws on the ground unless you give him a command to do otherwise.


Prevention

Like most unwanted behaviours, prevention is the key. People never seem to mind when a puppy is jumping all over them. However allowing or even encouraging a puppy to jump on you can present a challenge once that puppy is full grown. As a general rule, avoiding an unwanted behaviour is always easier than correcting one.

For puppies, do the following:

• avoid using a high pitch voices to greet a puppy
• give affection and attention when all four paws are on the ground
• ignore any form of jumping by walking away or avoiding eye contact
• be consistent

Consistency

If you aren't consistent you will only confuse your dog and that's not fair to him. He doesn't know difference between your gardening clothes and your work clothes. So if you don't want him jumping on your work clothes, you must correct him every time.


How to interrupt a dog that's about to jump

You will get to know the signs or the times when your dog is likely to jump on you (for example when you first get home from work). So before he does jump, give him a command such as "sit" or have a toy handy by the door to redirect his attention.

If he catches you off guard and starts to jump, you can either dart you your hands out downward and thus he will make contact with them instead of you or turn to the side. Never knee your dog in the chest. You are not trying to hurt your dog, just simply making jumping on you less beneficial to him. Also praise him when all four paws are back on the ground.

Also be ready to correct him when friends or strangers come to your door or when you are out walking. You can use the leash to correct if you need to but it's best to be proactive and not give him the chance to get in the habit on jumping on people to greet them.

10 Canine Commandments

This list was given to me recently and I liked it so much I thought I would share it. 

1. My life is likely to last 10 - 15 years. Any separation from you will be painful to me. Remember that before you buy me.
2. Give me time to understand what you want from me.
3. Place your trust in me. It's crucial to my well-being.
4. Don't be angry with me for long, and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your entertainment and your friends. I only have you.
5. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don't understand your words, I understand your voice when it's speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I'll never forget it.
7. Remember before you hit me: I have teeth that could easily crush the bones of your hand, but I choose not to bite you.
8. Before you scold me for being un-coorperative, obstinate or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, or I've been out in the sun too long, or my heart is getting old weak.
9. Take care of me when I get old. You too will grow old.
10. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say: "I can't bear to watch it", or "Let it happen in my absence." Everything is easier for me if you are there.

REMEMBER THAT I LOVE YOU.

Author - Unknown

Begging

Most of us have experienced it, those hopeful pleading eyes staring at us while we eat. While it's tempting to give into him, you should first consider the repercussions. Feeding a dog from your plate will create begging and can lead to obesity which will shorten your dog's life.

Begging can lead to other bad habits like jumping up on the counter to get food when you're not there, or grabbing food right out of your hand if you're not paying attention. This can be especially dangerous if you have young children who walk around with their snacks at just the right height for a dog to nab.

Avoid begging

The best way to avoid begging is to never feed your dog while you are eating. There is no such thing as "just this once" to a dog. If you give in once, he will try again. And while it is possible to change this unwanted behaviour, it’s much easier to avoid it in the first place.

Stop begging

If you or someone has already fed your dog and he stares and whines at you while you eat, do the following:

• put him in a sit stay while you are eating (pick an appropriate spot)
• crate him if he has one (this should be rest time, not a punishment)
• completely ignore him
• interrupt his whining with a firm "No"

You may also want to keep your dog out of the area completely while you are cooking or eating. Whatever rules you decide, be consistent with enforcing them. If you are persistent, he will eventually get the message.

And be aware that there are foods that can be potentially dangerous. The following of foods can be very hazardous to your dog:

• Chocolate
• Garlic
• Onions
• Macadamia nuts
• Milk
• Grapes and raisins
• Caffeinated items
• Xilotol (sugar free sweetener most often found in chewing gum)
• Alcohol and yeast dough
• Fruit pits and seed
• Rotten or mouldy food
• Avocado

 
If your dog has ingested one of these potentially toxic foods, don't take any chances. Seek veterinary attention immediately.

Leadership

There are two roles in a dog's world, that of leader and follower. It's important for you to be the leader. Some dogs naturally want to be the leader and some don't, but they will all take the role of leader if nobody else does. Many issues people have with their dogs arise from a lack of leadership on their part.

Being the leader doesn't mean you don't love or show your dog affection. Nor does it mean being harsh or cruel. Leadership means being in control of your dog's behaviour, actions and resources.

What are the resources?

• food
• water
• toys
• bones
• bed
• affection
• outings
• furniture
• back yard
• car
• in a nutshell ... everything

Have your dog work for her favourite things. Use the commands:

• sit before you give her affection
• wait before you feed her
• lie down before you play with her
• shake a paw before you give her a bone

Switch up the commands and rewards so you or your dog don't get bored. This is also great mental stimulation as well as establishing you as the leader.

Signs your dog is in control or is challenging you

• jumps, leans or steps on you
• will not move out of your way
• growls or nips at you when she disagrees with a command
• whines for something and you give it to her (food, affection, toy)
• doesn't listen to commands
• doesn't come when called
• growls when you approach her eating
• barks uncontrollably

Effective leadership qualities

• calm and assertiveness
• fairness
• consistency
• trustworthiness
• confidence
• awareness

Ways to practice leadership

• walk every day with your dog beside or behind you
• get her to earn her favourite resources
• do not look or talk (other than commands) to your dog, let her look to you
• decide when play begins and ends
• feed meals by hand
• have her move out of your way (unless she is sleeping or arthritic)
• walk through doors first
• go up and down stairs first
• invite your dog on the couch or bed if you really want her there*

* Refrain having your dog on the couch or bed while you are establishing yourself as the leader, especially if your dog is challenging you.

Discipline

When it comes to disciplining your dog you can use tone, a look, body language or a quick leash correction. Do not yell and scream or ever hit your dog.