Communication is part of any relationship, whether between humans or with our pets, which are always willing to communicate with other dogs or with us. Now, because we are different species, it is easy to make mistakes and misinterpret what a dog is expressing.
In this article we want to explain to you how dogs communicate , because although by appearance we may believe that canine communication is simple, in reality these animals have a complex language and different ways of expressing their needs and intentions to other individuals.
Canine language
We commonly refer to communication as an action in which an issuer transmits information to a receiver, with the intention that, later, said receiver gives a response or, to better understand it, make a change according to the intention of the issuer, despite the fact that the receiver does not always direct his action in the desired way.
This process is not carried out by people, but the vast majority of species communicate between individuals of the same species (intraspecific interaction) or of different species (interspecific). Well, although dogs do not use words like us, they transmit information between them through sight, hearing and smell.
Do dogs understand each other?
Many times there is the erroneous belief that dogs, just because they are dogs, understand each other perfectly, since canine language is instinctive , a fact that can cause conflicts and bad experiences. And it is that, although it is true that this aspect has an innate component, the language of dogs is also strongly influenced by learning, since it molds and develops it over time since its birth.
It is not surprising then that the majority of dogs that present conflictive behaviors with others of the same species are often due to the fact that they have not had adequate socialization or that they lack sufficient healthy relationships with other dogs.
What do we want to express with this statement? The reality is that much of the canine language that an adult expresses is learned as a puppy, especially during the socialization stage. Since, despite the fact that puppies instinctively already know how to communicate their needs (they cry to get food, protection, express when they want to play …), it is the interaction with other dogs during this stage that will allow them to carry out a learning that will determine their adult language. This implies that a dog that has had a poor socialization (for example, with only one dog), will not understand or communicate in the most effective way with other dogs, giving rise to insecurities or misunderstandings that can cause conflicts.
In the same way, if the puppy as a child has known dogs which also had deficiencies in this aspect, they may not fully learn how proper communication with other dogs should be. For example, it could be that a puppy lives with another dog which always interacts aggressively with others of its species (without adapting to the context), and the puppy, therefore, adopts this aggressive attitude with other dogs and shows fearful of the partner with whom he lives.
Visual Communication in Dogs – Body Language
We refer to visual communication as all those gestures, postures or body movements made by the dog and express its state of mind or an intention. We mainly distinguish:
- Relaxed: if the dog is calm, it will keep its ears erect (but not directed forward), it will keep its mouth slightly open and its tail lowered without movement.
- Alert or attentive: when the dog tries to fixate on something in particular, it directs its body towards that element, its ears pointed forward, it keeps its eyes wide open, it can move its tail slightly and keep its body slightly bent forward.
- Game: when a dog wants to invite another to play, it is common to observe how it makes a “bow”, keeps the tail up in motion, raises the ears, dilates the pupils and keeps the mouth open, showing the tongue in many cases. This position can be accompanied by barking, non-threatening attacks, and repeated escapes in which he starts running in any direction for you to chase.
- Offensive Aggression: This type of aggressiveness is intended to be threatening or to prepare for attack. The main characteristics that we can detect are bristling hair, upturned tail, as well as ears, dilated pupils, wrinkled nose, raised lips clearly showing teeth, mouth closed or slightly open and body rigid and leaning towards ahead.
- Defensive aggressiveness: on the contrary, this type of aggressiveness is shown by the dog when it feels insecure in the face of something and, therefore, tries to defend itself. We distinguish this kind of aggressiveness since the fur will be bristled, the legs slightly back with the tail between them, the ears back, the pupils dilated, the nose will be wrinkled with raised lips, and the mouth will remain completely open. Finally, unlike the previous one, the body will be tilted slightly downwards and backwards.
- Fear: this emotion is easily distinguishable in dogs, since it is characterized by the fact that the dog places the tail between the legs, the ears back against the skull, the head bowed and, in general, the whole body tilted down and with stiff muscle tone Furthermore, in extreme fear, the dog may urinate involuntarily.
- Signs of calm: these types of signals encompass a wide range of gestures and actions that the dog uses mainly to declare good intentions in the interaction and to appease in case it feels uncomfortable, annoyed or in a conflict situation. For example, when hugging a dog, it is possible that it yawns, looks away, licks the truffle … Also, when a dog adopts an aggressive posture towards another dog, if it wants to abolish the conflict, it will surely adopt what is popularly known as a submissive posture and will emit these kinds of signals, showing you that you are completely harmless and asking you to calm down. These actions are carried out because he is communicating to you that although he tolerates you hugging him, he would prefer you not to.
- Submission posture: as we have commented, when a dog wants to show that it is harmless, because it feels threatened by another individual, it could adopt two postures, or the body language associated with fear, or a submission posture. The latter is characterized by the fact that the animal lies on its back exposing its stomach and throat (being, therefore, defenseless), throws its ears back and close to the skull, avoids eye contact, hides the tail between the legs and can, even get to evacuate a few drops of urine .
Auditory communication in dogs
Dogs have the ability to emit a large repertoire of vocalizations and all of them inform us of their physiological and emotional state. Now, the same sound can appear in different contexts, therefore, to understand what its meaning is, we must at the same time interpret its body language. Let’s see which the most common vocalizations are:
- Barking: this vocalization is the best known and the one that is applied in more contexts, since a dog can bark because it is excited, due to the game, as an alarm if you approach its territory, as a reception and even to attract the attention of its owner. Therefore, if you want to know why your dog is barking, you must contextualize the action, understand what state of mind it is in and what it is barking at specifically.
- Growl: the growl is used as a form of threat in case of aggressiveness or as a warning, if something happens that is really bothering him and, therefore, he wants you to stop.
- Whining: The most common cause for a dog whining is that it is asking for help. That is, in the same way that puppies do, crying implies that they want you to take care of them or protect them, such as feeding them or if they feel insecure and want you to be by their side.
- Scream: Dogs scream when they are in severe pain or are suddenly frightened. For example, if you accidentally step on its tail, it is natural for it to yell and run away quickly.
- Howl: this vocalization does not occur in all dogs, because with domestication not all breeds have fully preserved it. It is therefore an instinctive behavior, which in wolves serves to locate group members, individual recognition and coordination in hunting, and in dogs, it could also occur in these circumstances, if for example it has been lost , or you’ve gotten too far away from him, he may howl for you to locate him. In addition, in some dogs, this sound usually occurs as an automatic response when they hear a very high-pitched sound, such as the siren of a vehicle.
- Sigh: After a situation in which a dog has been in a lot of tension or stress, he may sigh to relax. Similarly, the dog may also sigh in disappointment when he is looking forward to something and fails to get it. He could, for example, be very excited with the expectation that you are going to give him an award, and when you don’t give it to him sigh resigned.
- Panting: When a dog is very tired or very hot, it is normal for it to open its mouth and begin to pant, as this is a mechanism that allows it to regulate its body temperature. But in addition, you can also do it at times when you are stressed.
Olfactory communication in dogs
Olfactory communication is possibly one of the most difficult to identify for us, since we do not have this sense as developed as dogs. However, we must bear in mind that this form of communication is of great relevance for our furry animals, as they can transmit all kinds of information, such as:
- Sex
- Age
- Social status
- Disease
- The reproductive status (whether or not the female is in heat, for example).
This form of communication is possible by the pheromones , substances which are volatile chemicals produced in glands which are located in different areas of the body such as facial, perianal, urogenital, foot and breast.
These pheromones are captured by the receptor once they are inhaled through the nose thanks to the Jacobson’s organ, located in the nasal cavity, and which transmits this information to the brain.
In addition, there are different means by which dogs make this communication, directly or indirectly. That is, when a dog approaches to smell another (for example when the anus or cheeks are sniffed), this process of direct olfactory communication is taking place. Similarly, one of the advantages of this form of information transmission is that it can remain in the environment for a long time. For this reason, it can also be indirect communication when the dog urine, giving the possibility that other dogs sniff and receive all kinds of information, as well as by other secretions such as the Saliva.
How do dogs communicate with people?
If you have one or more dogs as members of your family, it will surely come as no surprise to you to learn that these animals communicate thoroughly with us. And, these affectionate animals are true sponges since they are puppies that absorb all kinds of information on how to communicate with us.
That is, dogs from a young age learn to associate their actions with consequences, and it is through these relationships that they learn how they can express their intentions and ask us for things. For example, if as a puppy your dog has associated that every time he licks your hand you feed him, it would not be strange that every time he is hungry he licks your hand to let you know.
For this reason, each dog has a unique way of communicating with his human guardian, and it is not surprising that you understand your dog perfectly every time he wants to go for a walk or that you fill his bowl with water.
