murraysmom

Calming Signals Community

Above is a link to a site by Turid Rugaas. My pet therapy organization has started using her book "On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals" as part of our training program for dog/handler teams. As an evaluator, I've found this book to be really helpful. You might want to take a look at the linked site which explains some aspects of dog body language. The book itself is only 75 pages and is illustrated with photos which makes it easily understandable.

Quote:

The dogs have about 30 calming signals, perhaps even more. Some of these signals are used by most dogs, while other dogs have an incredibly rich ´vocabulary´. It varies from dog to dog.
The problem

Dogs use this communication system towards us humans, simply because it´s the language they know and think everyone understands.
By failing to see your dog using calming signals on you, and perhaps even punish the dog for using them, you risk causing serious harm to your dog. Some may simply give up using the calming signals, including with other dogs. Others may get so desperate and frustrated that they get aggressive, nervous or stressed out as a result.

Mikey T

There is also a dvd version FWIW calming signal tend to be used when the dog is stressed so understanding and using them can be incredible helpful is dealing with fearful situation with a dog you learn when the dog is mildly stress but before the act out on it.


However calming signal are not the extent of a dogs body language some of the more extensive book & dvds include

DOG TALK - UNDERSTANDING CANINE BODY LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION SEMINAR DVD SET Have not seen this dvd but Donna is very good

CANINE BODY LANGUAGE - A PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDE

CALMING SIGNALS - WHAT YOUR DOG TELLS YOU DVD

murraysmom

Not familiar with the first reference- the last DVD you list is Turid's DVD version of the book- I think you can actually watch part of it on-line on the link you posted-

Annie714

Very good stuff! Thank you for sharing!

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Blog about the antics of Annie and I. http://thechickandthehound.blogspot.com

Wworm

OOOhhhh. thanks, i'll be taking a look at this.

speaking of doggy language. Worm never barks at home. except when he used to crawl under the bed and lie there and bark. but i think he's too thick now to get under bed comfy.

but we did find another instance when he barks. that is when he is lying up on the beds, which are quite high. If i'm standing over him or sitting next to him or moving him, no barking. Only if i'm lying on the floor or sitting on the floor looking UP at him, he starts to bark at me.... anyone have guesses as to why??? as soon as I get eye level or higher he stops and turns back to usual content self.

Mikey T

because in his mind humans arn't supose to be on the floor. Of course this is pure idle speculation because there is no way to really know what goes on in that head of theirs but some reasonable assumptions can be made based on their behavior.