Where did you learn to read dog body language?

[Angelique]

Okay, I was going to add to the latest Cesar thread, but thought better of it.

It seems I'm finding a lot of folks are taking Turid Rugaas' and/or Brenda Aloff's interpretations of canine body language as gospel. Of particular interest is Turid's opinions being embraced as scientific fact regarding "calming signals".

Now, I'm not saying there is no value in either of these opinions, and I'm not saying Cesar's interpretations are spot-on either.

It's just that I've learned more from the dogs (or horses) I've worked with and the "feel" for the communication exchange, than I have from any other human's opinion.

In the end, we really can't say absolutely, IMO.

So, who do you follow and why, or do you have your own interpretation?

 

[elegy]

a little bit here, a little bit there i guess.

i've read the calming signals book and i believe it is very accurate. i've never read the aloff book (though i'd like to). i've read other books that describe dog body language and how to read it. i watch my own dogs. i watch other peoples' dogs.

 

[mrose_s]

I read what I can and I watch. I'm not fluent in canine body language but I think I understand the more obvious/basic signals pretty well at this stage.

I have spent a lot of time just sitting and watching our dogs interact, I find it really interesting.

 

[Renee750il]

From the experts . . . the dogs

 

[Maxy24]

I'm not sure which book but I've read many. I remember reading about the type of face a calm dog has on and I used it on phoebe once (she is not one who will come over for cuddles when you look at her, she does not really like to be touched). I looked at her and she looked away. I looked at her and used the "happy dog face" with a very loose face, relaxed drooping eyes, mouth in an open grin, loose body, slightly cocked head, even wiggling the body a little and Phoebe stood up and walked right over to me and sat next to me. I was shocked.
A lot of my knowledge comes from Patricia McConnell's two books, "The Other End of the Leash" and "For the love of a Dog". Calming signals are something I've kind of always knew about and I suppose I originally learned them from just watching dogs. A scared dog who is scared of someone will show certain behaviors to them like lowering or rolling onto his back or avoiding eye contact that are obvious signs of "hey I'm not a threat don't hurt me". I notice a lot with Phoebe she'll use avoiding eye contact, yawning and stretching into a play bow when I get frustrated during training and she can sense it in my voice or actions. She will refuse to look at you if you hold and object and drop it so it makes a loud noise, she is frightened of the object and will not look, she is trying to stay safe from it.

Freezing before biting is also something obvious, it's one of those things you might not notice until it's pointed out but from then on it's obvious. If a dog freezes when you go near his food bowl you're in trouble. And a bite it imminent if his lips move into a pucker, those things really don't need any guess work, they are obvious, it's just how it happens.

 

[Squishy22]

From watching them closely. Thats pretty much it. lol. Victoria Stillwell had some pointers that I thought was right on from watching her show.

 

[vanillasugar]

Here and there I guess... We had a seminar we all had to attend at work a few years back, and I've learned a lot on my own and through reading.

Patricia McConnells books were fantastic.

 

[Squishy22]

I think the dumbest thing I have been told was that when a dog wags his tail, he is happy and nice. Yeah right. A boy told me that when I was 10 years old and I thought he was an idiot.

Pebbles freezes and stares off with a weird look in her eye before she lunges at Reggin. Not in play. Being serious and telling him to back off and leave her alone. When she gets really agitated, she sticks her tongue out between her front teeth while snarling. I read her, and tell reggin when to get off her case. He likes to instigate her.

They both yawn when they get nervous or uncomfortable. Reggin also stretches when he is nervous... sometimes over and over again.

More than anything, I've learned to read my own dogs.

 

[SizzleDog]

From the experts . . . the dogs

True true! IMO each dog speaks a slightly different dialect of dog - the best way of learning their signals is to just spend time with them.

 

[HoundedByHounds]

From my dogs...watching them with each other...not with me.

 

[Saje]

From the dogs. I wouldn't be able to understand behaviour as well if I didn't see it. But I'm not expert.

 

[Cheetah]

I learned from every dog I've ever owned, by just watching them interact, and interacting with them myself. Also, behavior classes at shelters, and a few books here and there (Jean Donaldson, Pat Miller, and Patricia McConnell mainly).

 

[adojrts]

I have always had a very keen interest in body language and it started when I was about 10 yrs old with the horses. Back then it was difficult to find good books on animal behaviour, but I did find some. I use to get annoyed even at that age with the very general information on body language in many of the books I had accquired. I wanted the far more subtile signs. Mainly I watched and watched a lot, then experimented on my own. The animals have always been my teachers, along with consuming everything I could get my hands on to this day.
Watching people is also very interesting, especially if I bother to watch closely enough to see them lie. Funny how people often don't think I am paying that much attention and what I remember :rofl1:

 

[Bigpoodleperson]

Like others, from watching dogs, reading books and watching dog shows. I was obsessed with dog books when i was younger (couldnt have a dog, so i learned as much about them as i could). I also used to work with horses, and body language is a big thing. I have worked with dogs for the past 5 years, so i get daily training. Alot of times its just a feel.

 

[lizzybeth727]

I think I can read a dog pretty well by looking at him, but my problem has always been explaining why I'm reading him the way I am, describing the tiny differences in body language that are giving me the information. I think that's really important, especially in my line of work (I do a lot of evaluating, and I have to explain to other trainers why I evaluated the way I did), so I'm trying now to learn more about reading dogs. I went to a seminar this weekend that spent most of a day talking about how to read dogs, and I also have read books and hope to read more (Turid Ruugas' is on my desk, as are three of her videos I just found at work and hope to watch soon). One of my favorites on calming signals is "Click to Calm," Emma talks about not only what the calming signals are, but how important (and easy!) it is to teach dogs to do the signals on cue.

 

[ihartgonzo]

Oddly enough, it's just something that I have had a feel for, for as long as I can remember. I find it really easy to pick up on how a dog is feeling just by their body language, which is probably why I was never bitten by one.

Gonzo has taught me a LOT about the tiny, subtle little movements and noises that dogs use to communicate. He is such a sensitive boy, and he is not shy or quiet about expressing his feelings, ever! Being able to read him like a book and notice the slightest changes really help me to work with him and understand him.

I have read a few books about body language, but nothing compares to REAL, first-hand experiences. Aloff and Pat Miller are my favorites.

 

[elegy]

I think I can read a dog pretty well by looking at him, but my problem has always been explaining why I'm reading him the way I am

i had this problem at work not too long ago. we had a shepherd in who was lunging and snarling and being horrible in the waiting room and everybody was oh em gee that's such a dominant aggressive dog, this is gonna be so much fun and i was like what do you mean dominant, she's scared out of her ever-loving mind!! just look at her! i tried to explain how she was going backwards at the same time she was going forward but i couldn't put it into the right words to make them see it.

(she was fine to deal with on exam, btw, just scared and shaking and tail-tucked and eye-bulging)

 

[jess2416]

Im not sure about anyone else's dog...

but I can read Chloe...

 

[Lilavati]

The dogs themselves, alone and with others . . . from people who've worked with dogs their entire lives . . . from books as well, though that tends to be more "Oh, that's what I thought!" or occasionally "So that's what that means, exactly."

Its true each dog is different though, just like each person has mannerisms and ways of speaking. Sarama is constantly given out "calming signals" and yet she's very confident, and certainly we give her no reason to be afraid or nervous. I think its honestly her way of saying, "Hey, its all cool here, just so you know, its all good. No worries." whenever anything happens (or doesn't happen) thats a bit out of the ordinary.

 

[Renee750il]

Kharma's a real departure . . . can you say "Inscrutable?" She seems to like to keep everyone guessing as to what's going on in that noggin of hers. I generally have a good idea of what she's up to, but I've known her since she was a baby (and we're a lot alike, or so I've been told, lmao).