Canine Communication Methods

Canine Communication

• Dogs primarily communicate through body language (60-70%) and vocalizations (30-40%)
• Vocalizations:
  • Barking: alertness, warning, or playfulness
  • Whining: anxiety, need, or attention-seeking
  • Growling: threat, resource guarding, or pain
  • Howling: long-distance communication, anxiety, or response to stimuli
• Olfactory communication:
  • Dogs use scent marking to convey information about identity, sex, and reproductive status
  • They can detect pheromones, which convey emotional and social information

Body Language

• Posture:
  • Relaxed: loose, open, and slightly curved
  • Alert: stiff, upright, and ears forward
  • Fearful: lowered, crouched, and tail tucked
  • Aggressive: stiff, direct, and ears forward
• Facial expressions:
  • Relaxed: soft, relaxed facial muscles
  • Fearful: wide eyes, raised eyebrows, and a tense mouth
  • Aggressive: direct stare, raised hackles, and a tense mouth
• Tail language:
  • Relaxed: hanging loose, slightly wagging, or still
  • Happy: wagging, often with a loose, open posture
  • Fearful: tucked, tense, or held low
  • Aggressive: stiff, held high, or lashing
• Eye contact:
  • Direct gaze: confidence, interest, or aggression
  • Avoiding gaze: fear, anxiety, or submission
• Proximity and distance:
  • Invading personal space: assertiveness, dominance, or aggression
  • Maintaining distance: fear, anxiety, or submission

Canine Communication

• Dogs primarily communicate through body language (60-70%) and vocalizations (30-40%)

Vocalizations

• Barking indicates alertness, warning, or playfulness
• Whining is a sign of anxiety, need, or attention-seeking
• Growling signals threat, resource guarding, or pain
• Howling is used for long-distance communication, anxiety, or response to stimuli

Olfactory Communication

• Dogs use scent marking to convey information about identity, sex, and reproductive status
• They can detect pheromones that convey emotional and social information

Body Language

Posture

• Relaxed posture is characterized by loose, open, and slightly curved body language
• Alert posture is marked by stiff, upright, and ears forward body language
• Fearful posture is identified by lowered, crouched, and tail tucked body language
• Aggressive posture is marked by stiff, direct, and ears forward body language

Facial Expressions

• Relaxed facial expression is characterized by soft, relaxed facial muscles
• Fearful facial expression is marked by wide eyes, raised eyebrows, and a tense mouth
• Aggressive facial expression is marked by direct stare, raised hackles, and a tense mouth

Tail Language

• Relaxed tail language is characterized by hanging loose, slightly wagging, or still tail
• Happy tail language is marked by wagging, often with a loose, open posture
• Fearful tail language is characterized by tucked, tense, or held low tail
• Aggressive tail language is marked by stiff, held high, or lashing tail

Eye Contact

• Direct gaze indicates confidence, interest, or aggression
• Avoiding gaze is a sign of fear, anxiety, or submission

Proximity and Distance

• Invading personal space indicates assertiveness, dominance, or aggression
• Maintaining distance is a sign of fear, anxiety, or submission