Appeasement or calming signals and stress signals
This knowledge about appeasement and stress signals has been around for a while, although, I really don’t know why, professionals in the dog world don’t inform properly dog owners about them. And this is really important, both to avoid big unpleasant stuff and also to learn how to speak with your or any dog. Also because people misunderstand quite a lot signs like licking or panting, this latter being even considered as a “smile”. So wrong.
It’s so interesting, because, it’s like the language every canine speaks. Yeap, wolfs, foxes, jackals, and every single individual who belongs to Canidae family knows how to use it. It’s embedded in all of them. Of course, each one of them makes a particular use of it, but is the actual universal language for them.
It’s important to take in consideration the moment and environment because these signals are also expressions they have for other kind of feelings, like boredom, tiredness, playfulness or even stomachache.
When you start looking at these, you discover a wonderful dimension of “words and expressions”, I dare you not to enjoy yourself watching, translating and interpreting these and learn how every individual has her or his unique way of using them.
Which are these appeasement signals?
- Turning their head or eyes
- Licking or flicking their nose
- Chewing and swallowing
- Blinking
- Yawning
- Shaking (as to when they’re wet)
- Sneezing
- Licking someone
- Sniffing the ground
- Sitting down
- Getting down in the ground
- Giving their backs or sides
- Moving slowly or stopping movements altogether
- Making a bowing position (like getting down with their front legs, very similar to when they invite to play)
- Walking making circles o making a “star” with they trajectory
- Lying down
- Peeing
What do they mean?
They mean the dog is feeling uncomfortable because a situation is not looking good.
What are they for?
They have basically the goal of letting the other person or dog that they are uncomfortable and, if you don’t stop, they can be consequences.
However, some of them are natural mechanisms dogs have to appease themselves, like yawning and shaking (like when they’re wet). People do some of these too, without knowing. For instance, when you’re nervous you might yawn or even try to wet your lips with your tongue to stop your mouth from drying too much.
Another one they specifically use to calm themselves is the shaking as to dry-off. And this is usually done at the end of an activity that was uncomfortable for them. So, if after you give them a hug, for instance, they go and shake it off, it may not have been exactly pleasant for them. Each dog is different, of course, but you might need to get to know the own expressions they have. It’s very funny, actually, when you learn to notice things your dog has always told you.
What do you need to do? Why it this so important and professionals who work with dogs need to show this to dog owners?
If you can, stop the stimulus that is provoking your dog to feel unease. Give your dog the space they need, if possible, slow down whatever you’re doing and, if you want to, do a couple of calming signals yourself to show your dog or any other dog you don’t mean harm, like turning your eyes or head, yawning, licking your upper lip – you can try with your nose, but maybe you will not be able to ;)
This will have a wonderful effect on the pooch. Why? because, in the first place, she or he will know they’re understood and in the second place, they will benefit from the natural process of experiencing your calming down, as, by doing these, you yourself will lower your blood pressure and heart beat frequence. It takes some time to master it, but it really works. Try it, and let me know.
Stress signals
Stress signals are very similar to appeasement signals, however, they are like the next level on the stress ladder. It means the dog has come to a situation that can turn very dangerous, if they are the reactive kind, but even if they’re not, it means they’re having a really bad time. Anything you can do to stop whatever is causing this distress will help them.
Which are these stress signals?
- Opening the mouth (some people call it the ¨clown smile¨)
- Trembling/shaking
- Moving the eyes in many directions very rapidly
- Getting the tail very much between the legs
- Panting
- Blinking
- Yawning
- Shaking (as to when they’re wet)
- Sneezing
- Licking their nose
- Sniffing the ground
- Sitting down
- Getting down in the ground
- Moving slowly or stopping movements altogether
- Walking making circles o making a “star” with they trajectory
- Lying down
- Peeing
- Raising the hair from neck, withers and croup
- Shifting the weight/ shifting one or more legs
What do you need to do?
In this case, making appeasement signals yourself or giving “orders” to your dog can be, as the least, useless. When a dog is so stressed you cannot be surprised if they won’t hear you or obey you. Any stimulus can even work horrors, so removal the cause is always the best course of action.
Thanks for reading, and love your dog forever