|
|
Article: Canine body language: the 'play-bow' is one way our dogs try to communicate with others.
- Article from:
- Dog Watch
- Article date:
- October 1, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Belvoir Media Group, LLC. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
We all know that dogs and people speak different languages. The greater the differences in communication signals between species, the greater the chance for miscommunication. Inadvertent miscommunication is a common reason why people are bitten by dogs. When we greet dogs, we tend to face them, make eye contact, lean forward and reach out over their heads to pet them. All of these gestures, in canine language, are offensive threats, not friendly signals. A friendly greeting in dog language includes submissive behaviors, such as a slight turn of the head to avoid eye contact, and of course the sniffing of various body parts, including the nose, ears and rear end.
...