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Why Does My Dog ….. Cock Her Head?

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Why Does My Dog ….. Cock Her Head?

It’s a classic dog move: Your pup hears something — a mysterious sound, a smartphone ring, a certain tone of voice — and suddenly her head tilts to one side as if she is contemplating what the sound wants from her. Internet videos of the behavior attest to its commonality — and to the fact that so many dog lovers find it so entertaining. Once you realize how your dog reacts to, for example, a question — “Who’s the best girl?” — it’s hard to resist repeating it over and over, just to see your already-adorable dog up the cute factor by cocking her head to the side. It’s like she’s puzzling out the precise meaning of your words.

Or is she? What’s really happening when your dog tilts her head?

 
​The Better to Hear You With

The head tilt, although not fully understood, might actually signify your dog’s attempt to make sense of what she hears. Dr. Meredith Stepita, a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists now practicing at East Bay Veterinary Specialists in Walnut Creek, Calif., explains that some experts believe that dogs tilt their heads when they think there is a possibility that what is being said could lead to something important to the dog — an activity they enjoy, for example. Since dogs can understand some human language, including words and tone of voice, a head-cocking dog could be concentrating on picking out a key word or inflection that relates to that favorite activity. So your dog may cock her head when you start talking about taking her for a walk or giving her a bath or playing a game of fetch — whatever it is that she loves to do.

Dr. Stepita notes that the way dogs hear plays a part as well. Dogs have movable earflaps that help them locate the source of a sound. In addition to moving their ears, says Dr. Stepita, dogs’ brains “compute extremely small time differences between the sound reaching each ear. Even the slightest change in the dog’s head position relative to the sound supplies information the dog’s brain uses to figure out the distance of the sound.” So, when a dog cocks her head, she could be trying to more accurately determine the exact location of a sound, specifically the height relative to the ears, adds Dr. Stepita.
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Put these elements together and it seems pretty likely that dogs naturally engage in this behavior and then repeat it when reinforced. “If the dog is praised by the owner for cocking her head, she will be more likely to cock her head in the future,” says Dr. Stepita.

 
Is Head-Tilting a Sign of Intelligence? Or Something Else?

So is your head-tilting dog smarter than her canine peers? Although there are anecdotal reports of dogs with long, floppy ears being more likely to cock their heads in response to noises than dogs with erect ears, Dr. Stepita knows of no studies that associate the head cock with any specific classification of dog like breed, age or intelligence. She also notes that some experts have reported that dogs with certain socialization problems are less likely to engage in the head tilt when people speak.

While it’s easy to assume something as cute as your dog tilting her head at you is always benign, it is important to speak with your veterinarian about any behavior that could have a medical cause, including a head tilt. “A dog that consistently or even intermittently holds their head to the side, especially without an obvious external trigger present (i.e., a noise), may have a medical problem,” says Dr. Stepita, These types of health issues range from brain disease such as infection, inflammation, cancer, etc, to an ear problem such as infection, lodged foreign object or other mass. Only a veterinarian can rule these out.

Written By: LINDA FIORELLA – www.vetstreet.com

Source: Friends of The Dog

Do you understand your dog’s body language?

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Do you understand your dog’s body language?

What is YOUR dog telling you with their body language from head to tail?

Most animals use body language, sound, and smell to communicate with one another.  Body language is the movements of animals’ facial expressions, eye behaviour, posture, and the movement of their body parts is inherent in all creatures including humans.

A common saying in animal welfare is that we are the voice for the voiceless, but more recently I agree rather with the saying that we are the voice of the unheard. So, my question to you is this:  Are you hearing what your dog is saying through their body language?

Many people think it is easy to ‘read’ their dog, but there are so many subtle signs that many people don’t pick up on. Decoding your pet or another pet’s body language is not as straightforward as looking at a tail wag or the ears. Lexi Donnelly, a behaviour consultant at Best Friends Animal Society, shares how you usually see several dog body language signals happening at once. To make dog expressions even more nuanced, “Body language signals can be challenging due to breed difference and physical appearance, such as cropped ears, docked tails, wrinkles, etc.”

WHY IS BODY LANGUAGE IMPORTANT?

Dogs don’t use words, but through the gestures of our canine companions they can express a wide range of emotions and actions and it is crucial for communication. Your ability to understand and interpret body language can help you pick up on unspoken issues or feelings in your pets. When we understand body language, we can better understand our pets and meet their needs which will deepen our relationship. Dog bites and fights can also be prevented by better understanding and predicting behaviour.

I am not a behaviourist, but I will share some of the basics I have learned about this topic. We can’t begin to cover the full extent of dog body language (or other animals) in a single article, so we will only look at the basics! Check out these PAWSOME BODY LANGUAGE pictures from www.RPLUSDOGS.com and here are a few body gestures from other species.

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Editor’s note: This article is a reprint of 21 March 2023.

To understand a dog’s communication signals, it’s necessary to pay attention to specific body postures, movements, and facial gestures although we do need to look at them all together and within context too. Gilbert-Gregory gives the following cues:

HOW A DOG LOOKS WHEN RELAXED

  • Posture — The weight is carried evenly; may do a play bow or wiggle.
  • Tail — Relaxed and neutral position; may be wagging.
  • Ears — Neutral position.
  • Mouth — May be open with tongue hanging out, or may be closed with lips relaxed over teeth.
  • Eyes — Soft, with normal pupil size.
  • Appetite — Readily eats.

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HOW A DOG LOOKS WHEN ANXIOUS

  • Posture (and fur) — Piloerection (raised hair on the shoulders and back); might roll over and lift a forelimb.
  • Tail — Might be tucked in under the body.
  • Mouth — Might show a submissive smile (a very wide smile), or may be panting, lip licking, and/or yawning.
  • Ears — Pinned back.
  • Eyes — Whale eye (white portion of the eye showing at corner or rim), pupil dilation, or averted gaze.

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HOW A DOG LOOKS WHEN AGGRESSIVE

  • Posture — Muscles tense, weight shifts back and low to the ground; may also roll over to expose belly or raise one paw.
  • Hair — Piloerection is a red flag.
  • Tail — May be tucked or low to the ground; it may be wagging slowly or rapidly.
  • Mouth — Pulled back, with possible growling, snarling, excessive panting, lip licking, chewing, or yawning.

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CALMING SIGNALS

Some of these body gestures are referred to as “calming signals” and it is a way your pet tells you they are uncomfortable or not a threat, yet so many people, especially parents miss this. They include: Breaking eye contact/turning away, lifting a paw, sniffing the ground, freezing/stillness, showing the whites of the eye (whale/moon eye), lip licking (when not eating), yawning (when not tired), walking slowly, “smiling”, wagging tail, panting, play bow, exposing the belly/lying on back, shake/shiver, lowered head and more.

A note on a dog’s hair – When you see a dog’s hair rise, most people think it is only a bad sign, but it could be arousal, discomfort, or fear.  Similar to when we get goosebumps from an awesome story or when watching a scary thriller.

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THE MYTH ABOUT WAGGING TAILS

Many people say: “The dog’s tail was wagging so I know they just wanted to play.” In an article by Dr. Karen Becker, she shares how wagging tails do not always indicate happiness or pleasure. This is a good reason why you should stop using the tail wagging as a sign that all is okay. Tail wagging probably evolved as a dog-to-dog form of communication, since it appears dogs message each other through tail wags.

A 2013 study suggests that dogs who see another dog wagging to the left respond anxiously, with elevated heart rates, and dogs who see another dog wagging to the right remain relaxed. Other tail wagging signals include full body wags, the “circle wag”, the tip of the tail wags, and stiff or rigid wags.

Donnelly breaks it down to:

  • A high tail wag can be over-arousal or an early warning signal that the dog is frustrated or fearful.
  • A loose, half-mast wag can be comfortable and playful.
  • A low tail wag can signify fear and serve as an early warning signal.
  • Tail between the legs – this body posture is not one of confidence or feeling at ease.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

When you try to decode your dog’s gestures it’s important to look at the whole picture and within context. What happened when the behaviour was displayed? Dogs will most likely not display only one gesture at a time and you will have to look at the whole body, not just one part. Although some body language is universal, focus on your pet’s individual body language. Next time you interact with your dog, look specifically at their body language. Look at how their posture changes when they are in different situations.

Always look at the body language when you want to touch an animal. Touch should always be with clear consent, voluntary, and with ongoing permission. We refer to it as PET-PET-PAUSE.  The safest bet is when you let the dog approach you and initiate the interaction. If you notice they are stressed and showing any of the calming signals, move away and take them to a safe space to help them relax.

REMEMBER T-E-M-P: Tails, ears & eyes, mouth, and posture.

I have heard people brag about how well their dog listens to them, but I want to know how well you listen to your dog by observing, understanding, and reacting to their body language and through it help them navigate this human world, they were forced into, better.  Make the time to really “get” your four-legged best friend because it will improve your relationship and avoid unfortunate interactions.

WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER DO BETTER!

Source: The Bulletin

Many owners underestimate their dogs fearfulness to noise

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Many owners underestimate their dogs fearfulness to noise

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have found that people may not recognize that their dog is stressed when exposed to common household noises. While it’s well established that sudden loud noises, such as fireworks or thunderstorms, commonly trigger a dog’s anxiety, a new study finds even common noises, such as a vacuum or microwave, can be a trigger. The study was published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

The research found that high-frequency, intermittent noises such as the battery warning of a smoke detector are more likely to cause a dog anxiety, rather than low-frequency, continuous noise.

“We know that there are a lot of dogs that have noise sensitivities, but we underestimate their fearfulness to noise we consider normal because many dog owners can’t read body language,” said lead author Emma Grigg, a research associate and lecturer at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Signs of anxiety

Some common signs of a dog’s anxiety include cringing, trembling or retreating, but owners may be less able to identify signs of fear or anxiety when behaviors are more subtle. For example, stressed dogs could pant, lick their lips, turn their head away or even stiffen their body. Sometimes their ears will turn back, and their head will lower below their shoulders. Grigg suggests owners better educate themselves on anxiety-related behavior.

Researchers conducted a survey of 386 dog owners about their dogs’ responses to household sounds and examined recorded dog behaviors and human reactions from 62 videos available online. The study found that owners not only underestimated their dogs’ fearfulness, but the majority of people in videos responded with amusement rather than concern over their dog’s welfare.

“There is a mismatch between owners’ perceptions of the fearfulness and the amount of fearful behavior actually present. Some react with amusement rather than concern,” Grigg said. “We hope this study gets people to think about the sources of sound that might be causing their dog stress, so they can take steps to minimize their dog’s exposure to it.”

Some sounds painful for dogs

​Grigg said because dogs have a wider range of hearing, some noises could also be potentially painful to a dog’s ears, such as very loud or high-frequency sounds. She said minimizing exposure may be as simple as changing batteries more frequently in smoke detectors or removing a dog from a room where loud noises might occur.

“Dogs use body language much more than vocalizing and we need to be aware of that,” said Grigg. “We feed them, house them, love them and we have a caretaker obligation to respond better to their anxiety.”

Other authors include Lynette Hart, Emily Parker, and Anwyn Gatesy-Davis with the Department of Population Health and Reproduction at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine; Juliann Chou with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; and Sara Clarkson with the Department of Animal Science. Support for the research was provided by the Center for Companion Animal Health at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Source:  Friends of the dog

You need to make time to learn about your pets and their needs!

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You need to make time to learn about your pets and their needs!

Image: Pixabay

Education is KEY to helping animals and their owners and for changing animal welfare in the world!
Sadly, most people don’t spend nearly enough time educating themselves on how to improve their pets’ lives or how to help other animals or animal welfare organizations.

Since many are still enjoying the holidays, here is a reminder on how to prioritize SAFETY for your pets during the holidays. Many people are already on holiday and others are getting ready.  Whether you are staying home or going away, remember that the busy holidays and travelling can be stressful and cause anxiety for your pets and their safety is your responsibility.

MICROCHIP YOU PETS – Before you do anything, I suggest you make sure your pets are microchipped, the microchip is registered on multiple databases and is in working order. 

ESCAPE PROOF YOUR YARD – If you are away and you are leaving your pets behind with a responsible pet sitter, you still need to make sure your yard is extra secure.  There are constantly pets in the streets and this holds many dangers in a cruel world. We understand that accidents happen and some animals are really escape artists, but one of a few reasons why animals get out is because IT IS EASY! You get climbers, runners, jumpers, diggers, chewers, some learn to open gates or some pets use a combination of the above.

TRAVEL WITH PETS – Travelling with your animal family members can create wonderful memories, but it’s not always easy. Make sure you’re well-prepared before you hit the road. There are many things to consider before you take your pet on a road trip, including the temperament, size & safety of your pet.

EASTER PET HAZARDS (by Dr. Karen Becker)

EASTER is around the corner and with Easter comes family gatherings, chocolate, Easter egg hunts and gifts. Please don’t use this occasion to give your children chicks and rabbits just because they asked for them and think that they look “cute.” Pet ownership is a huge commitment and responsibility and it’s not something that should be done on impulse. In addition, Easter, like every holiday, involves potential hazards for your pets, that every pet parent should be aware of, so make sure your pets avoid Easter goodies and decorations to avoid unexpected heartaches.

YOUR PETS CAN BE HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER IN 2023! HERE ARE OUR PAWSOME PET NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS……IF YOU MISSED IT!

A new year brings new goals, renewed hope and 365 days of opportunity for you and your pet to bond, develop healthier habits and discover new ways to live a full life. An important first step is to avoid becoming overwhelmed thinking you need to make big changes overnight. The important thing is to make a plan and move steadily forward.

Image by The Paw Company

Included in your pet new years resolutions should be regular HEALTH CHECKS. Our pets might get sick or injured and need veterinary care, but we can also add many tools to our toolbox, like health checks at home, to help prevent conditions from occurring in the first place or manage them better to allow our pets to live long and happy lives. Being informed and understanding what illnesses and conditions our pets might face is key to longevity. It is important to do regular health checks on your pets by inspecting their body from head to toe every week and making notes. 

Between vet visits, you can keep a close eye on your pet’s health by conducting an at-home physical exam. Physical “inspection” touch with some positive re-enforcement on a regular basis can also help make vet visits more comfortable.

HEALTH CHECK-LIST

  • Behaviour
  • Body condition
  • Skin & coat
  • Eyes & ears
  • Nails & paws
  • Nose & mouth
  • Stool check
  • Vitals (heart rate, breathing, body temperature etc.)
  • Weigh your pet and review their diet

ARE YOU HELPING YOUR PET COPE DURING STORMY WEATHER?
There is always an increase in lost and injured pets after stormy weather or fireworks. In many cases, it is the same animals that are out in the streets and it is PREVENTABLE! Creating an environment that is free from fear and distress is essential for their well-being. Not only is it important to provide them with the necessary physical comforts and to ensure that their mental health is taken into consideration, it is your moral duty.

Noise phobia is a reality and many cats, dogs and other animals can suffer from it.  The good news is that you can do something about it if you care enough for those animals. I understand that we can’t control the weather, but you can do a lot to help them cope better with weather or other noise phobias.

You need to make time to learn about your pets and their needs!

Image by Dr. Karen Becker

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS NATURAL DOG BEHAVIOUR?
Dogs are social animals and have a wide range of natural behaviours. These behaviours are instinctive and are used to communicate with other dogs and humans. Common natural behaviours in dogs include barking, digging, chasing and chewing. Dogs also display behaviours such as jumping, licking, marking and play-bowing. These behaviours are all natural and help dogs to interact with their environment and with other animals. It is a way to communicate with those who are willing to listen!

What may look like naughty behaviour to you is often just your pet behaving as their species do. There can also be breed-specific traits which are not their fault, like Terriers that dig and will likely always dig!Do you want to better understand your dog and improve your relationship?  Then learn about their behaviour.  When you know what is natural behaviour you can easily know which “naughty” behaviour to address. One of the five freedoms of animal welfare includes the freedom to express natural behaviours! Read more about some natural behaviours here.

Aggressive behaviour is probably the most common behavioural problem in dogs seen by behaviour professionals and the most dangerous one seen in companion dogs.  Many behaviours that people perceive as aggressive are actually normal forms of communication. Behaviour is a common reasons why people surrender animals, especially dogs to shelters and aggression is one of them. The lack of understanding of basic and normal animal behaviour remains part of the problem!

DID YOU PICK THE RIGHT ANIMAL FOR YOUR FAMILY WHEN YOU LOOK AT ENERGY LEVELS?
Dogs, just like people have unique personalities and energy levels (mentally & physically) and it can affect the way your dog responds to you. Dogs that have a lot more energy than their humans often don’t get enough exercise. This is why it’s very important to know your energy level, understand how to determine the dog/pet’s energy level and then choose the right fit for your family taken into account your lifestyle routines too.

Dogtime shares how high-energy dogs are those who are always ready and waiting for action. Originally bred to perform a canine job of some sort, such as a retrieving game for hunters or herding livestock, they have the stamina to put in a full workday. Low-energy dogs on the other hand are the canine equivalent of a human couch potato, content to doze the day away.

Energy levels matter because if you can’t meet that animals’ needs, then it will cause frustration for you and in return the animal pays a price too.

CAN YOU READ YOUR DOG’S BODY LANGUAGE FROM HEAD TO TAIL?
Most animals use body language as well as sound and smell to communicate with one another.  Body language is the movements of animals’ including facial expressions, eye behaviour, posture, and the movement of their body parts and is inherent in all creatures including humans. When we understand body language, we can better understand our pets and meet their needs which will deepen our relationship. Dog bites and fights can also be prevented by better understanding and predicting behaviour.

You need to make time to learn about your pets and their needs!

Image: Pixabay

Many people think that it is easy to ‘read’ their dog, but there are so many subtle signs that are missed. Decoding your pet or another pet’s body language is not as straightforward as looking at a tail wag or the ears. For one, many of these gestures happen at once and context is important too. On top of that, a breeds’ physical appearance can make it even more difficult.

Your pets are your responsibility. You need to know how to meet their needs and give them the best possible life. If you can no longer care for them, please surrender them to the SPCA or a reputable animal welfare organization. If you can’t afford to properly care for them or have the time to meet their needs, then don’t get them.

WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER, DO BETTER!

Source: The Bulletin