<p>Dog Psychology

To understand dog psychology, we need to understand dog behavior, by learning to read and interpret their body language. It is a scientific fact that all species, both human and animal, have more in common in terms of physical traits than they have differences. We are all regulated by hormones and controlled by enzymes. This pattern of similarity between the species is particularly marked between man and dog, who seem to have had a particularly close symbiotic relationship developed over thousands of years.

The major difference is of course that dogs cannot speak nor truly understand the spoken word. So, in terms of patterns of behavior, dogs are unlike humans in that they cannot be taught by telling them of other dog’s experience, nor can they learn by asking questions in the way that all human children do. This makes it difficult to communicate in the normal way. If they cannot speak how can we communicate with them?

In fact, dogs have their own very sophisticated method, using body language in a similar way as folks do. Humans,over time, have developed the potential to identify what other people truly mean by acute observation of very modest changes in their facial expression, the stance of their body, and their normal body language. We can for instance identify sexual attraction by the change in size of the eye iris and can determine when somebody is lying by their tone of voice or pattern of speech.

As with humans, so with canines, who, because they are not distracted by spoken communication have developed into acute observers of their surroundings, which includes their owner’s behavior and body language. It is a noteable fact that dogs can detect even the slightest change in their owner’s attitude, even to becoming capable of detecting some human well being problems. Owners often remark on the fact that dogs understand when the owner is returning home or when it is bed time for instance. So it is a truth observed by quite a few individuals that dogs possess this uncanny ability to “read” their owner without any spoken communication at all. They seem to be aware of our thoughts before we take any action.

Realizing all this, we can try to understand our dog much better if we learn to read and interpret its body language and adapt our response both physical and verbal, in our daily interaction with the animal. The dog will become far more responsive to us if our use of body language and tone of words reflect the dog’s own manner. Often body language and suitable visual gestures enables us to communicate much better when we teach the dog to behave. Moreover, understanding the language of dogs will allow us to motivate or reinforce a dog’s conduct by a recognition that the dog places its own interpretation on our actions which it can read either as praise or displeasure. Quite a few inappropriate behaviors in dogs arise because of owners inadvertently encourage the wrong habits at the wrong time} by using the wrong gesture that the dog misinterprets as praise or admonishment. Quite often, all that is necessary is to analyse precisely what the owner is doing and how the dog is interpreting it, and then stop doing it. The undesirable behavior many times will then cease, sometimes immediately.

A dog’s feelings and at times its intentions can frequently be read from an observation of his stance. Look carefully at his facial expression, and how he holds his tail and ears. Start studying your dog closely at the puppy stage and learn to interpret what he is saying to you. Don’t forget to take account of the dog’ own verbal sounds as well. Howling is generally a sound of distress; rumbling or growling a can be a warning while a murmur in the back of the throat may be pleasure~enjoyment~satisfaction} at being petted.

Some obvious symptoms to look out for. If the ears are pricked, this can imply the dog is alert and listening. If eyes are staring, be cautious; a challenge may be on the way. Beware if both lips are drawn back to reveal teeth; aggression is not far away. If the tail is held high and wagging quickly, the dog is contented and happy. The list is endless really and the whole subject of dog body language is intriguing and will reward any interested investigator many times over by providing a far better understanding of dog psychology and how such knowledge can affect the relationship between dog and owner.