Dogs Communicate Just Like You and Me
For species who live in packs, it´s important to be able to use calming signals or even communicate with their own kind: this is in order to cooperate when they hunt, to bring up their offspring and perhaps most importantly, to live in peace with each other. Conflicts are extremely dangerous – they can cause physical injuries and this weakens the group members, something that no pack can afford as it can lead to its ultimate destruction.
It’s All About Feeling Safe
Allow the dogs to use their language in meeting situations so that they feel safe. Sometimes they will walk up to each other and get along, other times they feel that it´s safer to stay at a distance after all, they have already read each other´s signals: they do so even at a several hundred metres’ distance – there’s no need to meet face to face.
Common easy-to-spot calming signals:
Common easy-to-spot calming signals:- Yawning
- Lip licking
- Turning away
- Play Bow
- Sniffing the ground
- Walking slowly
- Freezing
- Sitting down and lifting one paw
- Walking in a curve towards another dog
Beastly Thoughts Professional Dog Services hold lectures about communication.
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Author: Karen Boyce for Love Wrexham Magazine
Karen Boyce is the founder of Beastly Thoughts Professional Dog Services (BTPDS), established in 2007. As the largest independent dog training facility in Wales, BTPDS specialises in puppy training and managing reactive dogs, while also offering a wide range of obedience classes, lectures, webinars, and online training hubs and communities. In 2019, Karen was honoured as the Animal Star Awards Dog Trainer/Behaviourist of the Year. In 2025, BTPDS surpassed the milestone of training 2,000 puppies and was named the Overall Winner in the Best of North Wales Business Awards, in addition to being recognised as the Best Pet Services Business in North Wales. Contact Details: - Phone: 07970 488 395 - Email: [email protected] - Website: www.beastlythoughts.co.uk
