What Is Dog Language?
Communication. Every nuance has a meaning: some important, some not.
It's how dogs convey their emotions and intentions.
Every nuance has a meaning, some important, some not.
Though it's mostly body language, it is also sounds like barking and growling, and behavior signals.
Barking and growling gets them the most attention from us, but their body language actually can tell us just as much about what they need, feel, intend.
They use all these signals to communicate with us and each other, and other species.
Dogs have evolved to be very social creatures, which requires communication.
Many dogs create their own version or dialect of dog language through trial and error. What ever gets them the desired result is reinforced in their brain and makes it more likely for that to happen again.
The whole system is really sophisticated when communicating with us, but they have a universal language with each other. Much is controlled unconsciously and extremely subtle, like the way a tail wags or turning away from one another. These all have meaning.
Why is it important?
Because it's communication. We can't get into their brain and read their mind, and they are not going to start forming words any time soon. It's information we can use, if we understand it, to better meet our dogs needs, keep ourselves and communities safe, and promote better treatment of them universally.
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