Show With dog bites on the rise it’s more important than ever for canines and humans to understand each other Tin tarrinr In the tiff muscles Sarah and Brian Kilcommons I ' v : HE WOMAN ON THE PHONE WAS worried When sherried to hug her sister's TMt Parson Russell straight out and Is intensely taut This is a serious game of funl not always Tail position is a better indicator A straight-u- p and stiff tail says “I’m alert confident and bold” A tail tucked under equals a dog that’s fearful anxious and stressed A tail held at spine level is neutral: Rover is at ease arid relaxed There are breed variations' of course but even a curiy tailed pug will tuck his tail when worried A dog comes up to you seems to be friendly but then flashes its teeth Meaning: “Howdy!” A grin by any other name is still a grin A dog with ears back head and tail low wiggling and grin-nin- g is usually a fnendly polite dog who is just saying “hello” If this were a threat the head and tail would likely be up the fur along the neck spine would be up and the dog wpuld be growling or barking usually friendly dogic growled at her We explained It was a classic case of human canine misconunumcarion For dogs there is no such thing as a hug Putting your hands on its shoulders is rude at best and a threat at worse It’s the same as if a person came up to you and put you in a Realizing what our canine pals are “saying” to us is increasingly important More than 4 millionpeople are bitten bydogseach yearin the U& many ofthem children— and the numbers are on the rise Often bites could be avoided if more people understood dog talk Here are some common canine "words and phrases”and what they mean: A dog is standing stiH tail raised mouth dosed staring at you but not barking Meaning: “Beware” In general when a dog is very a squif-ri- el very still it is focused on something-li-ke Whim that something is or a leaf blowing by you however total stillness is a cause to pause Likewise dogs who stop chewing a toy or eating when you approach afe waming you: If your dog does this get help from a professional trainer If it is someone rise’s do& back off and teU die ownec then walks away : and lies down under the table A dog plays with you dog puts its front end on the ground with its rear In the air and barks atyou A Meaning: “LeaMe me alone" Dogs can get : died of endless games When they do they generalfy inoMeasray Going under a table orinto a denlike area underlines the message! Pursuing a dog that has retreated can force the dbg to say ir louder and dearer next rime Meaning: ‘Comt on lei’s romp!” Called a“play bow” this is an invitation by your dog to let die games begin Understanding basic canine body language is a skill hove If we can under- nonowners-shou- ld stand how to recognize when a dog is relaxed snessed or less than fhendtywaDfo safer and haiita everyone-ew- en Jl A dog comes toward you mouth dosed tail up stiff wagging fast hAearmg: Tm not sure abouryou” A wagging tail is something like a human smile— often friendly but ' TbesuAoruare professional pettninm writmatid lecturers For Bnfcs to more on how to understand “doa on the Www language-vMwwiKparada- - p 'S fr 'r ' - $t :j ' ' V page' IS Fehuart 1 2004 VV ' ' PAAADE |