Greetings, dog lovers! 🌞

This Week's Dog-Centric News and Tips are in: 

• Understanding Your Dog's Secret Language

• Inside Your Dog's Super Senses: They're More Powerful Than You Think! 🦮

• Thread: Young dog not eating

• Video: Look at this distinguished gentleman

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DOG BEHAVIOUR

Understanding Your Dog's Secret Language: A Guide to Canine Communication 🐕

Ever wonder if you're really understanding those puppy-dog eyes?

According to Dr. Camille Ward and Dr. Amy Fox, while you might not be telepathic, you're not imagining things either!

Dogs are incredibly sophisticated communicators who use a complex combination of facial expressions and body language to tell us exactly how they're feeling.

Reading Your Dog's Face

Like humans, dogs use facial expressions to communicate their emotions, but it's crucial to understand that one expression alone doesn't tell the whole story.

Context matters enormously.

Signs of a Happy, Relaxed Dog

When your dog is content, you'll notice:

• A smooth forehead without wrinkles or tension

• Soft, slow blinks or gently squinting eyes

• A relaxed, slightly open mouth

• Easy panting (if they're warm or active)

• Ears in a natural position, neither fully alert nor pulled back

• A general softness to their entire facial expression

Spotting Anxiety and Fear

Watch carefully for these warning signs:

• The famous "whale eye" or side-eye - when they look at something frightening from the corner of their eye

• Excessive lip-licking unrelated to food

• Frequent yawning when they shouldn't be tired

• Mouth pulled back tensely, creating a stressed grimace

• Ears pinned back against their head

• Deliberately avoiding eye contact or staring at floors/walls

• Rapid panting even when not hot or exercised

Understanding Tail Communication

A tail tells many tales, and position matters as much as movement:

• Happy dogs hold their tail at mid-level with loose, flowing wags

• Fearful dogs tuck their tail tight to their body or between legs

• Aggressive or highly aroused dogs hold their tail high and stiff

• Look for whether the whole body is wiggling (playful) or rigid (tense)

Critical Body Language Signals

The key is looking at their entire body as one communication system:

The Play Bow

• Front legs lowered, rear end up

• Tail wagging loosely

• Relaxed, happy facial expression

• Often accompanied by playful barking

• A clear invitation for fun and games

Warning Signs of Stress or Aggression

• Overall body stiffness

• Raised hackles (hair standing up along back)

• Hard, fixed staring

• Tight mouth and facial muscles

• Low, warning growls

• Stiff, high tail movement

Different Types of Vocalizations

Dogs use various sounds to communicate different messages:

• Hard barking: Deep, loud warning sounds

• High-pitched barking: Shows excitement or frustration

• Play growls: Softer, more rhythmic during games

• Warning growls: Deeper, more serious - should never be punished as they're crucial warning signals

The Evolution of Understanding

Through thousands of years of co-evolution, dogs have developed remarkable abilities to read and respond to humans:

• They understand our facial expressions

• They can interpret the tone of our voice

• They learn to associate our words with actions

• They've even learned to make eye contact, something wild canines never do

Common Misconceptions

Beware of these widespread myths:

• A wagging tail doesn't always mean happiness

• Humping isn't necessarily sexual - often indicates excitement or stress

• Most "dominant" behaviors are actually signs of insecurity or anxiety

• Dogs don't feel guilt - those "guilty looks" are actually stress responses

Remember, your dog is constantly trying to communicate with you.

Taking time to learn their language not only strengthens your bond but also helps prevent misunderstandings that could lead to problems.

Watch your dog carefully, consider the context, and always look at the whole picture rather than individual signals. Your relationship will be richer for it! 🐾

Source: KinShip

Playful Picks

@aussiesdoingthings

Pool pawty!🤪 #aussiesdoingthings (Fb Judy Harl)

3. Look at this distinguished gentleman

Inside Your Dog's Super Senses: They're More Powerful Than You Think! 🦮

Ever wonder how your dog seems to know you're coming home before you even turn onto your street?

Dr. Amy Fox reveals the amazing truth about our dogs' superhero-like senses and how they experience the world.

The Superpower of Smell

Hold onto your treats, because this is mind-blowing:

• Dogs' sense of smell is up to 100,000 times more sensitive than ours

• They can detect a person's scent 48 hours after they've left

• This super-sniffing ability helps them:

  • Find missing people in search and rescue

  • Detect early signs of cancer

  • Spot dangerous chemicals

  • Help protect endangered species

  • Alert diabetic patients to low blood sugar

Seeing Through Dog Eyes

Dogs see the world quite differently than we do:

• Their eyes are positioned for wider vision, not depth

• They have superior night vision thanks to extra light-reflecting cells

• They see fewer colors than we do (only two types of color receptors versus our three)

• They're better at spotting moving objects than stationary ones

• That spooky eye glow in photos? It's their special night-vision layer called the tapetum

The Power of Sound

Your pup's hearing abilities are remarkable:

• They can hear sounds four times farther away than humans (up to 400 meters!)

• They detect frequencies up to 45,000 Hertz (we top out at 20,000)

• Those moveable ears aren't just cute - they're like living satellite dishes

• Breed matters: Those German Shepherd ears aren't just for show!

The Taste Test

Surprisingly, this is where humans have the advantage:

• Dogs have only 1,700 taste buds (we have 9,000)

• They can taste all five basic flavors but less intensely

• They're particularly less sensitive to salt

• But their amazing sense of smell more than makes up for it!

The Magic of Touch

Dogs experience touch in unique ways:

• Their whiskers (vibrissae) are actually sophisticated sensors

• Paw pads are less sensitive than human fingertips

• Touch is their first developed sense as puppies

• Physical contact releases feel-good hormones in both dogs and humans

Can Dogs Really Sense Pregnancy?

While not scientifically proven, there's strong evidence they can:

• They detect hormonal changes through scent

• They notice subtle changes in behavior and routine

• They've proven able to sense hormonal changes in other species

• Their observation skills are incredibly sharp when it comes to their humans

Remember, while we might have better color vision and more refined taste buds, our dogs are walking security systems with superpowers we're only beginning to understand.

No wonder they sometimes seem to know things before we do! 🐕

Source: KinShip

Quiz Answers

The Answer: Ancient Survival Instinct! 🐺

That adorable donut shape your pup makes when sleeping isn't just because it's comfy - it's actually an ancient survival instinct! When dogs curl up tight, they're protecting their vulnerable organs, a behavior inherited directly from their wild ancestors.

In the wild, this sleeping position served two crucial purposes:

1. Protected vital organs from predator attacks

2. Helped keep them warm during cold nights

So next time you see your pup curled up in that perfect circle on their luxury memory foam bed, remember - they're channeling their inner wolf, even if the only thing they need protection from is the vacuum cleaner!

That’s it for this edition of Dog Forum’s newsletter.

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