How Dogs Communicate With Humans

Dogs Interpret Chemical Information

In the wild, animals track each other on the basis of scent. In a similar way, dogs use their sense of smell to augment their abilities to communicate with humans. For example, by sniffing an object that has been in a person's possession, a dog has the ability to track down this person. Thus, in a household environment, a canine is able to easily keep track of the location of its owners. Due to their abilities to interpret olfactory information, dogs are also able to detect alarm pheromones that are indicative of fear.

Dogs Make Sounds to Express Themselves

One of the most obvious ways that dogs communicate with humans are by barking, growling or whining. Dogs may bark out of anger, interest or even out of a desperate desire for attention. Growling usually indicates discomfort, and in certain instances growling forebodes a defensive attack. Whining is used by dogs to communicate distress as well as to beg for a treat. Some people even claim that certain dogs can speak. However, experts counter that these dogs merely possess selective tonal imitation skills, allowing them to reproduce a handful of sounds that they are taught. However, dogs do not rely on verbal communication in the same way that humans do, and instead exhibit these skills as a consequence of reward-based training.

Dogs Speak With Body Language

Dogs use their bodies to say things that they are not able to are unable to speak. With their tails, ears or even tongues, dogs can communicate a variety of emotions. Tails may wag if dogs are pleased to see their owners, but may curl between a dog's legs if he is afraid. A tail may even raise in curiosity if a dog is startled or confused. Similarly, a dog's ears can also provide signals about how he is feeling. For example, if his ears are raised and he is relaxed, he is expressing interest, but if his ears are aimed back or sideways he may be experiencing anxiety. With his tongue, a dog can lick the hand or face of a person who he is interested in bonding with. Licking of this sort is a peaceful gesture that indicates trust.

Dogs Use Persuasion to Fulfill Their Desires

If you have ever sat down at a friend's dinner table only to have his dog scamper over to sit by your side and stare at you as you are served a meal, then you are familiar with a dog's power of persuasion. Dogs use their eyes, skills at whimpering and remarkable feats of patience to score a few bites of food from a person's plate. Dogs may also employ their powers of persuasion to cope with more urgent needs, such as when a dog positions himself next to a patio door in order to let his owner know that he needs to be let outside to relieve himself.

Dogs Express Emotion Through Behavior

Many people who pay for their dogs to undergo behavior modification programs will attest to the fact that dogs will frequently use their behavior to communicate emotion. For example, if a dog's owner spends too much time away from home, his dog may chew up the living room sofa or pee on the carpet. By contrast, dogs can also express positive behaviors, such as fetching the morning newspaper from a porch and delivering it to an owner. Dogs have also been known to seek help if an owner is in distress. Thus, a dog's behaviors are not only instinctual in nature, but they are also expressed with the goal of receiving attention.

References

• Canine Senses: How Dogs Smell
• Fact or Fiction: Dogs Can Talk
• Dog Bite Prevention and Dog Communication

Resources

• The Human Dog