Published in The Student Standard, September 18 2008
How well do you know your pooch? Do you know what he means when we wags his tail or yawns? Taryn Ozorio takes a closer look at man’s best friend.
The dog, canis lupus familiaris, that exists today was bred from the wild wolf. Crucial to understanding dogs is understanding the lives of their ancestor, the wolf.
Pack mentality
Wild wolves lived in packs, where one dog (usually a male) would be the pack leader. This dog was responsible for the group’s survival and all the other dogs would give him their loyalty. Wolves are extremely skilled hunters, they are fast, have quick reactions and a strong scent of smell. They teach the younger wolves how to hunt through play and practice.
Wolves became domesticated when they found prey near rubbish dumps of humans. Humans came to realise that the wolf was good for security and could help them hunt for food. So we took them in and made them part of our family, we became their pack. We look after them and in return they give us their loyalty and love.
How dogs communicate
If dogs could speak, what do you think they would say? I’m tough and scary, stay back! Let’s play! Relax…
Actually, dogs already communicate these things to us. They use body language. So, the best way to find out what they’re thinking, whether they are friendly or not, is through watching their body language. Here are some examples, some you might already know or recognise in your dog.
When a dog yawns and looks away from you, he may mean calm down, relax or I’m feeling a bit threatened.
When a dog growls, their hackles stand out and they stare at you straight in the eyes, they are trying to be intimidating and are likely to bite and fight.
If a dog is holding his ball and wagging his tail, he probably wants to play.
If a dog is wagging his tail and smiling (mouth open, tongue hanging out), he is being friendly and is happy to be patted.
If a dog is licking his lips and avoiding direct eye contact, he is probably scared or anxious. He might even be wagging his tail, but in this case it does not mean he is happy.
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Send in your dog problems, stories or questions and we’ll discuss a problem or teach you a trick each week.
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The Trick: “Spin”
Impress your friends with this cool trick.
Get a stick and mark the end with a contrasting colour, I’ve used tape.
- Reward your dog each time they touch the stick with their nose (5 sessions of 20).
- Move the stick in a circle and reward each time they touch. Start out with lots of touches per circle (repeat 20 times) and gradual reduce the number of touches until they are going faster and faster!
- When they are doing it perfectly you can now say “Spin” before your wave the stick in a circle. Soon you will be able to do the motion just with your hands.
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Glossary
body language (n) nonverbal communication, usually through facial expressions, posture, etc.
domesticate (v) to tame an animal so that it can live with humans
mentality (adj) state of mind, view
pack (n) group/family of dogs
intimidate (v) to fill with fear
crucial (adj) important
