BEHAVIOUR
What are Calming Signals? Understanding Body Language in Dogs
Reading body language in dogs is the first step towards understanding them better. Expert Shivani K discusses Calming Signals, subtle cues that express stress in dogs.
Understanding how dogs communicate is important while building a relationship with them. Domestic dogs are social animals and have developed a variety of ways to communicate with each other as well as with other animals. Communication can take place through subtle dog postures as well as not-so-subtle vocalizations.
One important way through which dogs communicate with each other is through something known as 'Calming Signals'. Introduced by acclaimed Norwegian dog trainer Turid Rugaas in her book "On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals", these are dog postures or behaviours used in social interactions, particularly the ones where the dog is feeling uncomfortable or threatened. Rugaas hypothesized that the use of calming signals tends to lower the probability that another dog will act aggressively toward the dog doing the signalling.
One important way through which dogs communicate with each other is through something known as 'Calming Signals'. Introduced by acclaimed Norwegian dog trainer Turid Rugaas in her book "On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals", these are dog postures or behaviours used in social interactions, particularly the ones where the dog is feeling uncomfortable or threatened. Rugaas hypothesized that the use of calming signals tends to lower the probability that another dog will act aggressively toward the dog doing the signalling.
Some of the common Calming Signals in Dogs
While Rugaas had based her findings on experience and anecdotes, there was limited scientific evidence for calming signals until recently. In 2017, a group of researchers headed by Chiara Mariti of the Department of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Pisa in Italy devised an experiment to study certain dog postures & signals in a more scientific manner.
The study involved 24 dogs who were videotaped when interacting two at a time. The dogs were placed in the test area with either a familiar or unfamiliar dog. Data was collected on calming signals in dogs and their effects. A total of 2,130 such signals were observed during the course of the study. The scientists observed that:
1. Most of the dog postures or calming signals occurred when the dogs were fairly close, within one-and-a-half body lengths. This is to be expected because most of the signals are subtle movements of the body which can't be communicated over long distances (unlike say a loud bark).
2. More calming signals were exhibited when a dog was interacting with an unfamiliar dog, rather than one which it had encountered and had social contact with previously. This was again to be expected since the degree of threat is higher while meeting strangers.
3. During the study, 109 instances of aggressive behaviour were observed. None of these aggressive acts was preceded by a calming signal. This suggests that calming signals in dogs had almost 100% efficacy in stopping potential aggressive behaviour among themselves.
4. The effectiveness of that calming signal is supported by the fact that in over 79% of the instances when it occurred after the initial aggressive act, the hostility de-escalated.
This kind of scientific data certainly supports the idea that these calming signals in dogs actually do have a de-escalating / de-stressing effect. Understanding calming signals in dogs is thus crucial to comprehend social interactions between two dogs as well as for reading body language in dogs undergoing stressful situations. Some of these calming signals have also been observed by dogs in other social interactions, such as with humans. So, the next time you see a dog yawning, licking their lips or turning their head away, maybe just step away and give them some space. They might just be telling you that they aren't comfortable.
References -
1. 'Analysis of calming signals in domestic dogs: Are they signals and are they calming?'
Click to read the research paper by Chiara Maritia, Caterina Falaschia, Marcella Zilocchia, Jaume Fatjób, Claudio Sighieria, Asahi Ogia, Angelo Gazzano - Journal of Veterinary Behavior Clinical Applications and Research (Dec '14)
2. 'On talking terms with dogs: Calming signals'
Click to see book by Turid Rugaas, 2006
3. 'What Are Canine Calming Signals and Do They Work?'
The study involved 24 dogs who were videotaped when interacting two at a time. The dogs were placed in the test area with either a familiar or unfamiliar dog. Data was collected on calming signals in dogs and their effects. A total of 2,130 such signals were observed during the course of the study. The scientists observed that:
1. Most of the dog postures or calming signals occurred when the dogs were fairly close, within one-and-a-half body lengths. This is to be expected because most of the signals are subtle movements of the body which can't be communicated over long distances (unlike say a loud bark).
2. More calming signals were exhibited when a dog was interacting with an unfamiliar dog, rather than one which it had encountered and had social contact with previously. This was again to be expected since the degree of threat is higher while meeting strangers.
3. During the study, 109 instances of aggressive behaviour were observed. None of these aggressive acts was preceded by a calming signal. This suggests that calming signals in dogs had almost 100% efficacy in stopping potential aggressive behaviour among themselves.
4. The effectiveness of that calming signal is supported by the fact that in over 79% of the instances when it occurred after the initial aggressive act, the hostility de-escalated.
This kind of scientific data certainly supports the idea that these calming signals in dogs actually do have a de-escalating / de-stressing effect. Understanding calming signals in dogs is thus crucial to comprehend social interactions between two dogs as well as for reading body language in dogs undergoing stressful situations. Some of these calming signals have also been observed by dogs in other social interactions, such as with humans. So, the next time you see a dog yawning, licking their lips or turning their head away, maybe just step away and give them some space. They might just be telling you that they aren't comfortable.
References -
1. 'Analysis of calming signals in domestic dogs: Are they signals and are they calming?'
Click to read the research paper by Chiara Maritia, Caterina Falaschia, Marcella Zilocchia, Jaume Fatjób, Claudio Sighieria, Asahi Ogia, Angelo Gazzano - Journal of Veterinary Behavior Clinical Applications and Research (Dec '14)
2. 'On talking terms with dogs: Calming signals'
Click to see book by Turid Rugaas, 2006
3. 'What Are Canine Calming Signals and Do They Work?'
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