Max
We Speak to Our Dogs Through Body Language.
–by Jo Maldonado
Max is one of several dogs adopted by Donna Griffin of Riverview. She wanted to know if Max remem- bers the day they met, and if he is reincarnated?
Max’s recollection to Jo: He’s showing me that he is running in circles. Like he is almost dodging the “capture.” He recollects that he is tired, and that he gave
in.The next thing I see is a woman who places his head into the palms of her hands. She tells him that everything will be all right from this point on. She’s very comforting. She has a very believable tone to her voice, very sooth- ing. Her hands stroke his head. He trusts her. They leave together.We are all reincarnated. Max is here with a specific purpose.
Pebbles
A dog’s proficiency in reading body language should come as no surprise since, as pack mem- bers, dogs have to communicate with each other without the benefit of a verbal language. Instead they communicate through conscious and subliminal signing or gesturing.
The study of body language,
kinesics, the study of nonverbal communication with your body has been studied since the early Greeks.Your body posture - your head carriage position, shoulders, hip stance, position of arms, behind you versus in front of you,all send the same messages to animals that they do to people. It just becomes more intensified when perceived by animals. Each posture or pose gives off a certain and very different energy signal. Each body position carries with it an emotion which is triggered by our thoughts and the memo- ries our cells have stored within our body. Walking a dog is the most fundamental lesson in leadership and communication between you and your dog. Here are a few tips:
Shoulders Back Did you
Andrea Schleicher told us that Pebbles, a miniature Poodle,was a rescue.“We don’t know anything about her history, except that she was picked up with her puppies by animal control.We would like to know something about her previous life.
Pebbles to Jo: She’s showing me a household with multiple dogs, the woman was in her 30’s or 40’s. Pebbles is very wise. In this household she was not acknowledged for the gifts she brought to those around her. There were many dogs. She was whisked up many times as though she was an inconvenience. She is most grateful for her new home. She carries the wisdom of elders, and she has much to tell you.
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know that more testosterone is emitted when your shoulders are back? Dogs senses are keen. When you emit more testos- terone, in dog language you are saying that you are in charge. In a dog pack, the dog with the high- est level of testosterone is in charge. Shoulders slumped to the front, is submissive, signaling that you don’t want to be in charge. Contracted body language (closed) is linked to feelings of lower status and worth, and is exemplified by hunched shoul- ders, head lowered, crossed arms and legs, and not smiling, says social psychologist Amy Cuddy,
an associate professor at Harvard Business School. Knees Locked or Knees
Relaxed? Knees should be unlocked, or in a relaxed position if standing. Legs equally apart at a stance, and grounded “like a tree” is most optimal. When you lock your knees, your muscles tighten. Tight muscles can be a response to either severe cold temperatures, excitability, height- ened emotions, and unbalanced
energy.This delivers an unfavor- able response to dogs, and may also be viewed as threatening. Example: a fearful person tends to tense up and stare. Dogs may misread a fearful person’s behav- ior as a challenge posture, like that of a dominant dog squaring up to an
opponent.This immedi- ately puts a dog on the defensive. Arms in Front or Behind
You? Arms behind you when walking a dog on a leash, is a more neutral pose, and gives you the advantage of not “fighting the leash” or fighting your dog. After you have successfully mastered the art of the walk with a slack on the leash, you can enjoy walk- ing your dog with your arms in a relaxed position at the
side.Arms in front is, again, a contracted pose, interpreted as having lower self esteem, feeling threatened, nervous, insecure or defensive. Head Position is very sig- nificant in body language.Due to our very flexible neck structure, we are able to turn our heads for- ward, withdraw, tilt sideways, or backwards. All of these move- ments have meanings, which given some thought about other signals can be understood. The best position when working with animals, is a high head signifying attentive listening, usually with an open or undecided mind, or lack of bias. U
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