Over this past year, I have been amazed everyday watching my baby boy turn into a toddler. Around 10 months, we noticed that his communication skills really started to flourish. He began using sign language and becoming more verbal. Interestingly, he has also become more observant of the communication between our dogs.

Last night, he was playing in the living room when our two Golden Retrievers started to play rough with a little growling and baring of teeth. My son stopped playing, smiled and looked as if he was going to get in the middle, but then he babbled as if talking to the dogs and quietly walked around the dogs. After the dog play session was over, my son walked over to Rankine and gave him a big hug. They snuggled for a few minutes and then he was off to playing again.

As I watch him interact with our 4 dogs, it is clear to me that he has learned to read our dogs signs to know when he can hug them, play with them, pet them and most importantly when they want to be left alone.

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…and eyes, and ears, and tail…

Dogs don’t communicate with words or crying like we do. Their whining, barking, and growling is used in limited, and usually extreme, situations. To “hear” what your dog is saying, you really need to watch their body language.

Use these signals to assess your dog during training, agility, or other dog competitions. If you see signs of stress, try something easier for the dog to build up his confidence. Find games you can play to take his (and your) mind off of the surroundings at sporting events such as Touch Nose to Hand or other dog tricks.

A calm dog is relaxed – especially his eyes, mouth, ears, and tail. Take for example Rankine when his baby is walking all over him. Notice how his ears, lips, and eyes are relaxed. This is a calm dog who doesn’t mind the baby’s antics.

Had Rankine been asking baby to stop, you may have seen one of the following cues:

• Lip licking
• Yawning
• Ear flicking
• Flinching
• A “crescent” shaped whites of his eyes
• Intentional turning away from the baby
• “Freezing.” This is different from stillness in that you can almost see the tension in the body. If you ever see a dog “freeze,” beware. This is often a precursor to snapping.

You can learn more about a dog’s body language at Living with Kids and Dogs by Colleen Pelar. Watch her videos to see how dogs show their stress.

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