I spoke with an old friend of mine who is a veterinarian. I asked her what she thought was an important topic for our little scientists to learn. She said that in her opinion understanding when a dog is anxious or when a dog could bite would be the most important concept to have a child remember. I think it’s far too often that we forget our pets at home don’t actually speak English. Sure they may know a word or two (sit, down…), but our ability to notice how they are feeling and respond accordingly is an important piece to the puzzle.
I felt that the information was so important that I decided it was worth noting in a public space. When a dog is anxious or uncomfortable in a situation, you may see them exhibiting some of the following behaviors:
Ears point back
Mouth is closed
Half moon eye (you can see the whites of their eyes
Licking nose or around their mouth
Panting
Tail is low, still or between their legs (A common misconception is that a dog is happy if their tail is wagging. If a tail wag is combined with other signs from this list, you may actually have a pup who is stressed on your hands!)
Yawning
Turning their head away
When your pet is exhibiting these behaviors, the right thing to do is to give them some space. Accidents happen when we aren’t aware of what our furry friends are trying to say. They can’t speak our language, and may not understand kisses and hugs like we do, so they tell you in subtle ways that they need help and would like some space. I think one of the most important things we can do is teach our children how to identify this body language so that we keep our pets and children safe.
Lastly, we may feel that we can read between the lines when it comes to our own pets, but someone else’s pet may react differently than you expect. One group, the Yellow Dog Project is asking that pet owners of anxious or reactive dogs, dogs that are in rehabilitation, those in training or with certain health issues are asking that you place a yellow ribbon on your pet’s leash. This yellow ribbon helps to notify others that your pet needs some space from other little friends and pets. So, if you see a neighbor walking with a yellow leash, please give the animal some space and if you don’t, but instead notice the above behaviors you’ll know just what to do.