Because our pets can’t talk
to us, they give us signals to let us know how they are feeling. But are you
sure you can read those signals?
“Most conflicts that arise
between animals and humans are due to miscommunications,” said Dr. Kimberly
Krug of the Animal Behavior
Clinic in Portland. “To communicate effectively with our pets, we have
to learn their language. This takes practice.”
Krug said almost all body
parts on our precious pets can provide us with information about what they are
“saying,” and while some messages they send us are obvious, others are not.
A cat that’s hissing or a dog
that’s growling are likely upset, but other communication, such as a dog
licking his lips, is much more subtle.
Some common body language
signs that can indicate that your pet is happy or content:
- Soft eyes
- Ears forward or relaxed
- Relaxed mouth
- Loose body
“Dogs also wag their tail,
while cats often show a relaxed or upright, slowly moving tail. Cats whiskers
may be forward,” said Krug.
Both dogs and cats may
vocalize when they’re happy, but the sound is often quite different than when
they are unhappy.
"Cats may chirp, meow or
trill when happy while dogs may whine, bark, or howl either when they are happy
or unsettled,” said Krug.
Dogs and cats that are upset
often appear uncomfortable.
“They may tuck their body in
tight, be stiff or still and may lower their head,” said Krug.
Learn to
spot fear and anxiety
Krug said it’s important to
recognize that many unwanted behaviors stem from the emotions of fear and
anxiety.
“Feelings of fear and anxiety
are uncomfortable and affect the welfare of our pets on a day-to-day basis,”
she said.
Fear-inducing triggers or
incidents are specific to each individual, she said.
“I think skydiving is fun but
you might become panicked at the mere thought of jumping out of a plane,” said
Krug. “It can be really easy to tell our pets that something isn’t scary
because we don’t think it’s scary. This is unfair, doesn’t help our pets learn
how to cope with things in the world that they find to be scary, and can
exacerbate fear and anxiety disorders by pushing animals past their emotional
threshold.”
The first step is to learn as
much as you can about how dogs and cats communicate.
Some animals will tremble
when they are afraid. A dog may tuck his tail under his abdomen and his
facial expression may be sharp with his mouth closed tightly, open with
retracted lips, or he may display a furrowed brow.
A cat may tuck her tail in
close to her body or flick her tail quickly, indicating agitation. She may also
arch her back or hold her ears back or hold them tight against her head.
Whiskers may also be held back or held tight to the face.
Hair standing up is also a
sign of fear.
“Cats may ‘puff up’ all of
their fur when they are scared,” said Krug. “Pupils may dilate. Dogs may lick
their lips or yawn when they are nervous or afraid.”
Dogs may also avoid eye
contact or display “whale eye” (showing the whites of the eyes).
Krug said while noticing
individual body parts can be helpful to know what your pet is saying, it’s most
important to learn how to observe your pet’s entire body to really understand
what’s going on.
“Dogs may put their ears
back, hunch their posture, and growl while wagging their tail. This is a dog
that is experiencing a negative emotional state but if you only looked at the
tail, you might be fooled,” she said. “Cats most often purr when they are
content but they can also purr when they are sick or afraid.”
Don’t be
afraid to seek help
Krug said it’s not uncommon
to see pets displaying signs of fear, anxiety or aggression, but this doesn’t
mean it’s normal.
“These are uncomfortable
feelings and so coming up with ways to provide our pets relief is really
important for their quality of life,” she said.
Krug said if your pet is
experiencing what you suspect to be signs of fear, anxiety, reactivity or
stress of any kind, it’s important to seek help.
“People commonly wait a long
time, hoping their pet will ‘grow out of it’ or ‘get over it,’ or they think ‘it’s
just a phase,’” she said. “Unfortunately, most behavior concerns do not just go
away and they get worse with time.”
“There is so much that we can
do to help our pets live fulfilled lives and minimize stress,” she said.
And while long-standing
problems may take longer to change, this shouldn’t prevent you from seeking
assistance.
“I recommend seeking out a
positive reinforcement-based trainer,” said Krug. “A good place to start is
the IAABC (International
Association of Animal Behavior Consultants). Veterinary behavior clinics
specialize in treating pets with a variety of behavioral disorders.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic,
the team at Animal Behavior Clinic is offering virtual consults
and assessments as well as virtual behavior modification training
sessions.
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