Helping Our Children Understand Body Language
Whilst some may find it slightly trickier than others, understanding body language is something that children generally learn over time. All of us should have the chance to build positive and trustworthy relationships with our pets, no matter our age, and ensuring that everyone involved feels comfortable and confident is a great start. Making sure that everyone is on the same page and knows the rules before you start will help your pup know the do’s and don’t’s of the world.
At Wild at Heart Foundation, we always advise setting your dog, and child, up for success, so we have put together these bright and colourful flash cards to help you teach your child about how your dog is feeling! They are a great way to encourage your little ones to react in a positive way and help your dog build a trusting relationship. Don’t worry, we are not expecting any toddlers to become the next big name in the dog world, but you never know…it might spark a future in animal behaviour!
It is important to note, these cards are not behavioural advice and are only to help with education, compassion and understanding. If you see any of the following nervous behaviours in your dog, we highly recommend consulting a clinical behaviourist to prevent the behaviour from becoming learnt or deteriorating. If you see any sudden changes in your dog’s behaviour, consult a vet as soon as possible to rule out underlying health conditions.
Alert
If your dog is standing alert, sometimes they may be about to react. This can be by barking, lunging or running away or towards the trigger. We always recommend that a responsible adult has full control over their dog on a walk. If your child wants to be involved, try giving them a stuffed animal to bring along on it’s own lead!
Whale Eye
Whale eye is when you can see the whites of your dog’s eyes and it is something that most dogs will display at some points in their life. It is a sign that the dog is concerned about what is about to happen. To prevent high emotions around food or toys, we recommend teaching your child that eating time is alone time, and they mustn’t be touched when they have any high value item.
Sleeping
Though your dog is relaxed and calm, they might get a bit of a shock if they are woken abruptly or in a way that they are not comfortable with. Much like us, dogs can get pretty grumpy if they are woken up in the wrong way. Puppies can sometimes sleep for up to 20 hours of the day, with adults still needing 12 – 14 hours per day. Ensuring that your dog is well rested and feels safe in their bed is a good measure to take to help their emotions.
Allowing your child to get into bed with the dog can make your pup feel unsafe, try to keep their bed or crate as their ‘alone space’ and save cuddles for the sofa.
Belly Up
Dogs roll over in two very distinctive ways, and their body language can show two polar opposite emotions. We know this can be confusing, but there are key things to look out for when trying to understand how your dog feels. Generally, and this can change depending on their breed but you know your dog best and it shouldn’t be too difficult to decipher. Floppy legs, tail and neck means they’re happy, whilst stiff tail, legs and neck means they are feeling worried. Whilst the latter may look like your dog is trying to be friendly and ‘non confrontational’, it can be a precursor to more concerning behaviours, so best to contact a clinical behaviourist early and help build Fido’s confidence.
Happy:
Nervous:
Play Bowing
As the name suggests, this generally means that your dog is playful. Though do be aware that play-bowing can sometimes come with high energy levels and not a lot of thought. If this is the case, make sure your child is either playing a structured and simple game that your dog understands, and they are using a toy to direct their energy to. As there can be quite a lot of adrenalin here (and adrenalin is the enemy of rational thinking) we also never recommend play wrestling as it can become very overstimulating. If your dog does become a little too excited, just walk away and ignore the dog until they have relaxed.
Cowering or Shaking.
This would probably come as instinct to most, but if your dog is showing high levels of fear, it is important that firstly everyone takes a big step back to evaluate the cause. Comforting your dog might seem like instinct but it may make them more fearful. If this happens consult a vet as soon as possible to rule out sickness, and reach out to a clinical behaviourist to help your dog manage these feelings.
Barking
Barking is a natural reaction for all dogs, though it can be annoying. The cause of it varies massively and it can be due to several factors including fear, uncertainty, excitement, dislike, boredom or demanding behaviour. If barking becomes an issue for you or your neighbours, consult a clinical behaviourist to learn how to manage it.
Quick Tongue to Nose Flick
This is common in dogs and isn’t always what we think it is, it generally looks like lip licking but can mean something else. If you’re preparing their much awaited dinner, they might well be doing it to try and control the slobber, though if there is no food around, it is usually a sign of uncertainty and anxiety. Finding out what is making your dog worried is the first step to building trust between you both. Just remember, they won’t always understand things as we do, and may need a little more time to feel confident.
Finding the time to sit down with your child and explaining a dog’s ‘language’ can really help towards managing your home environment and preventing future issues. As we all know, kids may not have the longest attention span, especially when it comes to learning, so finding a way to keep this interesting and fun is always at the forefront of our minds.