HOW TO SPEAK YOUR DOG’S LANGUAGE

LOOK AT HIS PAWS DOGS can be right or left-pawed, like humans. They tend to have one dominant side that they use to step forward first — or help them perform tasks, such as holding down a bone so they can get the meat off it. Knowing if your pet is right or left-pawed can also give insights into their personalities. In experiments, left-pawed dogs — around 30 per cent — were found to be more sensitive to noise and possibly more anxious around sounds such as fireworks or excitable when the doorbell rings. Dog behaviour expert Sian Ryan says: ‘It’s an inborn trait that can help you understand your dog better.’ USE EYE CONTACT NON-VERBAL gestures, such as pointing and eye contact, work three times better than verbal commands. Dogs are one of the only species to make eye contact with people. In canines and humans, tests found this releases the feel-good bonding hormone oxytocin. But prolonged eye contact with dogs can provoke aggressive behaviour. And even though dogs do not have good close vision, they are still excellent at using their sight to work out how we feel. Research has found humans display emotion on the right side of the face first — and that’s where dogs look. JUST IGNORE SAD EYES EVEN though social media is filled with pictures of dogs looking ashamed of themselves after being naughty, they are not contrite, says Sian. They are responding to body language and tone of voice. ‘If your dog does something you don’t like, there’s no point getting cross — they don’t associate their behaviour with your anger,’ she says. ‘They act in a submissive way because they are trying to send the message: “Don’t hurt me!” If you catch your dog doing something g wrong, distract them. ‘If you shout and get angry, you just become unpredictable and scary to a dog and you risk him losing his trust in you.’ LOOK AT HIS EARS ANOTHER way to read a dog’s feelings is to pay close attention to his ears. If they point forward and are pricked up, it means they feel alert and confident. Generally, if they are flattened, they feel fearful — though some breeds can’t flatten their ears. If their ears keep changing position, the dog is likely to be unsure of the situation. However, Sian says you should also read the rest of the dog’s body language. ‘If they are flattened due to stress, there will also be other signs, such as the tail tucked between the legs, an averted gaze or the dog’s head turning away.’ TICKLE DON’T CUDDLE DON’T assume dogs always want to be cuddled tightly. ‘Hugs are often something they tolerate rather than love, because they share our homes. ‘Unlike dogs, humans are basically apes who use their hands: a cuddle is not a natural thing for many dogs to receive. ‘They tend to really appreciate a rub under the ears because this is where dogs would naturally nibble and groom each other. ‘And they also appreciate a tickle under the chin more than a pat on the head, which can feel like a dominant, threatening gesture.’ READ BODY LANGUAGE DOGS constantly ‘read’ their owners by monitoring their every movement. But if we are observant we can learn a lot from their body language. ‘If they lick their lips, it can be a subtle sign they are uncomfortable,’ says Sian. Even the way a tail wags can be a clue to how they are feeling. A wag to the right shows they are happy, because that refers to the left side of brain, which processes positive emotion.