What Your Dog Wants You to Know: Understanding Canine Communication
WELCOME
What Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You
DOG AND MAN • Humans and dogs have long proven to be the very best of friends
WHERE DID IT START? • Humans and dogs have had a close relationship for many thousands of years
WHY DOGS? • Humans and dogs are great at living together, creating a very special and unique bond
HOW DOGS ARE ASSISTING DISADVANTAGED HUMANS • Therapy and guide dogs are helping millions of people every year
DO DOGS UNDERSTAND US? • When we talk to our dogs, they really can decipher what we are trying to say to them
SERVING DOGS: DOGS WHO HELP SOCIETY OR SERVE THE LAW • Some dogs prove their mettle in the call of duty
HOW SMART IS YOUR DOG? • From puzzle-solving to people-pleasing, dogs have evolved a unique set of skills, perfect for life with humans
INTELLIGENCE IN NUMBERS
BODY LANGUAGE EXPLAINED • Tune in to your dog’s body language and learn how to read their thoughts just by looking at them
TAIL • Your dog’s tail is a furry mood barometer, signalling how they’re feeling every second of the day
TELL-TAIL SIGNS • Keep an eye on your dog’s tail for clues about its mood
HAIR • Keep an eye on the back of your dog’s neck for an early warning that they’re winding up for fight or flight
HEAD • Subtle changes in the tilt of your dog’s head, eyebrows, and ears can reveal what’s on their mind
EYES • When puppy dog eyes turn into a cold, hard stare, it’s a sure sign that something’s up
EARS • Your dog’s ears are like satellite dishes, broadcasting their mood to everyone around them
POSTURE • If you’re ever in doubt about how your dog is feeling, take a look at their stance
MOUTH • Dogs use their mouths to communicate almost as much as we do, but the meaning of their expressions isn’t always easy to decode
HOW TO APPROACH A DOG • Whether a dog is oozing confidence or skulking away, the way you greet these amazing animals is incredibly important
LOOK WHO’S TALKING… • If you listen carefully to your pooch’s varied vocalisations, you’ll be Fido fluent in no time…
DECODING YOUR DOG’S BEHAVIOUR • You don’t need to be a dog whisperer to read your pet’s mind – you just have to look out for the tell-tail signals
PAWS FOR THOUGHT • How a dog’s feet come in handy for pointing us humans in the right direction
HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES AND MOUTHS • When paws don’t cut it, other parts of your dog’s body can be used to get the point across
Q & A WITH SEAN O’HARA • Dr Sean O’Hara is lecturer in Wildlife Cognition & Behaviour at the University of Salford and is co-author of the 2018 study into canine referential signalling
STRANGE BEHAVIOURS EXPLAINED • Dogs might not appear to be as inscrutable as cats, but every dog owner will agree that sometimes our beloved pets can exhibit the most perplexing behaviour
BAD BEHAVIOURS EXPLAINED • Is your pet barking at night, peeing behind the sofa, and tearing your favourite shoes to shreds? Don’t despair!
QUICK-FIRE BEHAVIOUR QUESTIONS • Discover what’s driving your dog’s bad behaviour in these common situations
WHO’S A GOOD BOY? • A puppy training masterclass
FIRST THINGS FIRST • Before taking the plunge, here are some key things to consider when inviting a dog into your home
BAD BEHAVIOUR • They might seem cute now, but these behaviours spell trouble for the future
BASIC SKILLS • Here are three key things that every puppy needs to learn
AGILITY TRAINING
HEALTH-CHECK YOUR PUP • If you decide to do any further training with your dog, it’s important to keep them...
