Translate Your Dog's Language

By Gayle Ehlman

I have raised dogs and children, together and apart, for many years. The difference is that my children had to become a part of society and my dogs didn’t.

Therefore, when my children asked for something, I had to think of the long- range implications and sometimes say "no" or "work for it." With dogs, I have just found out what they want and gave it to them. That causes some to say my dogs are "spoiled". They aren’t spoiled, just overindulged. If they were spoiled, they would smell bad.

In the past two years, several "Dog Translators" have hit the market. Electronic devices that purport to tell you what your dog is saying to you. I laughed, when I first saw the concept, as understanding your dog is so simple, and far beyond the perimeters of electronics.

When you get a new puppy, like a small baby, its personality is already somewhat established. It may be a "screamer" or a "cuddler" or a quite dog or an energetic dog. All puppies need sleep in massive quantities. An "energetic" puppy will run around and suddenly plop down sound asleep. A quieter puppy will start to show signs of tiredness, then find a place to fall asleep. A screamer will scream for attention: Puppy cries and yelps, while a quite puppy will usually give up and accept being crated or being put in a box. A cuddler will need your body, either your lap or next to you, to sleep soundly.

Puppy language is very simple. It is like a baby’s cries. They cry when they are in need or in pain. In need of company: In need of food: In need of sleep, etc.

As your dog grows, you should learn what they are saying to you, as they learn to take their cues from you. If you rub your puppy’s tummy, and he likes it, he will learn to roll over and "ask" you for a belly rub. If you don’t give the belly rub, he will ‘ask’ again, possibly in a different way. One way is to growl at you, saying "Hey, you. I’m needing a belly rub." Your dog may "cry" for a belly rub. Little whiney sounds, saying "Oh, poor me, I need a belly rub".

Almost all dogs will ‘ask’ to go out. In some cases, this consists of standing or jumping at a door. If you ignore this request, your dog will make it again, more firmly. This means clawing at the door, circling by the door or even coming to find you and barking or whining at you. At this point, you can hear the dog saying, "Well, how stupid are you? Can’t you see I need to go out?" This works with dogs who have a doggy door, who simply want to go out another door to see what’s out there, to take a walk, just to get your attention. Dogs don’t have the word "want" in their vocabulary. Everything is "need." The dog may have just been out, but for some reason, he "needs" to do it again.

A lot of a dog’s time is devoted to getting your attention. Even if there are other dogs in the house, your dog sees you as "the one with thumbs" who can open the refrigerator, give belly rubs or ear scratches, and wait on him hand and foot.

This does not mean your dog sees you as "a superior intellect" or even as "the leader of the pack." It only means that you have thumbs and a height advantage, and you can open doors and food and have toys that he doesn’t have.

You can go out, whenever you want to. You can open good smelling foods and you sit at a table where the dog can’t see. You have "all the toys." That may mean that you open mail, which the dog doesn’t do, or pick up a book that the dog doesn’t see as anything except a thing to chew.

Dog Obedience is a misnomer. Dogs learn to do what pleases us, so that they get our attention and get us to dispense food and affection that they "need". They do want to please us, but depending upon their own personality this is for different reasons.

Some dogs actually do see people as "the leader of the pack." Others never will. That doesn’t make those who don’t less desirable as pets. It makes them a little more challenging. Ask anyone who has ever owned a large German Shepherd and a small poodle which dog is more "docile." They will almost always pick the Shepherd, as the breed wants to please people and sees people as "leader." When you look at breed characteristics, see that "intelligent and independent" equals "not going to do everything you want, all the time" while "intelligent and easy going" means the dog is going to try to please you, most of the time.

Sometimes, Dogs Lie to You.

I always laugh, when someone says that dogs are "honest." They have a sense of humor and sometimes, they "play" mental games with us, just for fun. One of my favorite examples was a couple of poodles I once had who "plotted" and "schemed" together to get my children and I to jump up and run to the front door, by "lying" to us. Casey and Sarge would run to the front door, start barking, saying "Someone’s out there" to us. When we opened the door, you could almost see them laugh, as they ran away, saying, "Ha, fooled you." When people or animals were really at the door, they wouldn’t run away, of course.

Casey, the "ringleader" of "fun and games with people" would also go into the kitchen, dump her food out, then bring the empty dish to you, plop it down, and look starved. When she got people to the kitchen, her tail was wagging and you could see her say, "That was so funny"!

When your dog barks, you know, that there is something going on in it’s head.

Knowing your dog consists of knowing what they "need" and want by that bark.

At times, your dog may be doing "nuisance" barking. That’s dog speak for "I need your attention." Like children and adults, if a dog is not getting the attention that it thinks it needs, it will take negative attention, over no attention at all.

Even if you spank your dog for "nuisance" barking, it may not stop, because it’s a way to get your attention. A firm voice and a "no" and withholding attention, time after time, is about the only way to stop this behavior. Withholding attention means hands at your side walk away, even if the dog follows you and ignore the dog, until the barking stops. It may also mean that you are not spending the time with your dog that he needs. So, when he isn’t barking, be sure to lavish lots of pets and ear scratches on him.

Dogs are very territorial, so whenever something invades their ‘territory’ they will bark, saying, "Hey, you, get off of my turf". Or alerting YOU that you need to get the intruder off of their turf.

They may also bark a "greeting." My current dog, Sam, loves the UPS truck and the UPS man. It’s not apparent to the UPS man, who thinks the dog hates him, but I can hear the difference between a "I am being threatened" bark and an "Oh, boy, I am so excited" bark. Sam learned that the UPS man brings packages that smell of many hands and many places. Therefore, he hears the truck a block or so away and begins to bark "Oh, boy, Oh boy, here he comes! He’s bring me a box to sniff, oh boy!"

The excited bark is the same tone and frequency that he uses when he sees his leash and halter. It has a lot of tail wagging and dancing in place and even some jumping in it. His angry and territorial barks don’t.

Sam’s "oh-oh someone’s on my turf" bark is deeper, a different rhythm and is accompanied by his posture becoming stiff and ready to attack or flee.

There is also a "hi, how are you" bark, for other dogs. Watch your dog, when other dogs are barking. Their ears perk up, they listen closely, then decide if this is a tid bit of information that requires input from them. It’s like watching the old days of party line telephones. "This bark is for me" and the dog is up and returning barks. "That’s not for me" elicits ears raised, concentration, but the dog doesn’t return a bark and may not even get up to "get the phone." In a way, it’s your dog’s "caller ID." He is constantly "screening" calls. Big Bopper, across the fence is telling him "hey, my people just left" or "I’m bored over here" and your dog listens, but has no input. Big Bopper, across the fence says "Hey, Meter Man, two blocks away" and your dog takes action or waits until he hears "Hey, Meter Man next door" to respond.

A Growl is a Warning and means your dog is worried and upset. Dogs growl, when they are too upset to bark, as a warning, or to get your attention in an urgent way. Dogs will growl when they feel threatened or when their territory is threatened. Always pay attention to a growl, because your dog is very upset, when he growls. A growl is a dog’s way of saying, "I’m going to bite, next." If your dog grows, when you approach his favorite toy, back off, back way off. If your dog growls while playing with his toy, make sure he’s growling at the toy, not at you. Dogs play at "attacking" with their toys, and a growl is their way of saying "I want to bite you, and you’re in big trouble." Your dog may, as mine does, growl when shaking a toy "to death" all ratters do this, and some bigger dogs, as well. If you get a finger or a hand in the way, trying to play with a growling dog, even if he’s not growling at you, you might get a dog bite from the play. Your dog doesn’t mean to bite you, but you put your hand or fingers near enough to his mouth that he bites you, instead of the toy. If your dog is looking at you and growling, there is a problem, a very big problem. You might have said "no" to something he’s not willing to negotiate on, or you may have sat down on his favorite toy or a bone he’s ‘buried’ in the furniture. Discourage your dog from growling at people, by firmly saying "no" and even by physically restraining the dog.

My Sam, the Silky Terrier, growled, when we went into the garage and didn’t let him go with us. This started, when he was a puppy and he actually bit at the feet that were blocking his way. He stopped, when he was firmly "put in his place" by having the shoe kick back at him, a spanking, and the door shut in his face with a big "No, don’t you even think it." A larger dog would need a different "punishment" for growling, because you could get a pretty nasty dog bite from trying this technique. Your dog doesn’t like to be "fussed at" by you. It’s equivalent of you growling at him. It’s in the tone of voice, not in the words. Watch two dogs playing and see how one dog will tell the other "I’m don’t want to play anymore". The dog who is finished playing will stand tall and growl and even snap, then walk away, facing the dog that wants to continue play. When a dog is growling at you, don’t turn and walk away, that’s inviting a dog to bite you. Instead, walk away, facing the dog and saying, "No, no way, this is not acceptable" in your best "I’m in charge" voice.

Help me. Your dog is clawing at furniture or the floor and whimpering or barking and he won’t stop. He’s telling you that there is something or some smell under the furniture or in the furniture that he can’t get to. It may be that a treat or a toy is trapped under the piece or that you dropped a crumb or that a bug is there or was there, yesterday or the week before. You don’t see it, but he won’t stop, until you show him what’s there or help him get it out. Dogs have a great sense of smell, and they smell what we can’t see. If you are sure there’s nothing there, now, having looked and felt and lifted the furniture, spray some Lysol or other deodorizing cleaner under there. It will help mask the smell and discourage the ‘digging’ to get to it. Don’t lift the cushion or the furniture, if you are not sure what’s there, with the dog leaning over your shoulder. If there’s something there that’s not good for the dog, he’ll be quick enough to eat it, before you can remove it. Restrain your dog, until you have checked it out, so you are not rushing to the Vet. Saying "I don’t know why he’s sick, but all of a sudden he just started barfing." I once lost a whole roast to a dog who had never made it to the top of the kitchen counter before. And my son’s Staffordshire Pit Bull once ate a full bottle of Tylenol, causing stomach ulcers, so be sure that your dog isn’t ‘tempted’ by great smells and interesting things too close to the edge of tables and counters. Also, the Staffordshire Pit Bull doesn’t like bugs crawling on the walls. A huge dog is brought to whining and barking by a fly on the wall. He will stop and go right back to being a big love dog, as soon as the offending bug is killed and removed.

My Dog won’t talk to me. Yes, sometimes, your dog will get very irritated with you and refuse to look at you or even "give you a condescending look" then walk away. What’s he saying? He’s not happy with you. You didn’t pick up on something he asked for or he got tired of asking for it and being ignored, so he’s ignoring you. He’ll get over it and come back to play and to needing your ability to provide food and water. Some dogs forgive pretty quickly and others take a while, but you don’t want to chase after him, at this point or he will know that you are a "pushover." As soon as something interesting happens, he will probably want to share it with you. That might be the mailman or Big Bopper barking across the fence or he might go away and come running right back to lick you to pieces and resume being your best friend.

My Dog Likes the Rest of the Family More than he Likes Me. That’s possible. Dogs have a way of loving everyone, just some people more than others. Very often the person who is gone most often is the person the dog will concentrate on. Or, the person who is a "pushover" and gives in more than the others will become his favorite. Or the person who is around most. And, when new people come to your house, the dog will either dislike them, because they are ‘new’ or embrace them as the best thing ever, because they are new. Show your dog love, even if you are not his "favorite" and whenever he is irritated with his "favorite" person, he will come to you. If you are the one who feeds and waters and takes care of little hurts, your dog may go to the other family members with more joy, because they play more, but when it comes time for food and water and an "owie" your dog knows who to come to. You may be the one to take the dog to the Vet or the Groomers, where he is unhappy, so in his mind, you are the "person who takes me bad places." If so, make time to do fun things with your dog, as well as the trips to the Vet. Take the dog to the park or even to the back yard and play ball or toys or just ‘rough him up’ a little, alone. He’ll start to equate you with "fun" as well as with "pain."

I am the medicine dispenser, feeder, water giver and person who says "no" more often, in our house, so my dog prefers to play with my husband. But, when he’s hurt or tired or needs a quiet time to just sit next to people, he comes to me. I do play with him, but not as exuberantly as my husband does. They are "the boys" and I am "the Mom" to him. That means that he comes to me, when he’s about to throw up, when he’s sick, or tired, so I can "make it better" and to his "Dad" when he wants to have fun. I haven’t turned my back on him, because he prefers to play with someone else, so he isn’t angry at me, doesn’t hate me, and actually has found the place for me in his life.

My mother and my children all tried to get a small red poodle to be their best friend, and she had a definite preference for me. I held her on my lap, when she was a frightened puppy, and that stayed with her, for life. We solved the problem by getting another dog for the rest of the family, as she couldn’t share her affection.

We brought a new dog into the family and now it’s hard to know what’s going on with either dog. That’s right. You changed the dynamic and now you want what you used to have, from both dogs. It doesn’t work that way. Your dogs talk to each other, so they don’t need to communicate with you as much.

It’s easier to talk to each other. After the initial shock of having a "brother dog" in the house, which can be very traumatic, and involves each dog trying to find an order, in the pack, realize that you’ve changed the pack. Your first dog may totally retreat from you and forget all his training. He’s trying to fit in with the new dog, and to tell you how he feels about the new dog. The new dog may have been a real cutie, at the pound or the adoption facility and now, it’s a snarling mess. Yes, you introduced a new member into your family and that changes the family.

Time is all that is generally needed to overcome the change. But, if the two dogs are snarling and biting at each other after a day or two, you will have to choose which one to keep and which to get rid of. All dogs don’t get along, anymore than all people do. If you "take sides" you loose. Your original dog is used to having you all to himself. Now, you are yelling at him, for snarling or snapping at an "intruder" in his turf. Crating both dogs is punishing them both and your original dog is not going to like it. The new dog may not like it, either, but everything is strange to him, and he has a ton of adjustments to make. Before you take a new dog into your "pack" consider the repercussions, just as you consider getting a new puppy. Will both dogs get along? Is your dog "overindulged" and if so, can you give enough attention to two dogs? Do you own a dog that is friendly and outgoing to other dogs, or is he a mess with other dogs around? Has he been socialized to other dogs or is he a "people dog" who enjoys being the center of your life, and doesn’t like to share you?

If he’s open and friendly to other dogs, try a dog in his space for a few hours. Borrow a dog or offer to dog sit for a friend, for a few hours. If your dog is willing to share his toys, food and water and you, then you might do well with another dog. If your dog goes "strange" with another dog in the house, for a few hours, don’t think he will welcome a permanent intruder.

My dog suddenly started peeing on my things, or he does it periodically. Welcome to the wonderful world of dogs. Male dogs "mark" their territory. And, if any dog gets angry with you, they may "tell" you so by peeing on your stuff. It is not to be ‘allowed’ but also not to be severely punished. Has anything happened that has changed your dog’s life? Have the neighbors gotten a new puppy that your dog can smell through the fence? If so, he may be marking his territory to tell everyone that this is HIS house. Have you had company who have dogs or who have handled dogs? If so, your dog smells the "interloper" and is going to be sure that everyone knows this is his turf. If you have handled some other dog, he also may tell you that is not acceptable, by marking his turf. Female dogs will also do this, to establish that you belong to them, or that you have done something to really irritate them.

"Oh, well, I’ll show you" in a way. It’s can be a sneaky, underhanded way to say, "I am not happy with you". It may also be a sign of illness, so look for other signs that your dog is sick. Remember, to your dog, you just can’t seem to translate dog talk, so if you are ignoring all the other ways he’s trying to tell you something, you will not ignore fresh pee, and he knows it. Have you "gone out and stayed away too late" to his mind? Have you missed one of his routines? If you regularly brush him, every evening at 6pm, even though he doesn’t seem to like it, and you skip a day, because you were busy with something else, to him, you have said "You are not important to me" and he’s going to show you that he is important.

You should use your "stern voice" to say "no" and clean up the mess. You should not spank a dog for doing this, now and then. That will cause him to say, "Oh, yeah, watch me" and you will have started an escalating pattern.

If a dog that has been very well housebroken, with no provocation from you, begins to pee in the house, constantly, you need to get to the Vet, as soon as possible. This is not your dog saying "Oh, Yeah" but a sign of illness.

Knowing your dog, being his friend as well as the "person with the thumbs" is all that’s really required to "interpret" his language. Remember, he’s being patient with you, for being "so dumb that you don’t understand dog" and you need to be patient with him, as he’s "way too intelligent and understands people" most of the time. From the time he was a little puppy, who tried to tell you that he would sleep wherever he wanted to, preferably with you, while you tried to get him to sleep on the floor or in a crate or in a box, he’s been learning to understand what you want. You can understand what he needs, what he’s saying, with the same patience he gives you. All you have to do is put yourself in the position of having no thumbs and try to think of living with someone who doesn’t understand your language. Yes, they put out food and water, but sometimes, they just don’t even try to understand what you are saying. And, they punish you for not being clearer in your speech. Dogs have a better sense of smell than we do, a simpler language and a well-established body language. They only need us to try to understand that they are not people, they are dogs.