A Possible Use for Calming Signals?

Hi,

Turid Rugaas stuff is very good but take it in context, it is still derived from wolf pack communication 🙂

Her book “on talking terms with dogs” is only a small book and is a lovely read – am sure if you google sheila harper she sells them.  Sheila is also in contact with Turid herself so you might be able to ask her direct lol !!

Claire x

there are also a few courses through SHCE led by her this year – she is amazing to hear and watch I must say 🙂

as with all approaches – she’s one of many to be considered in context, not a “wholistic fix to everything” 🙂

Claire x

Kerry – all the stuff you outlined in your first post is totally alien to me, am reading this with lots of interest.

It certainly sounds like Beau has a lot of trust in you, and yes, calming signals sound like a brilliant way of helping a dog get over fear issues.  Like I say tho, I know nothing about them, so will just lurk watching this until someone who does can help to clarify!

mmmm

well…errrmmm

in my book only one thing reduces fear..that is tknown rust in me and….

sorry hun..but asking if ‘can i play with a bottle’ is not a fear issue..that a ‘want’ issue

a fear issue is when in a cued behaviour such as a sit a stand a stop etc etc and dog knows/wants to follow cue but is scared shitless and has to make an operative choice to protect self or follow cue in the hope that carer knows best,,,

i think i get what you mean – an “aha” moment when you actually realise that you can ‘speak’ dog even just a little bit 😀

i love them moments !!!

I can ‘see’ calming signals in William he seems to use them all the time but I rarely catch Bonnie using them I think this is their pack positions showing through.  William does some fantastic slo-mo easy read signals 🙂

Like everything thats “doggie” – i would argue that humans are incredibly clumsy at doing it and miss alot of the subtleties in much the same way as pinning dogs and barking back (like they do to each other) isnt very successful if humans do it !! 

I would say calming signals are of most use when observing dog – dog interactions to inform you when to step in and when to step back.

Claire x

mmmm ok…i have a problem with this ‘broad’ selling/issue of so called calming signals…and this good for debate kerry so not having a go or nec. disputing but…

let me put it this way…

define ‘calming’ signal

then define appeasement

then need/offer of social appraisal

then ask…why would beau use a ‘calming’ signal in order to approach a dog that air snaps when said dog is asleep….wouldnt learnt behaviour have taught to actually don’t go there….
with me…..

have a think ..read your first post re whys and whens to use etc…

hi,

calming signals is just a fancy name for a group of behaviours that dogs use to communicate with other dogs that they are OK to approach or to tone down an approaching dogs behaviours.

in your terms Bev i am thinking this would cover appeasement exchanges and social interactions in a dog which is a competent communicator of dog.  it is part of what you would call the ‘sentance’ of communication and this flags up why some dogs (typically black dogs, docked breeds, flat faced breeds …) cannot be read as easily as others as their physical attributes mask their behavioural intent.

thats what i think anyways 😀

I wouldnt expect a dog to approach a sleeping dog that they already know snaps unless there was something very wonky going on with that dogs learning ??

A dog would use a calming signal behaviour if an incoming dog was appearing to break ‘dog social norms’ making the original dog uncomfortable somehow – it will say ‘i am friendly, calm down’ and the other dog will respond ‘i am friendly too, and calmer now i know about you’ (obviously if you dont have a socialised dog they are going to f*** this up and thats where you get escalation of 4F’s and the potential for conflict.

claire x