"People Can Accurately Read Dogs’ Facial Expressions"

Spang

Spang

Foot Fetisher
Joined
May 31, 2012
Reaction score
6,172
Age
46
Walk in on your dog chewing up your shoe, and he’s likely to put on a guilty face. Throw him a bone, and he’ll grin from ear to ear. Tie him up in the yard during a party, and he’ll likely look sad and longingly at the festivities.

As it turns out, you’re not imagining these dog facial expressions. Dogs do project their feelings through their expression, and people are generally pretty good at interpreting them, Wired reports.

[...]
Click to expand...
More
 
I read somewhere a long time ago that we domesticated dogs in part because their facial expressions mirrored our own, creating a sense of connectedness.

ETA: After I posted, I noticed Lola's expression in my avatar. :p
 
  • Like
Reactions: ledboots
Dogs are actually easy to read once you know what to look for. I don't think most people do, however. I hear way too much "He bit/snapped/attacked without warning" to believe most people know how to read dogs.
 
Wolfie said:
Dogs are actually easy to read once you know what to look for. I don't think most people do, however. I hear way too much "He bit/snapped/attacked without warning" to believe most people know how to read dogs.
Click to expand...
I agree. Their body language is easy to read, and they read ours, too. My old dog went deaf a few months ago (toad poisoning and antibiotics) and now she really watches me like a hawk. She has since learned hand signals (at 15 years old and deaf) for stop, sit, roll over, bye bye, and leave the lizard (squirrel, mouse) alone! She knows what I want her to do by watching me anyway, it seems.
 
Wolfie said:
Dogs are actually easy to read once you know what to look for. I don't think most people do, however. I hear way too much "He bit/snapped/attacked without warning" to believe most people know how to read dogs.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Cats have facial expressions too, even though many people claim they don't. And birds have a really wide range of facial expressions.
 
You can tell a lot about a person by their shoes. Where they go. Where they've been. I've worn lots of shoes.
 
Wolfie said:
I hear way too much "He bit/snapped/attacked without warning" to believe most people know how to read dogs.
Click to expand...

Yea, I had a landlady who was like that. She approached our dog who had a stiff posture, ears up, teeth showing, and a low growl, but she tried to pet him anyway, and he snapped at her, and then she acted shocked..:rolleyes:
 
I am not an expert, but I have seen lots of shelter and vet clinic workers who don't know a thing about dog language. I was watching an Animal Cops type show on TV once about an "unpredictable" rottie and saw an animal control officer reach over his head to pet him, when the dog was frozen in place and giving the evil eye. I told my brother, "look, he froze, he's going to bite that guy" and bite he did. Thankfully I think they sent the dog for behavior trainining and didn't kill him. The guy was cool about it. Should be, he asked for it! :p

My dad taught us all at a young age how NOT to get bitten by dogs (or otherwise harmed by cows, pigs, etc., you name it.) I remember being about 6 and having that teaching save my butt when walking home from the school bus stop one day and getting charged by a loose dog. Most of my siblings, however, failed to teach their kids so it has fallen on me to do it. My brother's son, however, at 3 years old could translate dog speak into human.

Drives me nuts. Dogs ALWAYS get the blame when the vast majority of dogs will give off all kinds of warning signals before they bite.
 
I wish I could learn my cat's expressions. lol Slowly slowly, he's teaching me. Too bad my hands and arms bear the marks of his "lessons". haha
 
I've never had any problems with animals, so I guess I can read them pretty well.
 
once when I was 19, and I was hitch hiking, we got a lift(for a few days) with some guy with a rottweiler. I sat in the back with him, and he slobbered over me. I've always been self-conscious with animals, and my friend said I had to be 'animal' with him, in my dealings with him. I know what he means; I suppose you have to be more animal with animals to get what you want. Possibly if I had a dog, I would be the one shouting timidly at him in the countryside, hoping he would do what I wanted.
 
There's a theory that while humans were domesticating dogs, dogs were also domesticating humans.

Perhaps being able to accurately read dogs' facial expressions provides a survival benefit to humans.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blobbenstein
I can't find the companion animal memorial thread, so rather than jack a chat thread, I just wanted to say that my dog Pepper died this morning, and I have to go into work right now but can't stop crying. She was my baby for 17 years. I don't think I will ever have another pet. G Bye, pep. :(
 
OLD DOG IN A LOCKET
Old dog in a locket that lies next to my heart
I will always love you as I did right from the start
You were right beside me through the darkest of my days
It was your kind and gentle nature that made me want to stay.
Now I hold you in my arms, your breath still warm against my hand
Our hearts still beat together and I wonder if you understand
Through the hours that I held you before the light did leave your soul
I knew a way to keep you forever in my hold.
I snipped the hair from around your eyes so I would always see
The beauty that surrounds me even in times of need.
I snipped the hair from around your ears so I would always hear Music in the distance to quiet any fears.
I snipped the hair from across your back
To bring me strength in times of need
And the power of your essence would always be with me.
I snipped the hair from around your heart that beats in time with mine
So I would know that love would find me at some distant time.
And so your life slipped out of mine on a quiet, spring-like day
But I knew that part of you was always here to stay.
Old dog in a locket that lays next to my heart
I will always love you even though we had to part.~ Bobbie Hefner ~
 
Top Bottom