posted 02-26-2004 11:37 AM         

However, I am currently reading "On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals," by Turid Rugaas. She lists getting in between two humans, or two dogs, or a dog and a human, as a calming signal dogs use. Her explanation is that when dogs see two individuals close together, they anticipate there may be trouble and go put themselves in between to calm everything down.

Apparently, dogs generally go out of their way to avoid conflict and calm everyone down, if you only see their signals and know what they mean. Some of them are pretty well-known, like turning their head, or turning sideways. But some other signals include licking, yawning, and sniffing.

So fascinating!

Hmmm. It just occured to me. I wonder if this is why Nala gets so upset if a cat comes to sit on me? I always thought she was jealous, but perhaps not. I wonder if I can use this knowledge somehow to help her...