People have been fascinated by
the meaning of the dogs body language for hundreds of years. Charles Darwin,
writer of hugely influential books on natural history, and a man with astonishing
powers of observation who noticed the small things in nature, using them like
clues in a detective story to solve larger mysteries.
Here's Darwin, keeping an eye on dogs.
"Dogs scratch themselves by a rapid movement of one of their hind feet;
and when their backs are rubbed with a stick, so strong is the habit, that
they cannot help rapidly scratching the air or the ground in a useless and
ludicrous manner. A terrier of mine when scratched with a stick will
sometimes show her delight by another habitual movement, by licking the air
as if it were my hand.
When a dog approaches a strange dog or man in a savage or hostile frame
of mind he walks upright and very stiffly; his head is slightly raised, or
not much lowered; the tail is held erect and quite rigid; the hairs bristle,
especially along the neck and back; the pricked ears are directed forewards
and the eyes have a fixed stare. These actions, as will be explained,
follow from the dog's intention to attack his enemy. As he prepares
to spring with a savage growl on his enemy, the canine teeth are uncovered,
and the ears are pressed close backwards on the head; but with these latter
actions, we are not here concerned. Let us now suppose that the dog
suddenly discivers that the man whom he is approaching, is not a stranger,but
his master; and let it be observed how completely and instantaneously his
whole bearing is reversed. Instead of walking upright, the body sinks
downwards or even crouches and is thrown ito flexuous movements; his tail,
instead of being held stiff and upright, is lowered and wagged from side to
side; his hair instantly becomes smooth; his ears are depressed and drawn
backwards, but not closely to the head; and his lips hang loosely. From
the drawing back of the ears, the eyelids become elongated, and the eyes no
longer appear round and staring. It should be added that the animal
is at such times in an excited condition from joy; and nerve-force will be
generated in excess, which naturally leads to action of some kind. Not
one of the above movements, so clearly expressive of affection, are of the
least direct service to the animal. They are explained, as far as I
can see, solely from being in complete opposition to the attitude and movements
which are assumed when a dog intends to fight, and which consequently are
expressive of anger.
I formerly possed a large dog, who, like every other dog, was much pleased
to go out walking. He showed his pleasure by trotting gravely before
me with high steps, head much raised, moderately erected ears, and tail carried
aloft but not stiffly. Not far from my house a path branches of to the
right, leading to the hot house, which I used often to visit for a few minutes,
to look at my experimental plants. This was always a great disappointment
to the dog, as he did not know whether I should continue my walk; and the
instantaneous and complete change of expression which came over him, as soon
as my body swerved in the least towards the path (and I sometimes tried this
as an experiment) was laughable. His look of dejection was known to
every member of the family, and was called his hot-house face. This
consisted of the head drooping much, the whole body sinking a little and
remaining motionless; the ears and tail falling suddenly down, but the tail
was by no means wagged. With the falling of the ears and of his great
chops, the eyes became much changed in appearance, and I fancied piteous,
hopeless dejection; and it was, as I have said, laughable, as the cause was
so slight.
Dogs have another and striking way of exhibiting their affection, namely,
by licking the hands or faces of their masters. They sometimes lick
other dogs, and then it is always their chops. I have also seen dogs
licking cats with whom they are friends. The habit probably originated
in the females carefully licking their puppies - the dearest object of their
love - for the sake of cleansing them. They also give their puppies,
after a short absence, a few cursory licks, apparently from affection. Thus
the habit will have become associated with the emotion of love, however it
may afterwards be aroused. It is now so firmly inherited or innate,
that it is transmitted equally to both sexes. A female terrier of mine
lately had her puppies destroyed, and though at all times a very affectionate
creature, I was much struck with the manner in which she then tried to satisfy
her instinctive maternal love by expending it on me; and her desire to lick
my hands rose to an insatiable passion.
The same principle probably explains why dogs, when feelinf affectionate,
like rubbing against their masters and being rubbed or patted by them, for
from the nursing of their puppies, contact with a beloved object has become
associatewd in their minds with the emotion of love."
Extract taken from the book 'The Expression of Emotions
in Man and Animals' by Charles Darwin (1872)
