Tag Archives: animal communication

Dogs and Cats Living Together: Body Language

Dogs and cats may not always get along, but it seems they CAN learn to understand each other. Researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel took a good long look at canines and felines who share a household. Taken individually, canine and feline body language often has opposite meanings. For example, a dog with his ears back or stretching out on his back is relaxed and even submissive. In cat speak, those behaviors are actually signs of aggression. But when the two species take up residence together, researchers have seen cats and dogs adapting their language. Dogs often greet other … Continue reading →

How to Speak Cat

When I’m at work at the cats-only boarding facility, I often keep up a running chat with the guests. If they meow, I meow back. If somebody hisses, I’ll imitate it. (We have one guest who is missing a few bottom teeth, so when he hisses, his tongue sticks out the side. Yes, I stick my tongue out when I hiss at him!) The vet who owns the boarding facility passed along an article from The Oregonian newspaper about cats-only services — veterinarians, boarding facilities, and the like. The article had a sidebar about communicating with cats. Do you know … Continue reading →

Decoding Different Barks

Researchers at Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary are using computers to help decode and translate different dog barks. The study began with recording the barks from fourteen different Hungarian sheepdogs. Barking was recorded in six different situations: When a stranger approached the house when the owner was away and the dog was home alone. When a trainer encouraged the dog to bite on protective gear and bark aggressively (think of police dog training). When an owner was preparing to take the dog for a walk. When an owner was holding a ball in front of the dog. When an owner … Continue reading →

Talk to the Tail!

What is better than coming home to the sight of a happy, wagging tail? Dogs give the best greetings. But they do much more than communicate happiness with their rear ends. Dogs communicate a whole range of emotions with their tails. Tails “talk” in three different ways — through position, shape, and movement. A dog will only wag his tail at something else that is alive. So think of the wag as a celebration of life! A tail that is up can be a sign of confidence and comfort, or a sign of confidence and dominance. A gentle curve in … Continue reading →

The Nose Whistler

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I have strange ways of communicating with my dogs. And they have strange ways of communicating with me! For example, I know that Moose wants my attention if he whistles at me. He doesn’t whistle like humans do — no lips are involved. It’s hard to describe, but he has a certain way of blowing air out through his nose that makes a whistling sound. Here’s how it usually works: I’ll be sitting upstairs in the office. Moose will sit at the bottom of the stairs and nose whistle at me. The sound carries quite well up the stairs and … Continue reading →