Understanding Dog Mouth Expressions
Your dog has a whole range of facial expressions that he uses very effectively to communicate with you and with other dogs he encounters. Regularly observing these expressions in play or, conversely, when he’s feeling scared or threatened can give you a good insight into your dog’s state of mind, particularly if you take into account other body language signals and the situation he is in.
By taking time to learn to pick up on your dog’s expressions early enough in an interaction, you can gauge how he is feeling and become far more adept at defusing potentially difficult situations.
| RESEARCH: Studies have shown that the severity of a dog’s bite can be gauged from his growl. American and German researchers measured growl frequency patterns for 21 breeds. The growls of larger dogs tend to show patterns that are more closely spaced, whatever the dog’s head shape. It is thought that dogs may use this information to assess each other’s strength.. |
Feeding Your Dog
RESEARCH: Dogs require 37 essential nutrients for a complete diet. A diet lacking in just one of these nutrients is considered inadequate. Most dry foods are ‘complete’, as are many wet foods. However, some wet foods need dry biscuit mix added, so always check food labels carefully.
Although your dog will readily wolf down human food, wagging his tail and looking excited when it’s offered to him, such a diet will not provide all the nutrients he needs and may lead to health problems. So, what exactly should you be feeding him?
Read MoreDog’s Happiness Wish List
There is a huge difference between providing a dog with what he needs to survive, and making an effort to ensure he has a happy life. To do this, you need to know what makes a dog happy and what doesn’t.
Generally speaking, dogs are real people pleasers and very much want to be involved in our lives. Ensuring that they feel secure, loved and welcome in their ‘pack’ is probably top of a dog’s happiness wish list.
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