Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe how body language of humans affects the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) and how it can be implanted in the stressed situation that occur at an animal hospital. The subject is brought to notice because the author has experienced that dogs can get more stressed when a stressed and nervous owner is attending. Humans affect each other through posture, facial expression, voice and movement, and are often driven by their emotions, which can differentiate the verbal communication from the non-verbal communication. This occurs both consciously and unconsciously. Every human uses body language but not everyone knows how it is used or how to understand it. All humans have a unique way of talking, walking, standing, sitting and lying down. Everyone has his/her own rhythm and this makes it possible to recognize one another from a far distance. The eyes are also important when getting to know a person. They can often tell you about those feelings that a person is trying to hide. The personal distance to other people depends on how well you know the person, but also of the personality of the receiving person. The same can be said about physical touch from another human being. Occasionally humans misunderstand each other, verbally or non-verbally. It can occur because words or gestures have different meanings to different people. Canine communication is affected by the entire body, from motion and olfaction to vision and hearing. The communication originate from the ancestor; the wolf (Canis lupus), but since then the domestication parts of the communication within the species has changed. A dominant dog has a high standing, with head and tail high and ears erected forward. Submissive dogs crouch, trying to make themselves as small as possible. Vocalization occurs in a wide range of situations with different meanings. The olfactory sense is one of the canines’ sharpest senses and an important part of communication. The relationship between humans and canines depends grossly of the expectations the human has on the dog. This relationship has been going on for several years and it is reasonable to believe that the close contact with humans has affected the canine behavior. Canines have learned to read and understand the human body language. Studies have shown that canines look at humans for comfort and safety in situations of stress, but no earlier studies have been done to investigate how the consequence of a stressed owner affects the dog. This work concludes that further scientific studies and research need to determine whether stressed owners cause increased levels of stress among dogs, or if a calm and secure owner will bring safety to a nervous dog.