8/7/2019 Language of Peace 1

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"The language of Peace

by Jodi Frediani

During ihe early morning hours, the lions brought down a large giraffe. Enjoying their good

fortune, the several lionesses, their cubs and the two handsome males ate their f i l l . As the day advanced

and the heat became oppressive, they stretched out in Ihe shade keeping a watchful eye on the remains of

their meal.

Nearby, a jackal, cousin to the w o l f and the domestic dog, sat patiently eyeing ihe pride and the

carcass hoping for a snack. The jackal looked at the lions, then turned his head and looked away. Again he

looked back and this time he yawned.

Was the jackal merely tired from waiting? No, he was using calming signals to avoid raising the

ire of the lions: calming signals - the universal canine language of peace. And yes, the w i l d canids of

Africa and our companion dogs here at home share the same complex language of gesture designed to keep

things mellow. In the turn of a head, ihe b l i n k of an eye, a l i ck of the nose or a yawn, a whole story unfolds

in the canine lexicon.

Tu r i d Rugaas, inquisitive Norwegian dog trainer and patient observer of canine behavior, has

identified twenty-seven different gestures dogs use to communicate w i t h each other, signs she has labeled

calming signals. Dogs and other canines use such signals to send messages of non-aggression to other dogs

and animals of al l species including us. At . the same time, the calming signals help relax the

communicators themse I ves.

The earliest w o l f researchers focused largely on the aggressive tendencies in their subjects. Terms

l ike alpha female and dominance and submission quickly entered our vocabulary when speaking about the

behavior of our own dogs. Those researchers also spoke of cu t -o f f signals in wolves, body language

designed to cut of f signs of aggression. But Rugaas says calming signals do more than stop aggression:

they are pro-active communications to help foster cooperation.

Rugaas acknowledges that wolves are a communal species. They l ive in packs and therefore must

have a complex language and social structure designed to foster group dynamics. Think of the skills we

must develop to get along w i t h just a single partner, never mind a complex extended fami ly .

For wolves, she pack is necessary for survival. Food is essential and so is the hunt. To bring

down a large prey animal takes tremendous cooperation among pack members. Developing and

maintaining a language to keep the peace is as essential for w o l f survival as is getting the next meal.

Wolves and dogs have a strong instinct, for conflict solving, communication and cooperation, all a

necessary part of pack behavior. They must get along to survive.

Our domestic dogs share much of the same DNA as wolves. According to Rugaas, the scariest

thing for a dog is to be alone. While we can teach them to accept aioneness, we must remember that by

nature they, too, need a pack to feel safe. Without other dogs in the home, we become their pack and in

doing so have a duty to learn their language.

Pups who are raised in a litter for the first eight weeks o f their lives and in the presence of older

dogs, have the advantage of learning skills from their siblings and elders. They leant to accept the

leadership of a just leader. They learn simple, but crucially important lessons such as bite i n h i b i t i o n . They

come to understand when play is too rough or inappropriate. And they have the opportunity to learn thelanguage skills that w i l l enable them to be peaceful pack members.

According to Rugaas, wolves have the calming signals. Dogs inherited them. A l l the different

breeds ail over the w o r l d , no matter which size, color, or shape have them. "It is a t ruly universal language

and a wonderful one because it means we can communicate w i t h dogs wherever we meet them," shares

Rugaas.

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