Appeasement signals used by dogs during dog-human communication

The aim of this study was to examine the occurrence of the appeasement signals "looking away" and "licking of lips" shown by healthy dogs toward strangers in a standardized behavioral test. The 116 participating dogs were at least 13 months of age and could be any breed. Dogs were guided by their owners through the behavioral test which included a variety of test situations. Thepeople conducting the test were previously unknown to the dogs and behaved in a neutral, friendly or threatening way depending on the test situation.
Source: Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research - Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Source Type: research