Field Guide · Glossary
Dog-dog social skills
Body languageThe ability of a dog to read another dog's signals, send clear signals of their own, and adjust their behavior so that an encounter with another dog stays comfortable for both.
How it works
A socially skilled dog greets in a curve, sniffs briefly, and moves on or invites play. During play, they pause now and then, take turns chasing and being chased, and soften their force with a smaller or younger partner, a pattern researchers call self-handicapping. They also respond when the other dog says no: a growl, a turned head, or walking away gets the space it asks for. Play bows often follow a pause and restart the game. Dogs learn much of this through time spent with other dogs, and an individual can be skilled with some dogs and awkward with others. Skills also shrink under stress, illness, pain or age, so a dog who handles a quiet greeting well may struggle in a crowded, noisy place.
What it looks like
Two dogs meet in a fenced backyard. The younger one rushes in and leaps at the older dog's face. The older dog stiffens, turns their head away and lifts a lip. The younger dog drops low, backs off a few feet and sniffs the grass. A minute later they try again with a slower, curving approach, and the older dog answers with a play bow.
Commonly confused with
- Social enrichment
- Social enrichment is giving a dog chances for social contact they enjoy. Dog-dog social skills are the abilities a dog brings to that contact, and they decide whether a given encounter is enriching or stressful.
Related terms