The Wisdom of a Dog’s Pause or How To Stare
This is Harley, she is not staring, she is assessing the situation. Harley is trying to figure out if I’m a potential friend or … She’s never seen that before. I was kneeling, with my right knee on the ground, just in front of her. Head tilted, ears pricked but still keeping a respectful and safe distance. It’s a doggy social skill they don’t teach in obedience classes. We, humans, always talk about body language, but dogs are the experts. It’s their primary way of communicating, and they’re incredibly observant.
This reminds me of Maisie, a mostly terrier I was looking after, many years ago. She’d never walk straight at them, head-on. Head-on to a dog it’s like saying, “I’m coming, and I don’t care what you think!” Instead, Maisie would walk around, making a wide half-circle before doing the butt sniff. It’s all about not cutting off their escape route and not being confrontational.
It’s the same with eye contact. We encourage our dogs to “look at me,” which is useful for training, of course. But a stare is a challenge in the doggy world. It’s saying, “I’m the boss and I’m going to teach you a lesson.” That’s unless your dog is waiting for their biscuit. Maisie would do a glance, then quickly look away even for her biscuits. She was polite and respectful. I remember one time, she was face to face with a rather rambunctious Labrador. The Lab was all bluster and bouncing everywhere. But Maisie just calmly turned her head slightly, offering a quick glance before continuing her sniff of a patch of grass. The Lab, totally thrown off balance by her lack of reaction, simply wandered off. It was brilliant.
For dogs, the keeping of their distances is a sign of respect. A well-mannered dog won’t barge into another dog’s personal space. She’ll wait for a relaxed body posture and a wagging tail. It’s all about reading the signals, and most dogs, except for most of the French Bulldogs, are expert at reading body language, unless they are too excited.
Then we have the nose-to-nose greeting! That’s a recipe for disaster. It’s a declaration of dominance.
Harley, the little dog in the photo, gets it. She’s patient, respectful, and a little bit worried. Capturing that quiet dignity, that gentle politeness, is what I try to do with my work. It’s about more than just taking a pretty picture. It’s about celebrating the unique personality of each dog and preserving those precious moments of connection.
If you’d like a timeless portrait of your own furry companion, capturing their unique spirit and personality, please do get in touch. A large print on your wall is a wonderful way to remember the joy and companionship they bring to your life, contact me at https://www.sritch.com/contact/. I’d love to hear from you!
Camera: Canon 7DMkII ISO 250 and 1/320
Lens: Canon 70-200L/f4 @200mm and f/5.6
Processed with Darktable: https://www.darktable.org/