Bees "dance" to communicate.
Can you imagine a new reality show called "Dancing with the Bees?" There might be such a show if the animal-focused channels had anything to say about it. Dancing bees are quite common because that is how bees communicate with each other. Wild animals communicate with one another with a great deal of efficiency and competence, using their body language, voices (such as birdsong) or, in the case of dolphins and whales, a sonarlike system called echolocation. Domesticated animals, such as dogs, cats and horses, use their body language and voices to communicate with each other and with humans. With a little patience and understanding, learning to interpret animal communication can be a rewarding and worthwhile undertaking.
Instructions
1. A relaxed "doggy" grin means he's calm and content.
Watch animals closely. Dogs and cats use their body language to communicate with their human friends. For example, a dog who stiffens his body, tucks his tail and raises the fur on the back of his neck is fearful or upset. A dog with a friendly, relaxed "doggy" grin feels content and calm. A tail vigorously moving back and forth, and up and down indicates a happy, playful dog. If the tail moves slowly and in a circular motion, it could mean the dog is fearful, angry or defensive. A tucked tail in dogs other than some hounds (who can't help it) is also a sign of fear. A dog who stares at you in a way that makes you feel threatened is challenging you; it's best not to look directly into a dog's eyes in this situation because it will make the dog even more uneasy, and you may risk a bite.
Wildlife researchers found that related cats in the wild, or a mated pair, close their eyes upon approaching one another. Try slowly blinking at your cat and see if he doesn't blink in return.
2. Elephants have subterranean communication methods.
Listen to the sounds animals make. At one time, it was widely believed that cats purr when they are contented and relaxed, but Lorraine Kassarjian, D.V.M., explains: "Cats purr for a variety of reasons, including stress, fear and anxiety. Sometimes in medicine it is necessary to restrain a cat and do things to him that we know are uncomfortable or even painful. But there they are, purring away. So now we know that in addition to contentment, cats purr to calm themselves, much like us taking a deep breath or chanting a mantra."
Cats have different meows and use their voices for a variety of reasons. A cat may be saying "wake up and feed me" or "I am lonely and need attention."
A dog barks to get his point across. According to the Humane Society of the United States, dogs bark for a variety of reasons, including the need for attention, hunger, fear, boredom, protective instinct and a health problem. A growling dog is telling you to stay away.
Elephants have subterranean communication skills, "talking" to each other underground. According to an article by a team of Stanford University professors published on the website World Science, scientists believe that explains why elephants in Thailand panicked and fled hours before a killer tsunami in 2004.
3. Dogs and cats communicate with humans all the time.
Compare animal and human body language and sounds. For example, when a person is overwrought or anxious, he becomes rigid and his body tenses; he may clench his teeth or fists. Similarly, when a dog or cat is upset or fearful, he tenses his body, too. Like the little hairs on your arms or back of your neck stand up, an animal's fur may stand up straight, too. He may bare his teeth much like a human grimaces at an unpleasant thought or sight. A dog tucks his tail when nervous; a human may close herself in, hunching her shoulders in a submissive posture.
On the other hand, when cats are happy and friendly, they hold their tails straight up, just like humans stand straight and tall when happy. A relaxed doggy grin is similar to a human's smile; a wagging tail is like an excited, animated person.
Tags: communicate with, body language, doggy grin, each other, relaxed doggy, relaxed doggy grin, their body