[dogcatharmony]

Originally Posted by Arlo

Have you read Turid Rugaas's "Calming Signals", or seen the DVD? Please do, if you haven't. Sniffing the ground is a calming signal, it is intended to "turn off" aggression. Same goes for tongue flicks/lick lips, looking away, turning their face away, and yawning. This is what the dog does when it is under stress and trying to avoid conflict. Watch for these behaviours when you are observing a trainer, it tells you more about the dog's state of mind than how 'obedient' the dog appears. Just because the dog performs a behaviour that is "commanded" of it, does not mean that the dog is happy or enjoying the training process. "Pavlov is always on your shoulder."

Does anyone have an alternative link to the original video? It has been removed, as have most Brad Pattison videos.

I have one problem with that........I was told and have observed with my own dog that licking of the lips is a sign that aggression is going to happen. It is a warning signal to back off. Same as yawning, can be a sign to back off