Monday’s question (6/3/19), about what we can tell about a dog from a photo, had a fantastic response from you. So grateful! (Also true on Facebook, (199 comments at the moment!)
Most people thought that the dog looked somewhat anxious, worried or unsure, but the comments varied tremendously from relaxed, about to bolt, or worried about an owner who might be having a heart attack. (That might sound silly out of context, but their point was that the dog was worried about something, perhaps related to the owners, given how sensitive GSDs are to their owners.)
Here’s today’s question: What about this dog? Same dog of course, and same photo, I just “deleted” his eyebrows.
Compare that to the original photo:
Does the “eyebrow” deletion change one’s interpretation of this dog’s internal state? My point here is that some signals are reliable indicators of a dog’s next behavior and/or internal state, but some aren’t. I’ll talk a lot on Vashon Island about “salient” versus “non-salient” signals. The coloring around a dog’s eye is one of them–it’s so easy to misinterpret their coloring as the equivalent of human facial expressions that are based on movements of our eyebrows.
I think the dog looks more concerned or “sadder” to some without the eyebrow color deleted. Those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile might remember the same issue for my Tootsie, except this time people tend to think she is “angry” based on her coloring:
But an alert reader photo shopped out her eyebrows, and look at her face now!
So… What do I think one can surmise from the original photograph of the GSD? First, I concur with many readers who begged for context and a full body photo! It’s hard to tell much from a still photograph. However, the signals that I would argue ARE salient are first, the dog’s mouth is closed, which usually is seen in a dog who is either highly focused (just heard a sound) or one who is unsure/concerned, etc. “Mouth open” versus “mouth closed” is one of the first things I look at when assessing a dog. Mouth open almost always suggests a relaxed dog, mouth closed could be many things.
Second, look at those ears! (Many of you mentioned them, yay!) Neither flattened in fear or appeasement, but not forward either. Could be many reasons for that. A sound behind the dog? An indication of caution or concern? Both?
Third, eye contact, and round eyes. The dog is looking directly at the camera lens. The big, round, black eye of the lens is often enough by itself to make a dog uncomfortable. However, he could have been looking away or avoiding eye contact altogether, or showing a “whale eye” so his concern does not seem to be extreme. Certainly, his eyes are not in that squinty shape that we see in dogs who are happy to welcome you home; they are round and indicate a certain amount of arousal.
My definitive answer? I wouldn’t begin to pretend I know exactly what’s going on with this dog, BUT I’d bet some money that the dog is uncomfortable, not relaxed and is paying a lot of attention to what is going to happen next. Most important practical issue is that this is not a dog I would swoop in and try to pet until I saw a change in expression. You?
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: What am I thinking doing this while trying to get ready to leave for Vashon Island? Argh… I’m in that place where every time you check something off the To Do list you add two more. As a result, I don’t know when I’ll be able to answer comments, but I’ll read and post them with great interest. Such fun, yes?
And, oh yeah, any typos are the responsibility of the Goddess of Trip Preparation Mania. Talk to her about it if you find one.
becky says
Hey Trisha,
I was looking for a new pair of dog clippers for my 12-month-old golden retriever. I’m trying to save some cash and start grooming at home.
Not sure whether you think that would be a good idea or not? But I needing a little expert advice. I was on the fence about what dog clipper to buy after reading https://www.retrieversareus.com/best-dog-clippers-for-thick-coats/ and wanted to know what clipper you would recommend for a brand new beginner.
Any help would be hugely appreciated and sorry for leaving this comment to hear as I couldn’t see a relevant post. Thanks in advance.
Trisha says
No idea! Readers?
Jim says
My dog (a pit mix) gives me that look when I offer her any sort of fruit. She doesn’t like fruit. At all.
At first she’s excited she’s gonna get a treat then she sniffs, gives me that look, then walks away. LOL.
lak says
Well without eyebrows the dog appears more pensive to me. Appears to be honing in on something, squirrel perhaps
Peri Norman says
I have Oster A5s. Probably the most expensive clippers on the market. In my almost 50 years in dogs, I have had three pair. Twice I have sent my older ones back to Oster for a rehab (about $75) and then gifted them to my sisters. Lots of Cool Lube. Keep them clean.
Maureen Finn says
Hi, Trisha,
As a longtime fan of your work (and so grateful for it as well – I share your books and blog posts with my adopters all the time – I rescue Rottweilers with Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue), I am very excited to see you for your talk on Saturday!
I won’t be making the trials themselves this year, but I raise sheep, too, and my Rottweiler helps me with them as needed. She’s self taught, and a little to enthusiastic at times, but can be very helpful with my wee Shetlands.
Tracy Fitzpatrick says
I think in the first picture this beauty looked curious or awaiting instruction. The second photo without eye brows makes the dog look anxious. Can’t wait to hear your take on these photos.
Kristi M. says
Becky, why are you wanting to clip the coat of your Retriever? Generally, Retriever coats are designed to shed naturally rather than needing to be cut. Clipping can cause changes in the hair coverage, sometimes long term, which adversely affects appearance and protection. Clipping removes the insulating value of the coat which helps the dog stay warm in winter but also keeps him cooler in summer.
About the only reason to clip a double-coated dog is that they have become so matted (either short-term exposure to lots of burrs or long-term neglect) that it’s necessary to get the matts off for the health of the dog. But you really don’t want doing that to become enough of a habit to own your own clippers.
Now, if you’re just looking for something to use in neatening up feet or (gah!) trimming the face for the conformation ring, there are lots of handy little tools available, but they’re not about power but about precision.
But please reconsider before deciding to shave your lovely Golden on a regular basis. Better alternatives would be to learn to safely use tools like the Furminator and good brushes that will remove undercoat, leaving your floors cleaner and your dog more comfortable.
Here’s a nice article with more detail: http://www.lovefurdogs.com/dont-shave-dog/
I’d save the money and get some good de-shedding tools and maybe a nice complimentary shampoo. Best wishes!
Suzanne says
The people i know who groom goldens don’t use clippers. It’s important not to shave a golden’s coat. As far as tools to use, this article might be helpful for you. https://www.grca.org/about-the-breed/articles/grooming-your-golden-joanne-lastoka/
Anne says
We are thinking he looks nervous and would possibly bite if pestered.
Clippers for Golden Retriever? I lean toward brushes, combs and scissors only. Perhaps a matt comb if the coat is unmanageably thick.
Karen says
Hi Becky, has your dog been to a professional groomer before? You might start there to learn what clippers they use.
You might also check out Pet Edge, which is a company that caters to dog grooming professionals.
S says
That us incredible how much the removal of the markings change the perception of the dog’s “expression”. Just came from an event in the city where a dog had its tail tucked between its legs and it’s ears flat while it cowered behind its owners legs. Not sure which I felt most strongly about – the desire to have them feed the dog treats to reassure her, the desire to suggest they take the poor dog out of what was clearly a stressful environment, or my worry about having such a fearful dog on a flat collar vs a martingale so it wouldn’t pull loose…the dogs entire demeanor was one of complete overwhelm.
Beth says
Even with the photo shop I still go with my original “worried” response. It seems the dog is unsure how to interpret a situation and the situation is important enough that he WANTS to know how to interpret it. Which is why I come up with the very human “worried”.
I have a Corgi, previously two Corgis, and since they have no tails I learned to pay very careful attention to ears as an indicator of mood, combined with mouth and eyes. This dog’s face has some tension as you mentioned (closed mouth, round eyes) but there are not overt signs of defensive or offensive aggression. Yet. The dog needs more information but his current inclination is that he isn’t entirely happy about what he knows so far, is my take. If this were a strange dog I’d say something cheerful and leave its space. If this were my dog and I was asking it to do something, I’d change my request. If this were my dog and this look was not directed at me I would likely be trying to help my dog figure the situation out or distracting him from it, depending on what was going on. But in any case I would want to try to reduce the pressure. Unless the source of discomfort is obvious and unavoidable (a bath, for instance).
Diane says
without the eyebrows I think I see a little worry now..or anxiety. There’s a little wrinkle. But without knowing the dog or the context, or the photo alteration, who knows. It’s amazing how coloration can change perception. And I would never see any of this if it was happening live instead of a still shot!
Interested in the clipper thing. My dog (golden and poodle mix – sorry but he is cute) hates combing/grooming and has hair I would die for…thick and beautiful (he DOES shed). To save money, I thought of “in between” professional grooming with a do it yourself (scary for me…and him) . I do love him with longer hair, but it is really thick and gets matted easily…and it’s summer time.
Steph says
Wow, this is a fantastic double post.
Thanks so much. I’ll keep the “eyebrows” in mind going forward.
Best, steph
Barbara Piderit says
Hi, Becky,
I’m firmly in Kristi M’s and Suzanne’s camp: using clippers on a Golden’s coat is really not the best idea! The Latoska article from the GRCA (Golden Retriever Club of America) gives comprehensive and breed specific information on how to groom a Golden’s coat. Having owned, trained, shown and bred Goldens, I would suggest that you dissect it, perhaps with the help of you pup’s breeder and/or groomer. A good brush and comb through at least every other day should help enormously with a shedding puppy coat — s/he’s a puppy until at least the age of 24 months — and will help avoid matt-associated problems like hot spots, especially as we head towards summer weather. A correct Golden coat should not be shorn: thinning shears should help but, for the uninitiated, should probably be left to an experienced professional. Perhaps you can find a good groomer who’ll let you watch as s/he grooms your pup so that you can eventually do it yourself and still have a dog that looks like what s/he was meant to. HTH.
Corinne says
To me this dog looks exactly like the owner just said, “did you do this?!” about something like the trashcan tipped over/trash shredded on the floor. Waiting to see if it is *really* in trouble or it will be all right.
Margo says
Wow! How interesting…. now to me he doesn’t look as scared or nervous! This is a very good lesson. Love it!
Have a great trip!
Barbara K says
Kristi mention grooming the feet. I’ve had Kerries for 35 years and discovered that if I use some netting (like the bags for tangerines, etc.) I can slip one over the foot, snug it up so only the toenails stick out, I can Dremel them without worrying if the dog moves suddenly the Dremel doesn’t catch the hair and rip it out. (I have a leather work glove I wear to hold the paw so I don’t slip and Dremel myself.) I use a small blunt-tipped scissor and snip the hair out between the toes and pads…tried the clipper w/a 50 blade but too much vibration for the dog’s feet.
Vicki in Michigan says
I still think the dog looks uncomfortable without his black points, but less intensely so.
I’d want to know if the ears were back just for a second (checking out a noise?) or if he was holding them back. If he’s holding them back, I’m maintaining that is not a happy dog, and would certainly not go try to pet him.
As much as I love to meet new dogs, I do not pet an unfamiliar dog who isn’t soft all over. Tail low. Ears soft (if prick ears, not straight upright). Head low. Soft waggy posture. Soft waggy tail. Soft expression.
I’m not afraid of this dog, but there’s nothing soft about him….. I would talk in a friendly way to him, but would not approach while he looks like this.
Louise Tool says
I am familiar with chow and border collie coats (smooth coat). As mentioned, no need to shave down the coat. Let is aerate naturally. I do have a high power blower. Challengair Double K. After shampooing, I towel off with a damp chamois. Use a little pet silk to help the loose hair fall out. And use the blower. The conservatively using pet silk is also a great refresher to a dry coat. And with the blower, you can also periodically blow a dry coat and get out the dust.
Looking seriously at a golden rescue for the border collie since my chow past away. The personality is similar as is the grooming needs.
lin says
With no ‘eyebrows’ he doesn’t look AS worried, but still concerned.
Mr. B. almost never has his mouth open in a ‘smile,’ even at his happiest/most relaxed. My husband calls him ‘the saddest dog in town’. It concerned me when we first adopted him, but I’ve learned to look at his tail, ears and eyes. For a Facebook joke on his gotcha day, I posted a picture of him when we first got him next to another one of him in the same location in the same position that I took that morning, both with him looking very serious and wrote, “See the difference?”
A savvy friend posted, “Oh yes, you can tell he’s much happier in this year’s picture.” And it was true. In the first picture his eyes are more anxious, more “what do you want of me?” and his ears are just slightly down. In the second, his ears are up and forward, and his eyes are more relaxed, saying very plainly “where’s my cookie?”
p.s. None of my dogs were ever professionally groomed, but I’m fascinated by the conversation.
Jann Becker says
“Trash on the floor? What trash? Who, ME?”
kim l says
Pretty much the same impression in both pictures, although I think the dark around the eyes makes the dog look friendlier. In both pictures, my impression is the same, that the dog has heard something and is thinking about it. Whether that is a negative rxn or positive one, I really don’t know. If I wanted to approach, I would talk to the dog and see how it responded before going up to it and patting. Had someone ask me why I patted a tied out dog (outside a grocery store) who was barking and jumping up and down. It was young, it was silly, and it was having fun. Talked to it, it lowered its head, squeezed its eyes and wagged as hard as it could. Nice dog. What was the problem? But I know not everyone reads dogs well. I sure wouldn’t tie my dog up outside a store, but it didn’t seem that stressed out. Just barking for attention mostly.
Jessica says
One thing the eyebrows do for me is help define that between-eyes forehead furrow. That furrow is quite salient for one of my dogs in particular, but on a mobile expression I have always felt they help clue you in to tension. I have read that doggy eyebrows were developed during domestication as a tool to communicate with humans, but with Tootsie I think they are just too close to a human scowl and our facial recognition gets co-opted to human mode. It’s really mostly in stills though–there’s a YouTube husky who looks super grumpy in preview still, but in a video he comes across totally different, just with comically grumpy eyebrows. 😃
Jenny Haskins says
The photo without eyebrows (GSD) worries me.
The dog looks ‘vacant’ 🙁 I’d be very, very wary 🙁 Maybe it is just that I am so used to German Shepherd eyebrows and just how much we can read from them.
Poor Tootsy having to live with those angry eye0brows. She looks far more relaxed with them blackened 🙂
Alice R. says
I thought the dog looked worried in both pics, but I admit I had to look more closely after the eyebrows were gone before I decided that I felt the same way. The way poor Tootsy’s eyebrows are interpreted by people just reinforces how the camera lens, dilated eyes, etc in people can be misinterpreted by dogs. That’s why I think the best interpretation of how a dog feels comes from a devoted, dog intelligent owner. I’ve had my current dog, a poodle mix since he was a little pup. It has taken me most of his life (4 years) to stop worrying that he is unhappy or stressed because he almost always has a closed mouth. This from a real playful clown of a pup. Even if he is playing actively playing with me, tail wagging, dancing, jumping and having fun that mouth is closed unless he is hot or catching something. It’s just something that I’ve always interpreted a different way so I had to learn to relax about it and see him as an individual. An open, happy grin is rare so I treasure it.
Dorte Nielsen says
Hey Becky (June 5)
My dog is filing his own nails.
The nails on his hind paws don’t need to be filed because we are going for walks in nature, where he lashes out after he has peed and pooped outside.
For the nails on his front paws I’ve made a special device. I have covered an old wooden carving board with sand paper.
Then I’ve told him to dig or scratch on a mat by using do-as-I-do/ imitation/ copy. Then I added a verbal cue to the movement.
So – hey presto! – when he is scratching the sandpaper on the carving board, he is also filing his nails.
Jessica says
I just saw this new research on eye muscles for communication in dogs I thought you might like. In short, it looks like they have two extra muscles that imitate the human/baby human face, and that they are just for cross-species communication (or, if you are more cynical, manipulation haha).
https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2019/06/11/1820653116
Trisha says
Yes, fascinating yes? I am about to post on FB about it, maybe on the blog sometime in the future. I would like to see it replicated in other labs… sounds amazing that dogs would have a muscle that wolves simply don’t. But facial expression research also very interesting, love it!
Dorte Nielsen says
National Geographic brings an article about the study of the extra muscle cited by Jessica above:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/06/dogs-eyebrows-humans-communication/
Dorte Nielsen says
New Scientist also brings the news
Dogs evolved a special muscle that lets them make puppy dog eyes | New Scientist
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2206696-dogs-evolved-a-special-muscle-that-lets-them-make-puppy-dog-eyes/