Calming signals
Small gestures a dog uses to defuse tension — yawning, licking its lips, turning away, sniffing the ground for no reason.
Also called: appeasement signals · stress signals · dog body language
These read as random or as guilt to most owners. They are neither. A dog that yawns while a stranger leans over it is not tired, and one that suddenly becomes fascinated by a patch of grass as another dog approaches is not hungry for smells.
They are the earliest honest feedback available on whether your dog is coping, which makes them more useful than anything the dog does once it is already barking.
A session with a good trainer spends real time here, because an owner who can read them can stop a rehearsal before it starts rather than managing the aftermath.