Also called Calming Signals or Cutoff Cues. A social behavior in which one party seeks to pacify the aggression of another by taking an inferior social stance. This occurs between dogs and humans alike, and even from dogs to humans. Dogs use appeasement gestures to let a person or another animal know that they come in peace, to diffuse potential conflict. In dogs, appeasement gestures include (but are not limited to): yawning, lip licking, sniffing the ground, sneezing, averting gaze, submissive grinning, turning away (head or whole body), and/or scratching behind the ear. Generally if both parties intend for a peaceful meeting they’ll send signals back and forth. If Calming Signals are unheeded, stress accumulates and conflict can possibly ensue. It’s important for owners to learn to recognize them and act accordingly.
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