Much being said but is anyone watching?

I sat on the leg machine watching.  Between sets I rest; not for long, just enough time to go again.  I was in my zone, listening to my rock'n "The boys are back in town,"  where I don't usually see much of anything because I'm in my workout zone.  But yesterday during my rest, I watched the human behavior unfold before me.  It was right in front of me.  When you remove the sound from an interaction, all you have left is body language. 

The two men were at an arm curl machine.  They were pretty far from me but straight in front.  One of the men was very buff; he obviously worked out a lot.  While the other one, not so much.  What was interesting was that only one wanted to be in the conversation.  Through body language I could see that the buff guy was done talking and wanted to workout.  He even made an attempt at ending the conversation by resting his hand on the other guys shoulder and then turning away.  A period to end it, so to speak.  

Well, the chatty Cathy didn't get it.  He continued to talk while the guy got back to his workout.  Even moving around in front of the guy on the arm machine when he felt as though he wasn't being listened to.  This was a one way conversation, common.  You know the type of people who only speak but never listen?  Even when they are trying to look like they are listening they are just waiting for you to stop talking so that they can speak.  These are not true conversations.  

The gym is a funny place.  So much is said with just body language.  There are those who go for the social aspect; while others (like myself) are there to workout.  Aside from the chatty Cathy's at the gym, much can be heard even in silence.  Body language is fascinating if you turn off the sound of communication; which is what I do as I enter the gym.  I very purposefully turn up my music to drown out the chatter.  I usually put my head down and workout.  I'm in my zone. 

Just last week as I sat doing some tricep dips; an elderly and very out of shape man stood in front of me.  After a minute of ignoring him (as that wasn't working to remove him) I took my ear piece out and said "yes?"  My body language spoke volumes, but he wasn't listening.  He proceeded to tell me what I was doing wrong and how I should be doing my exercise.  Clearly he doesn't read body language because even though I held my tongue I had a lot to say.  Before he finished his speech I calmly put my ear piece in and smiled.  He stood there not getting it.  Geesh. 

The interaction that I watched during my rest yesterday made me realize how much is said when you take away the sound.  Humans tend to use their voice far more than body language.  Our dogs use their body before voice; but if and when it is used, we tend to focus on sound.  Watching is far more important than listening in dogs.  

While the guy on the curl machine continued to workout; the talking man never stopped talking.  He didn't get the signal that the conversation was over; and that he was just spewing for his own need.  He wasn't watching any body language.  If he was he would have seen that the other guy was not interested in further conversation.  

As you all know, I am a watcher.  Yesterday's interaction gave a clear and precise message to me of just how important watching is.  Have we lost the art of visual communication understanding?  Maybe.  

The dance

The other day I was sitting with Luke while he ate.  Elsa was long done and sitting as well; quietly watching for that moment when I would pick up the bowl and she gets to eat what has been spilled on the ground.  Luke regularly spits the undesirables on the ground and she knows this.  As she sat watching he looked up to see her watching; she immediately turned her head.  I thought to myself at that moment "it's like a dance."  Dog signals to each other are just like a dance; so much so that they almost look synchronized when two well read and spoken dogs get together. 

We humans can see the signals but typically don't; not unless you know what you are looking at and are watching.  If you turn away while two dogs are interacting you can miss so much information.  Most people would not have seen the silent communication between Luke and Elsa.  There was no sound, nothing drawn out; it was quick and clearly understood.  Clearly understood is probably the most important thing here.  Many dogs don't communicate quite as clearly and there in lies a problem.  Of course personality will factor in; some dogs would challenge Luke on his "my food" communication.  When Luke looked at Elsa, there was no anger; he was simply stating that his food was not up for grabs.  She clearly understood this and by turning away; let him know that she had no intention of moving in on it. 

Writing this blog this morning made me think of this song.  One of my all time favorites.  Garth Brooks song done by Scotty McCreery, two of my favorites.  

                                       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Hl-zk3Ztw

I remember when Jessie and Tilley were getting way up into their senior years.  We had an incident one night that made me aware that I had to be even more vigilant than I typically am.  Jessie wandered over to Tilley while she was eating; I was doing the dishes and had turned away for an instant.  I heard a very loud growl from Tilley and turned just in time to scoop Jessie up and away from Tilley's food.  In an instant Tilley would have flashed her a look; frozen her posture and lastly felt the need to growl at Jessie's continual approach.  Jessie, having poor vision, loss of hearing and suffering from Dementia had missed it all.  Something that would have never happened when she was young.  When the dogs were a young pack, I loved watching their communication dance.  It is truly amazing how much is said between dogs without ever uttering a word. 

You have to watch to see.  Seems like a simple concept but we humans aren't so good at it; we are seriously inferior to dogs in the watching and seeing department.  When you do take the time to watch; or decide to become more vigilant in your canine communication watching, you will be amazed.  But you have to learn what to look for; when dogs are together it is a constant stream of communications.  It is so fast that by the time I can say "see that?"  That is gone and missed by the other person.  So getting a good understanding of signals before trying to see them is essential. 

I love it, canine communication, the dance.