Which of the following is an example of a canine calming signal that can pacify an escalating situation?

• A. Wagging tail
• B. Jumping up
• C. Yawning
• D. Barking

Answer: (C)

Calming signals are the ways dogs communicate to reduce tension and avoid a fight. Yawning is a classic example: when a dog yawns in a tense moment, it’s sending a message that it’s not a threat and that it wants to cool things down. In an escalating situation, a dog’s yawn can help lower arousal in the other dog or person, making space for de-escalation and calmer interactions.

The other options tend to convey higher arousal or attention rather than calming. A wagging tail can signal happiness or excitement and might be misread in a tense moment, not reliably calming. Jumping up is an attention-seeking behavior that can add energy to the scene. Barking increases noise and arousal, which typically escalates tension rather than pacifies it.

So yawning is the best example here because it directly communicates non-threat and helps dampen the intensity of the interaction.