A nose nudge might seem small, but for dogs it’s one of the clearest ways to communicate without barking or jumping. Dogs don’t have hands, so they use their nose to point, push, and guide attention.

Not too long ago I was watching a familiar canine ritual. A female dog approached a litter of pups (not her own). As the four little puppies bounded over to her, she lowered her head and touched the ...

I glanced across the room to where the sounds of "Ich! Yuckky! His nose is all wet and cold!" were coming. These expressions of distaste were coming from Jeremy, the son of one of our neighbors. He ...