Understanding your dog's body language
1. Introduction
Understanding your dog’s body language is fundamental in developing a strong and healthy relationship with your dog. Dogs are non-verbal communicators who express their needs and emotions through their body language. Through their physical cues, dogs express their needs, express what they want, and show what they are going to do next. For this reason, it is essential to understand the body language of dogs to understand what they are communicating with you, as trainers or guardians. This knowledge not only helps shape the way they are cared for, but also influences dog training programs. Proper training can help to control and improve the unwanted behavior that dogs can exhibit. In addition, properly training and understanding their behavior, when living with humans, can lead to a better life for the dogs. This series looks into the behavior of dogs. It focuses on the most important aspects of our best friends' lives, focusing on how their body language can provide clues to what they think and how they behave. The aim of this resource is to explain to dog unit staff and dog owners what to look for once the dogs are aware of their environment, i.e., the body language, sound, and indicators that a dog reveals stress and tension. Understanding a dog's body language can help cut down on potential misunderstandings and perhaps prevent instances of stress and aggression. It is also important for anyone who is handling or looking after dogs to closely watch what each individual is communicating.
2. The Importance of Understanding Dog Body Language
It is of great importance to humans to be able to interpret dog body language. Communication is a two-way process, and when we vastly misread any of these signals, we can lead non-confrontational souls into behavior problems and stress. Likewise, dogs living in an environment where they feel understood hold far less long-term stress-related issues, and they will have fewer posters showing "I'm scared, stay away." They will be able to just be dogs in their own home, exploring, playing, and seeking out food, family, and friends.
Failure to recognize stress signals as part of dog body language leads to heightened stress. If the dog is communicating in a scared and fearful way, and everyone around him is misinterpreting him and just thinks he’s being ‘bad’, his behavior is going to get worse. This can lead him into a cycle of fear and biting, redirected behaviors, or self-harming. It is the responsibility of the animal owner community to recognize signs of discomfort in dogs and help them. But unfortunately, many people ignore even the most explicit stress signals. The reasons for this may vary from individual to individual and probably don’t just display a lack of insight into how to understand dog body language with all its seemingly simple signals. Indeed, small variations in tail and body postures, ear carriage, or body proportion can signify big differences in dog sign language.
Being attuned to the body language of your dog offers you the potential to feel more connected, to read and respect your dog's feelings, and to know if your dog can handle a situation or something in the environment. They are less likely to suffer from misunderstood antisocial behavior such as fear and aggression, and they are less likely to be given up to shelters or euthanized as a result. You will have a stronger bond based on mutual understanding and respect, and you will be better able to protect them from harm and to teach them through clear communication. Socialization and training also benefit from a working knowledge of dog body language, helping to ensure safe and successful interactions with dogs and humans.
3. Common Dog Body Language Signals
Face
A dog's face communicates a wide range of messages. They can use their faces to display emotions just as humans can. However, dogs aren't able to smile or frown in quite the same way as humans because their faces are adapted specifically for canine behavior. The way a dog moves its ears, mouth, or eyes can be very subtle, so as humans, we're not always able to notice these movements. Nervous dogs may look anxiously around, avoid eye contact, and keep their mouths closed. Aggressive dogs may bare their teeth, growl, or glare. And if a dog is relaxed, happy, or excited, it may pant, wag its tongue, and appear floppy. Another important part of a dog's face is its eyes. Learning what relaxed eyes look like will help you recognize a dog that's feeling calm. Many aggressive or nervous dogs have eyes that are wide and showing the whites of their eyes.
Tail
Dogs communicate with their tails. Therefore, the tail position or movement can act as an obvious sign of mood and emotion. Dogs wag their tails when they are fresh, curious, or excited. If they aren't tight and tense, the dog is probably friendly. Dogs will slowly wag their tails from side to side when they are relaxed, and their demeanor is happy. Once the dog's natural tail posture is understood, you'll be able to better understand what the different degrees of tail movement usually mean. Sometimes being careful is important. A daily wag can mean a dog is aggressive, a sign that it is not relaxed. A wag with the tail straight up can mean a dog is alert and/or curious, or that it's dominant. A wag with the tail down can mean a dog is worried or scared. Most dominant dogs will walk around with their tails held high. A content tail will be wagged around in a relaxed manner. It might go in circles. Movement will be slight. A tense wagging tail will be wagging quickly and briefly. It's a small group of tail wags rather than a slow circle. Tail wagging can help us when dogs sniff each other. Look at the tails of dogs before interacting with them, and try to assess their behavior in relation to their tails before making an analysis of its own.
3.1. Facial Expressions
A dog's face is a powerful communicator of subtle and not-so-subtle emotional states. By examining a dog's facial expressions, one can infer a range of emotions: contentment or happiness, surprise, anxiety or fear, nervousness, or even aggression. Some common expressions are: relaxed, happy, mild anxiety, looking away to be polite, worried, a little bit stressed, scared, angry, or some mix. While facial expressions can guide us, it is critical not to rely solely on them. Always consider the context in which an expression is made, as well as the context preceding and following that expression.
Position of the mouth: The position of your dog's mouth provides lots of information about their mood. Looking at its shape and position helps us understand which emotion the dog is feeling at the moment. For example, a dog who shows us their teeth isn't going to give a friendly, calming signal! Dogs do smile, but if a smile is accompanied by a lot of other tension, that could be a warning. Another way to gauge a dog's anxiety level is to notice the motion of the mouth. The presence of lip licking can be very subtle, but when combined with other facial cues, it can provide a big piece of evidence about what your dog might be feeling. The presence of panting can also be a cue for us to pay attention to what might be causing anxiety in our dog. If it's hot and your dog is relaxed, they will pant to cool down. If, however, your dog is panting indoors in mild weather or in a new situation and they aren't running around much, they could be panting from feeling stressed. Eyelids and eyebrows: Some dogs have hair over their eyes, but eyebrows are expressive on every face that has them. Sometimes our dogs' raised eyebrows can even make them look like they have human-like facial expressions! A dog who seems to have a kind of 'shark eye' (that is, a lot of white showing on the side of its eye) is a dog who likely feels nervous or even afraid. Even if your dog isn't explicitly showing this facial expression, it's a good idea to look out for shark eyes and back away respectfully if you see them on any dog. Always remember to look at the whole dog to get all the information.
3.2. Tail Wagging
"Tail Wagging" is one of the most well-known signs in canine body language. A wagging tail indicates that a dog is excited, happy, or friendly, right? Not so fast. Laughter can disguise many things, and the same goes for a wagging tail. There's more to a wag than meets the eye. Dogs incorporate their tails into their body language like humans do. They can wag quickly, displaying how thrilled they are to see you; wag more slowly with an aggressive posture, indicating that they are a little unpleasant or uncertain about how to respond; or glare in one direction while raising the tail if they see something they find interesting or important. Your dog may appear tight and square with nearly every breath if they are angry but wanting to play.
Yes, tail wagging is typically an indication of enthusiasm, arousal, and friendliness, but other things are communicated via the tail. Fear can also trigger the wagging of a dog's tail. The tail never loses its ability to communicate something to us that goes beyond happiness. Tail 'talk' signals are influenced by the location, rapidity, and direction of motion. Dogs are quite alert to a wagging tail and may be able to communicate something through this straightforward yet potent signal. Even when engaged in a fight, the dog's tail may continue to wag softly or at a moderate pace. Dogs will frequently leave their tails up during the climax of a fight, not displaying any sign of intimidation. Consider a dog's tail while it is playing. The tails are relaxed, go up and down at a constant (but quick) pace, and trail up and down a little when the dog shifts position, or shifts from one pursuit to the next in rapid order. In contrast, playmates will display more of a 'weight-shift' wag and wag in the round merely to draw and catch the curious, timid play partner that is not yet included. Observe this wagging in the context of the other body signals.Tail Position and Movement - Wagging Tail: A wagging tail often indicates happiness, but the speed and direction of the wag can convey different emotions. A fast wag with a wide range typically signals excitement, while a slow wag might indicate uncertainty.Tail Between Legs: This usually signifies fear, submission, or anxiety. It's a clear sign that your dog feels threatened or uncomfortable.Tail Held High: A high tail position indicates confidence or alertness. If the tail is stiff and slightly wagging, your dog might be feeling dominant or ready to assert itself.
3.3. Ears Position
One of the most important signs of emotions in dogs is the positioning of their ears. Basically, there are three main positions of dog ears. Returning to the position of ears that hang down indicates the dog is relaxed. It is quite like a dog's natural condition. The dogs often look calm and not very sensitive. Since the ears are low, it appears strange, but this condition confirms the dog's confidence. It is emphasized that if the owner approaches their dogs while playing, holds the dog's ears in their hands, or gives a dog a hug to teach its condition. Dogs are sensitive to their surroundings, but if a dog suddenly becomes alert around its ear condition, it follows with a simple response of avoidance. This dog is just showing its curiosity, stretching out its ears and concentrating on something that draws its interest. Dogs in this state suppress significant areas of their thought to make a record of unusual situations around them and spend time proceeding with their steps in a short time.
Canine ears stretching toward the back typically indicate the dog is in a submissive condition. This way of carrying ears shows that dogs have stress or submission moods and sometimes interact with people around them by stretching their ears down during calming sittings or revisiting people who make them feel frightened or unsure. The dog who visits the veterinary hospital becomes frightened and hides away, and its ears hang heavily down to turn alert. The positioning of animal ears, the movements of their ears, and the responsiveness time of their stress emotions are considerably distinct, depending on their personality or the breed they belong to. Sometimes, alert positions of dogs' ears and states of fear align. So, it should be carefully checked during the observation of the relaxed ears of raised dogs in a calm environment.
Ear Position - Ears Forward: This position usually indicates that your dog is alert and interested in something. It could also mean they're curious or focused on something specific.Ears Back: Ears flattened against the head can be a sign of fear, submission, or discomfort. It may also indicate that the dog is feeling threatened.Ears Relaxed: When a dog’s ears are in their natural position, it generally indicates that they are calm and at ease.
3.4. Eye Contact and Expression
Direct Eye Contact: Prolonged eye contact can be a sign of dominance or a challenge, but with familiar humans, it might simply indicate attention or affection.Averted Gaze: A dog that avoids eye contact may be showing submission or anxiety. This can be a way of defusing a potentially tense situation.Soft Eyes: A relaxed expression with soft, blinking eyes indicates that your dog is comfortable and content.
3.5. Body Posture
A dog's body posture can be his most revealing behavior. Is your dog standing tall, with his head raised? If so, you're looking at a dog who feels self-assured and attends to what's going on in the environment. Is your dog on her belly, with little eye contact? That's a dog who doesn't want to challenge anyone in any way. Finally, a dog who is prostrate on the ground, hesitating to get up and flee, is likely afraid of something. He might not be able to escape or might hesitate because he doesn't want to anger the target of his fear.
What if he's standing on all four feet, but one or two of his feet are being placed far in front or behind, rather than right under him? If you see this, don't waste time looking at his eyes: this dog is scared and unhappy. Even higher on the fear scale, how about a dog who's lying on his back, possibly even exposing his belly? Help him quickly or someone or something is going to get bitten. A dog who's been through rehab or intense training can eventually enjoy lying on her back; their posture isn't accurate when relaxed, but for most dogs, belly-up is about the highest stressor they'll show. Do notice, however, that lying on her back can also show a high level of happiness. One of the silliest pictures is of a dog lying on her back with a play ball in her mouth, looking at the camera upside down.
Body Posture Relaxed Body: A dog standing or sitting with a relaxed posture, weight evenly distributed, and no tension in the muscles is at ease.Stiff, Upright Posture: This can indicate alertness or a defensive stance, especially if combined with a rigid tail and ears forward.Cowering or Lowered Body: A dog that lowers its body or cowers is showing submission, fear, or anxiety.
3.6. Mouth and Facial Expressions
Relaxed Mouth: A slightly open mouth with a relaxed expression indicates that your dog is calm and comfortable.Baring Teeth or Snarling: This is a clear warning sign of aggression or fear. It's a dog's way of telling you or another animal to back off.Yawning: While yawning can mean your dog is tired, it can also be a sign of stress or discomfort.
3.7.Pawing and Nosing Pawing at You
When a dog paws at you, it's often seeking attention or interaction. It can also be a sign of affection.Nosing: A dog that nudges you with its nose is typically seeking attention, expressing curiosity, or showing affection.
3.8. Barking and Vocalizations Short, Sharp Barks
These usually indicate excitement or a desire to get your attention.Growling: Growling can be a warning sign, signaling that your dog is uncomfortable, scared, or feeling threatened.Whining: This can be a sign of anxiety, fear, or a desire for attention or something specific. Play Bow Play Bowing: When a dog lowers its front legs and keeps its rear up, it’s a clear invitation to play. This is a friendly and playful gesture, signaling that your dog is ready for some fun.
4. How to Interpret Dog Body Language
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Part of the exercise explores a list of various dog cues that many people find fear-related: lowered body, averting eyes, long tongue flicks, risky/tight (“silent barking”), and strangled yawns. Students underline the ones that communicate fear. Then she takes the dogs to their most reliable and cherished training site, the elevator, to show the individuals who chose the pet kangaroo reactions they didn’t select. How, she asks her students, do you know that a lowered body refers to fear in your dog? What about when your dog is wearing a “leaned back” play grin? Or has their weight shifted back on their hips a bit rather than breaking into a run – how does what she’s put in this particular context tend to elicit these reactions from your dog? These cues should not be analyzed in isolation to narrowly focus on the “assignment” of the behaviors. Knowing your dog and their way of feeling comfortable, interested, bored, happy, surprised, puzzled, or threatened in the world is about learning to interpret these cues in a different kind of vocabulary over time and within context.
5. Practical Applications of Understanding Dog Body Language
Understanding dog body language can be invaluable, offering unparalleled control when communicating with your pet. This idea can be a bit difficult to comprehend; after all, we’ve touched on body language’s subtlety and complexity. Breaking down the intricacies of communication to dog body language is more than speculation at this point—principles are being applied to good effect every day. Training based on reading body language is growing in popularity among those who practice modern training methods, particularly methods formulated by veterinary behaviorists. These specific training methods make use of knowing the difference between a fearful and a non-fearful dog and how to approach each.
Having a firm grasp on dog body language can also help when working in rescue or rebuilding a dog's trust from severe abuse. Fluency in recognizing stress from body language can be used when working with other dogs, other animals, or humans who may not be as well-versed in giving clear signals. For some dogs who have little or no social experience, or an unknown social background, this learned fluency might be the difference between a positive social interaction and a traumatic experience. We need to be more than just patient; we need to understand and empathize to give these dogs a fair shake. The more comfortable dogs are, the safer everyone is. Body language may mean the difference between managing manageable fear or living in fear. Knowing when to manage this fear may be impossible when the only sign is aggression. But when the dog’s body language tells you he’s not in an aggressive mind or body, we can assume handling this fear is possible. A few cases can illustrate the individual impact.
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