Has your dog ever acted a certain way or done something, but you are unsure what it means?
Often, your dog may try to tell you something, but you may miss the meaning because you don’t understand dog body language or behavior.
Therefore, you must know why your dog does what she does and what it means when you see her panting, shaking, or sniffing around your home or outside.
Your dog’s entire body, from ears to tail, provides messages you must learn to decipher to improve canine communication.
Pay attention to canine body language cues to understand your furry friend’s emotional state and recognize what your dog’s trying to tell you.
Common signs of dog body language stress
Stress
Signs of stress include panting heavily, pacing, and possibly shaking. Stressed dogs also show the sclera or whites of their eyes in a position commonly called whale eye.
Be cautious. Stressed dogs are more likely to snap and may need to wear a muzzle when at the vet’s office or the dog groomer.
One of the most common stress causes for dogs is separation anxiety or fear of being abandoned.
Anxiety is common for dogs in new situations. You can reduce your dog’s anxiety in stressful situations through socialization.
Stressed dogs calm themselves by yawning, circling, lip licking, sitting, or lying down.
These are all calming signals that a dog would show her pack members. Dogs see human family members as their pack.
Fear
A fearful dog is easy to spot. The dog tends to crouch nearer to the ground, tail tucked between her legs, may whine, and move her ears back. She’s also likelier to have a lowered head and not make direct eye contact.
If your fearful dog doesn’t tuck her tail, she’s more likely to wag it slowly in a circular motion.
This behavior is often due to a sudden change in the dog’s environment, such as when you move to a new home or take a road trip.
Dogs are creatures of habit, and disrupting your dog’s routine can make her fearful.
Watch your dog’s eyes for signs of fear. For example, dogs are prone to freeze when stressed and show the whites of their eyes when fearful.
Fearful, anxious dogs also are more prone to fear aggression and can quickly become dangerous.
Aggression
Noting the posture of an aggressive dog — especially a dog you do not know — is important because it might help you get away quickly.
Learn to recognize aggressive body language.
First, an aggressive dog will have all four legs on the ground and stand still as if to say, “I’m challenging you!”
The hair on the dog’s back may rise; his head will be held high but can be in a lowered position at the same time.
His ears will be back as if pinned to his head, he likely will be snarling and growling, and his eyes will fixate on you or whoever they want to dominate.
Avoid eye contact with an aggressive dog.
An aggressive dog may also bare his teeth and is more likely to growl. Dog bites are more common from aggressive dogs.
Common canine body language happy cues
Confidence
If your dog feels good about himself and his environment, he is confident.
That’s easy to spot because your dog will stand on all four legs, head high, ears up, and his tail (if there is one) will be up high.
When your dog is confident, they give off a friendly demeanor that is easy to see.
Happy
A happy dog looks confident, but her tail wags rapidly from side to side.
She’s also likely to prance, wiggle, and be excited. Dogs also may use a play bow to show they are happy.
When your dog is happy, sometimes he will bark, but the bark is playful rather than aggressive, and you can quickly tell the difference.
Some happy dogs even appear to smile.
Communicating with your dog
Learning to read canine body language will help you know how best to approach and work with your dog.
Understanding your dog’s body language will help you both live happier lives. Recognizing warning signs that your dog is fearful, anxious, or aggressive is crucial.
Dogs communicate through body postures, facial expressions, tails, and paws.
Kelly Marshall is a featured author on Oh My Dog Supplies. For more articles by Kelly, visit Oh My Dog Supplies.
