Dog body language

Happy Australian Shepherd puppy holds its fluffy tail high. Image for canine body language tag page.
Canines communicate using body language and a dog tail message can convey anything from happiness and confidence to fear and aggression.

Learn to read dog body language. Then you will understand what it means when your dog pants, shakes or sniffs.

Licking: Dogs lick to show love and affection, mark their territory, heal a wound and relieve stress.

Pawing: Pawing is a natural and inherent way for dogs or puppies to communicate. Dogs use their paws to demand that we “focus” on them so they can tell us what they need.

Tail messages: Your dog uses his tail to convey everything from happiness and confidence to fear and aggression.