Dog Body Language
Adjusting human body language and understanding canine body language are both important in achieving a positive interaction. Just because a person feels comfortable with his or her approach does not ensure that the dog is comfortable with it as well. It is important to understand how the dog is feeling before you get closer.
Luckily, dogs are very expressive and will make their feelings known orally or physically. The following descriptions are broken down by body part and common reactions. It is important to pay attention to different cues, such as the dog's stance, size of eyes, and tension of lips. People will often pay attention to one or two cues, such as if the dog's tail is wagging, and misinterpret how the dog is feeling.
Luckily, dogs are very expressive and will make their feelings known orally or physically. The following descriptions are broken down by body part and common reactions. It is important to pay attention to different cues, such as the dog's stance, size of eyes, and tension of lips. People will often pay attention to one or two cues, such as if the dog's tail is wagging, and misinterpret how the dog is feeling.
|
Happy and Content
A happy dog's muscles are relaxed and his tail and ears are held in their natural positions. His facial expression is neutral or he appears happy. His mouth is closed or slightly opened, and he might be panting with a regular tempo. The corners of his mouth might be turned upwards slightly, as though he’s smiling. He might wag his tail from side to side. Alert
When your dog is alert, he looks intense and focused. When standing, he may stand upright with his weight centered on all fours. His ears are up and pointing forward and his head and neck are erect. He holds his tail either in its natural position or vertically, possibly even curled over his back. His tail is rigid and immobile. His gaze is directed toward whatever he‘s detected. His mouth is typically closed. He might growl or bark. The hair on his shoulders or back may or may not be raised. Excited
An excited dog looks as intense as he does when he’s alert, but he might also have a playful demeanor. His body is ready for action. He looks natural in size, but his weight might be centered over his rear legs as he prepares to move. His ears are up and his tail is held high yet it may or may not wag. He looks at the individual or object that’s the source of his excitement. Excited dogs often hold their mouths open, and they might bark. Aroused
It is difficult to tell if an aroused dog is alert or excited. It is useful to know the difference when the arousal pushes him closer to feeling either frightened or aggressive. An aroused dog almost always has his hackles up. The difficulty is in determining if his body language is based on fear, uncertainty, or anger. His body may look normal-sized or larger, his ears might be flattened to the side or held forward, and his tail might be held low, in a normal position or high. He may or may not be looking directly at an individual or object. Sometimes there’s nothing in the environment that’s obvious to us, but a dog can be aroused by a sound that we can’t hear or an odor that we can’t smell. Playful
It’s fairly easy to detect when your dog’s feeling playful. His body movements are jerky and bouncy. Or he might jump on you and start mouthing. Dogs enjoy a variety of play styles, including games of chase, wrestling, tackle or “keep-away” with an object. Almost all play is interspersed with the universal “play bow”. When your dog play bows, he bounces into position with his forelegs on the ground and his hind legs extended so that his rear sticks up. This signal is extremely important because dog play also consists of aggressive behaviors and dominant postures. It is an invitation to play. Fearful, Scared
When your dog is scared, he does his best to look small. Often, his body looks hunched, with his tail held low or tucked between his rear legs and his ears flattened back on his skull. He might cower close to the ground. He may look like he is about to make a hasty retreat or recoil. He might look directly at the source of his fear or he might look away. The muscles of his body and face are tense and rigid. He might also yawn in an exaggerated way. Dominant
During interaction with a person or another dog, dogs sometimes convey a confident, assertive attitude that’s often called “dominant.” If your dog is feeling dominant, he stands tall and tries to look large. He arches his neck and appears tense. His weight is squarely on all four feet or he’s leaning forward slightly. His ears are up and oriented forward. His tail is high and rigid, sometimes flagging (slowly moving side to side) or quivering at the end. His hair may or may not be standing up on his shoulders or along his back. He usually makes direct eye contact with the other individual. He might growl, but his mouth will typically be closed. Submissive
If your dog is feeling submissive while he interacts with a person or another dog, he tries to convey the message that he’s the underling and that he’s not a threat. During active submission, he makes his body look small by cowering. He holds his tail low or tucked, sometimes rapidly wagging it back and forth. He flattens his ears or holds them off to the sides of his head. He keeps his neck low to the ground, but he turns his muzzle up toward the other individual. He averts his gaze so as not to look directly at the other individual. During play, he will usually lay on his back, displaying his underside. Some dogs, particularly puppies, urinate. Fearfully Aggressive
If your dog is fearfully aggressive, he will look fearful but may show his teeth and growl. Some fearful dogs never escalate to aggression, but others will if they feel there’s no escape. A fearful dog isn’t likely to bite a person or other animal unless all avenues for escape are blocked and he feels trapped. When this happens, he continues to cower but, at the same time, shows his teeth and might growl or snarl. If he snaps or bites, it’s usually lightening quick, and then he retreats as far away from the threat as possible. Some dogs wait until the person or animal who frightens them begins to retreat, and then they dart out to nip them from behind. Offensively Aggressive
If your dog feels anger and confidence at the same time, you might see offensively aggressive body language. He looks like he is in attacking mode, and he may or may not stop if the person or animal he’s focused on stays away or retreats. He does his best to look large and intimidating by holding his head high, his ears up and forward, and his tail raised and rigid. His hackles might be up. He positions himself over his forelegs so that he’s ready to lunge or charge forward. He stares directly at the person or animal. Hey may bare his teeth. His growls and barks are in a low, threatening tone. Defensively Aggressive
“A good offense as the best defense” If your dog is feeling defensively aggressive, he’d rather not get into an altercation. He’d rather the person or animal he’s afraid of just back off and leave him alone. But at the same time, he’s ready to stand up for himself. Dogs like this are sometimes bluffing and would likely retreat if push came to shove. However, other dogs will make the first strike, depending on how much confidence or fear they feel. Because he’s feeling both fear and anger, he often displays a combination of fearful and offensive postures. Typically, he looks large, his ears are up and forward, and his tail is held high and rigid. He centers his weight based on how close he is to the threat and whether his intention is to stand his ground, charge forward or retreat. Typically, he will wrinkle his muzzle and slightly bare his teeth. He may growl or bark in a high-pitched tone. Often, his hackles are up. |