Reading Your Dog’s Body Language

The majority of dog owners would give anything to know what their dog is thinking every time their pup stares into their eyes. Owning a dog can sometimes feel like a game of guessing what your canine wants by showering them with kisses and pats on the stomach, appeasing their needs the best you can. The truth of the matter is that dogs communicate with us constantly, just in their own body language and verbal skills. Dogs will bark, whine, and howl, and each communication technique will mean something unique. Dogs will also pant, wag their tails, change their facial expression, and raise their backs. Further, dogs communicate with us through a variety of behaviors, like chewing on shoes, scratching at the door, or putting their heads on our lap when we’re eating dinner. To learn more about how to communicate with your dog, join Speak Dog!™ today, and let Steve Lankfer guide you through the 7 Sacred Ways of behavior dog training. Sign up today!

Their Tail

It is a common belief that a wagging tail is an indication that your dog is happy and pleased with the situation they are in. As humans, we feel familiar with this action — it’s one of the easiest body language signs for us to understand. This belief, however, isn’t necessarily correct. A dog wagging his tail means that he is emotionally aroused. This could mean your pup is excited, frustrated, or mad. To tell the difference between these emotional states, however, you will need to pay close attention to the speed at which the tail is wagging. 

• A fast wag means the dog is more aroused. 
• A slow wag that your pup does when they come up to greet you means that your dog is relaxed. 
• A fast, and twitch-like wag means like your dog is aroused, but potentially in a negative way. 

Direction of the Wag

To complicate things a little bit, the direction of the wag is important to consider. Dogs that wag their tail more to the right will feel positive about something, where a tail that is wagging more left will tell you that the dog feels more negative about something. If you see a helicopter wag, or a wag that is going in a circle, it is, without a question, a happy wag! 

Position of the Tail

The position of the tail is another important indication of how your pup is feeling. A tail that is held higher usually indicates a more assertive, confident, or aggressive dog, while dogs that hold their tails down or between their legs are trying to communicate that they are stressed or scared. 

Their Face

While your pup’s face is not as expressive as a human’s is, as we have an extensive number of facial expressions to communicate what we are feeling, they do still show their emotions in their face. 

A Happy Dog

If your dog is happy, you will see gentle and soft eyes, a relaxed forehead, and floppy ears. Your dog is not anxious, not alert, and just happy to be with you. It may even seem like your dog is smiling! Their mouth will be slightly open, their lips will be loose, and their tongue may even poke out gently. This is the face of a happy dog. 

An Anxious Dog

An anxious dog definitely looks a little anxious. Their forehead will be a little tense, showing some wrinkles, and their eyes will either be wide and staring, or they will avoid eye contact. Their ears will likely be pricked in order to pick up any clues about possible danger. 

A Scared Dog

Dogs have different responses to fear and will display these responses until they feel safe again. Some dogs will cower to make themselves feel much smaller, while other dogs will stand tall and bark loudly and aggressively. Your pups’ eyes could be wide, squinting, staring, or moving back and forth. Your pup’s ears will be flattened back against their head, and their mouth will be closed, their lips tight, though they may lick their lips and yawn. Your dog’s tail will be low or tucked between their back legs, which is a key indicator that your dog is tense. 

An Angry Dog

Chances are that you will recognize an angry dog when you see one, as the characteristics of an angry dog are very prominent and not easy to forget. An angry dog will make themselves appear as big as possible, raising the hair on their backs and keeping their body stiff and upright with their eyes hard and unblinking. Their mouth will probably be open, their lips drawn back and tense. Your pup may lean forward, putting their weight on their front legs ready to attack, releasing a low growl or staying silent.  

Their Sounds

Dogs have a variety of verbal communications that let us know how they are feeling. These signals can help you interpret their emotions and what they need from you.

Panting

A light panting means that your dog is calm, and it may even be so light that it is unnoticeable, and almost a light breathing. Dogs also pant when they are nervous, so keep an eye out for their associated body language. In addition to their emotions, dogs will pant if they are overheating, suffering from an illness, or a trauma. It is recommended to schedule an appointment with a veterinarian to ensure there are no underlying health conditions that could compromise your dog’s health. 

Barking

You could consider barking to be the dog version of yelling, as this is a great way for dogs to express themselves. But it’s more than your pup trying to keep you and the rest of the neighborhood awake — the pitch and frequency of barks all mean something. If your pup is barking continuously and rapidly, it is likely an alert. If there is a mailman delivering your daily mail, your pup may alert the mailman that this is his territory, alerting you and other dogs too. A warning bark, a bark that signifies that your pup doesn’t want someone approaching them, will give off a low and loud bark. A yelp means the dog is injured or surprised.

Whining

Whining can mean a variety of different things for your dog, but it usually means that they want something from you, like food or attention. The situation your pup is in might help you draw some conclusions as to how to navigate the situation. Your dog may be whining out of excitement, especially if you just asked if they wanted to go on a walk. An injured pup will whine out of discomfort, and some dogs may whine at the door to let you know that they have to relieve themselves.  

Your dog has many ways of communicating with you, and it just takes practice and patience in learning what your pup is trying to say to you! To speak dog, create an account with Speak Dog!, and let Steve Lankfer help you lead your dog through dog behavior training techniques. Join Steve’s Dog Park and share information about your dog and milestones in your dog training journey.