Dogs are commonly referred to as man’s best friend. There’s no doubt that dogs can bring us immense amounts of joy and happiness – and whether they’re performing important tasks for service dog handlers or working dog teams, or simply acting as faithful pet companions, we seem to have no problem communicating with them (and vice versa).
Of course, on the face of it, communication could be an issue between humans and dogs. As dogs are unable to converse with us, it would seem obvious that there could be a communication problem. Despite the verbal language barrier, however, there are ways we can understand our dog’s behavior – through studying their body language.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some common dog body language cues, and how to interpret them to better understand your dog’s behavior.
Firstly - a caveat about dog behavior
Every dog is an individual. As such, they behave in an individual manner, with their own temperament, thresholds and mannerisms. Even when comparing dogs of the same breed with the same upbringing from the same owner, there are natural variations in behavior.
With this in mind, we want to caveat that this article only aims to apply general behavioral principles to canine behavior. Your dog may behave differently, and the information provided in this article is no substitute for having your dog evaluated by a professional dog trainer. If your dog has significant behavioral issues, we do not recommend trying to identify and resolve these tendencies by yourself.
How can dogs communicate with humans?
When you think of the ways that dogs can communicate with us, you may think of their mouths or tails. A dog’s mouth can obviously be used to communicate by barking or growling, or in more extreme circumstances, biting. We also commonly think of a dog’s tail when we think of canine communication – most people would likely associate a wagging tail with a positive, happy pup.
However, by studying your dog in more depth, you can actually discover hints about their attitudes and behavior in various situations. Almost every part of their body can provide an indication to you. For example:
- Eyes – Is your dog displaying the ‘whale eye’? Are they focused on one thing in particular, or are they staring at something way off in the distance?
- Ears – Are your dog’s ears pinned back? Has something caught their attention and caused their ears to move forward?
- Mouth – Is your dog making any noise – are they whimpering, growling, howling or barking? Are they licking their lips or baring their teeth?
- Paws – A paw-raise often signifies a desire to play or interact with humans, but what is your dog hoping to receive as a result of that behavior?
- Tail – Is your dog wagging their tail to express excitement or happiness? Or is their tail tucked – which can often indicate that they are fearful or uncomfortable?
- Posture & fur – Is your dog standing up straight, looking confident and alert? Or are they cowering and trying to make themselves smaller? Are their hackles raised (indicating arousal or substantial curiosity)?
Your dog may use a combination of one or more of the above to indicate their behavior in a given situation.
Next, we will study some of the common characteristics that a dog may exhibit to demonstrate their behavior. Again, we must stress that these are general traits, and individual dogs may display different behaviors.
The confident dog
Confident dogs exhibit a range of body language cues that convey their self-assured and relaxed nature.
Their posture is typically upright with a straight back, and they maintain an erect tail. Their ears are attentive and alert, pointing forward, while their facial expressions are relaxed, with soft eyes and a mouth that is either slightly open or closed. Confident dogs make direct (but not intense) eye contact, often blinking or looking away to demonstrate trust and a lack of aggression. Their fur lies flat against their body, and they exhibit playfulness, curiosity, and a willingness to approach new situations without fear or anxiety.
The fearful dog
Fearful dogs display several traits that reveal their unease and discomfort.
Signs of a fearful dog include cowering or trembling, a tightly tucked tail, flattened or pulled-back ears, wide and dilated eyes, yawning or lip licking, avoidance of perceived threats, potential growling or snapping, and a generally tense body with the possibility of raised hackles. Fearful dogs may also hide or seek hiding places as a coping mechanism to escape threatening situations.
The overstimulated dog
Overstimulated dogs are perhaps the easiest to identify as their traits are very unsubtle.
An overstimulated pup may bark excessively, pace rapidly, have dilated pupils, display hyperactivity, pant heavily, have an ability to focus, and just be generally restless. The dog’s tail may wag frantically, and they may struggle to settle down or maintain self-control. In general – particularly if you or your dog are unfamiliar with a dog displaying these traits – it may be advisable to keep your distance.
The potentially dangerous dog
Dogs in this category are not necessarily outright aggressive – but they are displaying traits that mean that humans and other dogs should proceed with caution.
Growling, sniping or barking are obvious signs that a dog (particularly if you are not familiar with them) should be given space – as are raised hackles and other posturing. However, there are other circumstances where you should be cautious. For example, a resource guarding dog may protect not only its possessions, but may also want to protect its people or property. These dogs may not give outward vocal cues, but their eyes (intense staring) and mouth (raised lips) may indicate their discomfort.
In summary
Dogs can be complex creatures, and the variety of behaviors they can display means that analyzing their behavior isn’t always straightforward. One common issue arises when dog owners misdiagnose their dog’s behavior (such as mistaking reactivity for aggression) and therefore try to apply a solution to fix a different problem.
If you have questions about your dog’s behavior, our team at Greenside Canine would love to help you answer them! Please feel free to reach out and contact us for more information.