¶Body language is at least as important as “dog language”
One of the most important things for both you and your dog is that you understand each other. It’s crucial that you can read your dog and clearly communicate what you expect. You “speak dog” with both your voice and your body language – and the two have to match.
You might try to call your dog with a cheerful voice while your body is signaling irritation. Your dog will pick up on your body, not your words, and think “don’t come to me” instead of listening. You get back what you send out. A dog doesn’t read between the lines – it reads exactly what you signal. Body language is at least as important as your voice when you communicate.
Some dogs feel threatened when you lean over their back, which you’ll notice if the dog tries to create distance from you. This often happens when you want to praise the dog with a pat on the outside of its back. If your dog feels threatened, try stroking the inside of its back instead. If your dog feels threatened by you, it will lose trust in you – and you don’t want that.
Also remember that dogs can see us as dominant and threatening when we raise a hand or hold an object.
If you want to approach an unfamiliar dog, stay calm and crouch down, or turn your face slightly away to avoid direct eye contact. Then let your arm hang loosely toward the ground and allow the dog to make the first move.
Your dog quickly learns your facial expressions, moods, and gestures. Dogs are much better than we are at reading unconscious body language.
We communicate with dogs through our tone of voice, gestures, whistles, and the energy we project. Older dogs can have a larger vocabulary; they can learn a lot if you train often. Herding breeds generally have a larger vocabulary than many other breeds.
¶Dogs’ body language
- A threatening dog has a much stiffer expression, while a friendly dog looks relaxed. A dominant dog often shifts its weight to the front of the body, while a less dominant dog carries more weight on the back end.
- Aggressive – An aggressive dog may wag its tail high and stiff.
- Dominant/threatening/confident – A dog that feels dominant, threatening, or confident carries its tail high and curved.
- Confident – A confident dog carries its tail high and straight.
- Uncertain/threatening – A dog that feels unsure or threatening holds its tail high.
- Uncertain/afraid – An unsure, frightened dog may bare its teeth and tuck its tail between its legs.
- Dogs communicate with their mouths, eyes, ears, and how they hold their heads.
- Very afraid/very insecure – Low body posture, crouched, hackles raised along the entire back, tail tucked tightly under the belly.
- Confidence – The dog raises its tail and lifts the hackles on the neck and the front part of the back.
- Impress/threaten – A dog that wants to impress or threaten puffs itself up and stretches out its legs.
- Uncertainty/fear/submission/peaceful intent – A dog that feels this way doesn’t want trouble and will pin its ears back.
- Relaxed – A relaxed dog lets its tail hang straight down.
- Confident/interested/threatening – A dog that feels confident, interested, or threatening points its ears forward.
- Submission/fear – A fearful or submissive dog crouches and pulls its chin up toward its body.
- Confident/threatening – A dog that feels confident or threatening pulls its chin down toward its chest.
- Threatening/challenging – Just like cats, dogs can challenge you by holding eye contact and staring.
- Anger – As many people know, an angry dog shows its teeth.
- Submission – Low body posture with no raised hackles.
¶Positive signs of submissiveness from your dog
- The dog sinks down, lowers its head, and looks up at you.
- The dog wags its tail low.
- The dog’s ears are laid back.
- The dog “smiles” with the corners of its mouth pulled back.
