Body language explained

PART 1: POSTURE

Most dog owners would love to know what goes on in their dog’s head. The good news is that dogs are remarkably communicative through their body language and that, unlike humans, they don’t ‘fake it’ or pretend to feel one way when they feel another. This means that understanding your dog is actually much easier than you might expect, and by simply learning a little about body language, we can start to ‘read their mind’ just by looking at them.

AN OVERALL PICTURE

Many elements make up the overall picture we call ‘body language’. For this, our first edition, we start with posture, but over our next few editions, we will be diving into the specific body parts in some detail to examine exactly what they can all tell us.

POSTURE

The way your dog holds his body reveals a lot of information about his mood. Happy dogs stand in a relaxed manner, with their weight spread evenly over all four of their feet. They might bounce or bow or jump. Confident dogs will stand tall and alert, with their ears and tails standing to attention. Cautious dogs lean backwards as though they are preparing to retreat or run away, and scared dogs try to make themselves as small and unobtrusive as possible by getting low to the ground and tucking their ears and tails underneath them. Aggressive dogs, on the other hand, stiffen up, leaning forwards and making themselves as big and intimidating as possible.

ANGRY

An angry dog will hold a tense posture with his tail up, hard eyes, his ears forward, and his teeth bared. He may even start snapping at the perceived threat.

CAUTIOUS

When a dog is uncertain about a situation, a person or another dog, they often adopt a submissive posture. Their body language aims to show that they are not a threat. They lower their centre of gravity, avoid direct eye contact, and lift their lips slightly to show a ‘smile’. They may also tip their weight backwards in case they feel the need to run away.

CONFIDENT

A confident dog will tilt their body weight forwards and lean into their front legs. If the hair between their shoulder blades stands up, their posture becomes stiff, and their eyes fix into a hard stare, they are moving into a more aggressive state. If they are particularly ready to assert themselves, they might even pull their lips back to show their teeth.

HAPPY

A happy and relaxed dog tends to take on a loose posture, with their weight distributed evenly across all four paws. Everything about them is relaxed, from their tail to their tongue. They might bounce, jump or bow if they want to play, and their eyes will look soft and interested.

INTERESTED

When a dog feels alert and curious, they stand upright, lift their ears, point their tail, and look forward. They share their weight evenly across their paws and turn towards any sights or sounds that catch their attention.

SCARED

When your dog feels scared or intimidated, they will try to make themselves as small as possible. They want others around them to know that they are not a threat. They cower towards the ground, tuck their tail underneath them and pull their ears back. An anxious dog may even roll over to expose their belly.

STRESSED

Stressed dogs will cower and tuck their tail. They generally keep their eyes averted and their ears back. They may tremble, and in some cases, even bare their teeth.

WORRIED

Worried dogs often appear fidgety. Their tail will be held low, and they often show whale eyes. Their ears tend to be down, and they may yawn or lick their lips.