Do You Know Your Pet’s Language? (Part 1)

Body language. You can probably recall numerous times when you knew someone was nervous, confused, or even lying to you based on their nonverbal cues. But how proficient are you at reading your pet’s nonverbal cues?

Understanding your pet’s signals can make life a bit easier for you and her. And when confronted by a strange dog, knowing a few signs of aggression can help you stay safe.

This post highlights some important types of body language in dogs, and our next post will focus on body language in cats.

Body Language in Dogs

According to Modern Dog magazine:

“Dogs have a language that allows them to communicate their emotional state and their intentions to others around them. Although dogs do use sounds and signals, much of the information that they send is through their body language, specifically their facial expressions and body postures.”

So what are some of these facial expressions and body postures? Here are a few prominent highlights from the ASPCA’s Virtual Pet Behavioralist (Link not available anymore):

Eyes
When your dog’s eyes become larger than normal, she may be feeling threatened, stressed or frightened. Large eyes could also indicate an aggressive mood. Smaller-than-normal eyes could indicate fear, stress, or even pain.

Mouth
When they’re happy, dogs often have their mouths closed or just slightly opened. A dog who’s frightened will probably also have his mouth closed, with lips pulled back slightly at the corners.

Watch out when you come across a dog who’s showing her teeth. This is often a sign of aggression. You should also take care when you observe an “aggressive pucker.” According to the ASPCA, this is when a dog’s lips are moved forward over her teeth, and she exhales air so that her lips look puffy and large.

Ears
Raised ears signify alertness. If they’re raised and forward, she’s most likely feeling aggressive. Ears that are slightly pulled back signify friendliness, and when they’re flattened to the sides of her head, she’s probably either frightened being submissive.

Hair
If a dog suddenly sheds a lot of her hair, she’s most likely very stressed. If she raises her hair along her spine, this could mean that she’s afraid, or even angry.

Tail
Most pet owners know that dogs often tuck their tails between their rear legs when afraid or being submissive. It’s also common knowledge that dogs wag their tails when they’re feeling happy. But tail wagging shouldn’t be confused with a dog who’s flagging her tail – holding it high and moving it stiffly back and fourth. Dogs often do this when threatening a person or an animal.

Want to dig deeper? Check out the sources below, and leave us a comment if you know of other valuable sources on this subject!

ASPCA: Canine Body Language

Modern Dog Magazine: How To Read Your Dog’s Body Language

Petside.com: Canine Body Language 101