By Melissa Grasso
The main communication between human and canine is Body Language! I personally believe that this is one of the most important things to be educated about when owning a dog, especially if you are like me and enjoy taking your dog places with you. We don't speak the same language as our canine companions, so it is very important to pay attention to what they are trying to tell us! Here are some things you can look for:
Ears
Erect Ears: confident, happy, comfortable
Pinned Down Ears: fearful, unconfident, stressed
Alert Ears: hear or see something, investigating
Ears to the Side: comfortable, relaxed
Eyes
Almond Shaped: confident, happy, relaxed
Whale Eyes: round, sharp
-Soft: Fearful, anxious, stressed
-Hard/Sharp: aggression, next step if soft is ignored.
Squinty: calm, relaxed, happy
Tail
Erect: tight wagging, assertive, uncomfortable- inappropriate in greetings
Mid-Loose Tail Wag: confident, relaxed, secure in environment
Low, Semi-Stiff Tail Wag: unconfident, submissive, anxious, might urinate a little,    not quite tucked
Tucked Tail: fearful, anxious, stressed
Hackles (hair on back of dog's neck)
Up: investigating, on edge- could pair with erect ears and stiff tail wag
None: relaxed, confident
Mouth
Squinty Eye Pant: content
Wide Eye Pant: uncomfortable
Heat Pant: content, happy relaxed jaw
Lip Licking: anxious, very uncomfortable
Yawn: stress signal, anxious
Closed Mouth: overstimulation, slightly stressed
Whole Body
Belly Showing: Submissive
Lowering: fearful
Lunging: under socialized, fearful, aggressiveÂ
When a dog is playing with other dogs, if they are comfortable, they will be loose and their overall body language will be bouncy or wiggly, and you will see what is called a play bow quite often during their play session! Ignoring body language can result in unwanted behaviors. The dog can reach severity if they feel they are being unheard. Always pay attention to what your dog is trying to tell you!
