Recognizing your dog’s body language

Dogs use their entire bodies, from head to tail, to communicate with people and other animals. This is how they can show whether they are happy or scared, for example. Because people naturally communicate very differently from animals, a dog's body language can sometimes be unclear. It is therefore important to be able to read a dog properly based on the signals they give. In this blog, you will discover what your dog is actually telling you when you pay close attention to their body language.

A dog's posture

A dog's posture is extremely important and changes constantly. Their posture depends on the situation they are in, how they feel, how you feel as their owner, and the environmental factors. When we look at a dog's body language, we pay attention to their posture, the position of their ears, the direction of their fur, and the position of their tail. We also pay attention to their mouth, eyes, and pupils.

What can you see from a dog's body?

Body posture
When a dog adopts a high body posture, they feel confident and tough. They hold their head up, stand as upright as possible on their legs, and their ears and tail are raised. When a dog adopts a high body posture but keeps their tail low, they are not actually feeling as tough as they are trying to appear. The hair on your four-legged friend's neck and back may also stand up, which is often a sign of fear or anger.

The position of the ears
A dog's ears are in a ‘normal position’ when they are relaxed. They should not be directed backward. You can recognize a relaxed ear position by an ear flap that is turned slightly to the side. When a dog is alert, they will hold their ears pointed forward. If a dog carries their ears backward, there may be several reasons for this. They may be afraid, want to flee, or may instead want to greet you in a friendly manner. That is why it is important not to focus only on the ears, but to pay attention to the dog's entire body posture.

The fur
You can also notice various signals in a dog's coat. When a dog is relaxed, the fur on their back lies neatly against the skin. In a fearful or aggressive posture, the fur on the dog's neck and back will stand straight up. This is an important warning signal.

The tail
Your four-legged friend has three tail positions: neutral, high, and low. When a dog is not communicating, their tail is in a neutral position. If a dog holds their tail straight up, they feel confident or excited. A dog with a low tail position often does not feel very confident. Wagging is usually a good sign. If the dog moves their tail in a slower, wider arc, they are probably feeling content.

The mouth
A relaxed dog's mouth is often slightly open.

The eyes and pupils
In relaxed dogs, the eyes and pupils are not wide open and the whites of the eyes are not visible. They have a normal shape and size.

Warning signals
Dogs can display various warning signals. It is important to recognize these immediately to prevent a situation from getting out of hand. Many people think that a dog only displays aggressive behavior when they feel confident. This is not the case. Most dogs that bite do so as a result of fear aggression. When a dog feels threatened and becomes afraid, they may bite to defend themselves. It is good to know that dogs rarely do this without giving signals beforehand. So pay close attention if a dog displays one or more of the following signals:

• Growling or growling-barking
• Snapping
• Stiffening their body and/or staring at you
• Showing their teeth

Different emotions in dogs at a glance

A relaxed body posture
Clear signals can be seen in a relaxed body posture:

• The ears are relaxed and hang down.
• The eyes and pupils have a normal shape and size. The eyes are not wide open and the whites of the eyes are not visible.
• When the tail is held straight up, a dog feels confident and excited. If your dog moves their tail in a slow, broad arc, they are probably feeling content.
• The fur on the dog's back is also smooth and lies flat against the skin.
  
  

A fearful body posture
Clear signals are also visible in a fearful or nervous body posture:

• A dog will most likely freeze while assessing the situation and deciding whether they should flee or fight.
• The dog crouches or makes themselves small.
• A dog's eyes appear larger than normal when they feel threatened. Dogs that do not feel comfortable may appear cross-eyed.
• When a dog is scared or nervous, they will pull their ears slightly backward. If they are very afraid, their ears will lie completely flat against their head.
• Yawning is a stress signal in dogs. In addition to yawning, licking their mouth, moving their tongue back and forth, drooling, trembling, panting, and high-pitched barking are also stress signals.
  
  

An irritated or aggressive body posture
Be very careful if your dog or another dog shows signs of fear or aggression. In such cases, try to remove the dog from the situation as quickly as possible. Various signals are visible with this body posture as well:

• Dogs with an aggressive posture have upright or pricked ears.
• When aggressive, dogs stand upright and make themselves look big.
• The dog will look straight at you and position their body slightly forward. They will often also brace their legs.
• The dog's tail is held stiffly upright and makes short, tapping movements, or they may tremble intensely.
• Exposed teeth are often associated with an aggressive posture. The dog may also growl or growl-bark.
• In addition to the warning signals dogs show during aggression, they may also snap or bite. If dogs bite, there is certainly a chance that they will hold on and not let go easily.
  
  

An alert body posture
As soon as a dog is alert, they have an attentive gaze focused on whatever has caught their attention. Their ears point forward and their body is somewhat tense. They are ready to react.