Have you ever asked yourself, "What is my dog trying to tell me?" Dogs do know how to communicate and they do it well. It's just that they speak differently to us, mainly using body language.

Understanding the body language of your dog is essential to adapt to them and thus form a relationship of trust between the two of you. Plus that will help you better understand the needs of your four-legged friend. By the end of this post you will know what your pet is trying to tell you in different situations. Knowing this will help you support and guide them better. Maybe you can share this video with a dog lover you know to help them also.

The key areas to which you need to pay attention are their ears, tail, eyes, snout and how they are behaving. These areas will help you assess their mood and what they are trying to say. Here are some different moods that your dog may be in to find out how they feels look for the indicated signs

 

Number 1 - Relaxed and Approachable

 

When your dog is relaxed and willing to engage with you they usually show the following signs:

• Tail down and relaxed
• Ears up but not forward
• Head high
• Mouth slightly open and with the tongue pulled out
• Loose posture without tension
• They stand and walk confidently with their body flexible and upright

In this state your dog is saying that they are relaxed and do not feel threatened by the environment around them. Also they have no problems. This is the best time to train and enjoy time with them as they feel confident in the environment they are in and those they are with.

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Number 2 - Playful

I hope you have a lot of energy when you see your dog behaving this way because they are indicating that they want to play.

• Tail up and wagging
• Ears up
• Dilated pupils
• Open mouth and tongue out
• Body inclined forward with folded front legs
• Jumping from side to side
• Staying still for a moment before jumping again

Here we have the basic invitation of a dog asking to play. This behavior can be accompanied by excited barking or running with energy. Depending on the breed, the personality of your dog and how rested they are they may or may not openly invite you to play. If you have some free time and energy to burn go looking for that toy that makes your pet jump for joy and initiate playtime.

 

Number 3 - Alert

 

Observing the following characteristics be aware as your dog is attentive to something in their environment.

• Tail in horizontal position and moving from one side to another
• Ears up put forward listening for sounds
• Eyes wide open
• Snout and forehead straight
• Closed mouth with tongue inside
• One paw slightly in front of the other
• They stay still so as not to produce noises that prevent them from hearing more clearly

Here your dog is telling you that they have detected something of interest or something unknown. They still do not know if what they have detected represents a danger or not. But with these body signals they are informing you that there is a possible threat. And that they must be alert in case they have to act. If you know what it is that has them in this state and you know that it doesn't represent danger there is nothing left but to enjoy your pets over-dramatic response. But if you don't know what's got them in this state it's best to detect what it is in case it's something that may cause your pet any stress or harm.

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Number 4 - Dominant and Aggressive

 

If you observe the following characteristics in a dog you must be careful and act with caution. That is because they are telling you that they feel threatened and may act aggressively at any time. These are the signs to look for:

• Tail lifted bristling rigid and vibrating from side to side
• Bristly hair
• Ears forward slightly extended towards a v-shape
• Wrinkled forehead
• Retracted lips teeth and gums visible
• Rigid posture with the body inclined slightly forward
• They may sit still or move slowly looking to position himself better in case of confrontation.

Your dog is telling you that they feel distrustful. They are poised to threaten any possible danger and could act aggressively if challenged by something or someone. If the cause of this behavior is known, such as encountering another dog, it is best to remove them. This should be done preferably with a lead from the object that is disturbing them. At this time we recommend you leave your dog alone in a quiet place until it calms down.

 

Number 5 - Fearful and Aggressive

If you observe the following characteristics in your dog...

• Their tail between their legs
• Crouched body
• Bristly hair
• Ears turned backward
• Wrinkled nose
• Dilated pupils
• Curved snout and the
• Corners of the mouth stretched back
• Teeth slightly visible
• They stand still in that position ready to attack if necessary

....then they are telling you that they are scared but they are not submissive and may attack if they are challenged. A dog usually gives these signals when they come face-to-face with a person or animal that is making them feel threatened. They think that they may have to attack or defend themselves. That is why they take a stand that allows them to get out of the situation quickly in the form of an attack. They may also bark as a threat as if to say do not come near me.

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Number 6 - Stressed Out

 

Not just people get stressed out. Our pets can also suffer from anxiety. Look for the following signs to see if your dog feels this way:

• Low tail along with their body
• Ears backwards
• Dilated pupils with sad look
• Rapid breathing
• Mouth corners pulled backwards
• Moves clumsily and avoids confrontation

Your dog may be either stressed and embarrassed or irritated. If they are embarrassed maybe they feel ashamed of something they think they did wrong. Possibly after receiving the blame for something that they think they deserve or perhaps they feels irritated or upset. Dogs also have bad days. Maybe they were punished and they do not understand why. Or there may be something that bothers them like an irritating noise.

 

Number 7 - Fearful and Worried

To find out if your dog is fearful see if they show these signs:

• Tail between their legs
• Crouched body
• Ears back
• Scared look
• Little to no eye contact
• Raising paw and moving it to get your attention

Your dog is trying to get your attention with these signals because they want your help to solve a perceived problem. When you observe them in this state try to see if they are pointing something out. Like a wound or the place of something they find threatening. Follow them and observe them carefully while testing possible solutions such as hiding objects that they may find unnerving. There are insecure dogs that may show this state constantly. For them it is best to help them gain confidence little by little making them feel safe. But if you know that your dog is not usually in this state. And they have been like this without an apparent cause for a while. Take them to the vet to make sure that there isn't anything more to it.

 

Number 8 - Extreme Fear and Complete Submission

 

Pay attention to these traits because they indicate your dog is having a really bad time.

• Laying upside down
• Tail touching their belly
• Ears back
• Head tilted on the ground
• Eyes slightly closed
• Mouth closed expels drops or squirts of urine

They are indicating their total submission here. They are trying to say that they surrender before a leader of greater rank than them. Or at the threat they feel in order to avoid a physical confrontation. When your dog shows submission they tend to sit or lie on the ground taking a quiet position near you. They may avoid looking into your eyes possibly embarrassed or avoiding any confrontation.

Also if they feel very insecure they may start to make small shrill yelps like a kind of crying. If you see them in this pitiful situation first make sure nothing in your demeanor could be seen as threatening. Drop objects that you may have in your hands and kneel calmly beside them. Speak to them softly and with a reassuring tone until they shows signs of calming down. If they stay in this state of terror for an extended period of time seek professional help.

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Number 9 - Sick

 

The first step to know if your dog is sick is to observe if they show any of these signs:

• Tail down and hidden
• Look lost and eyes without shine
• Dull and rough hair
• Laying down most of the day
• Apathetic
• Dry nose and clogged eye corners
• Lack of appetite

A dog that trembles could be scared or shy but it can also indicate some kind of illness. If you know the character of your dog and you see that there is no reason for them to be scared it is likely that they feels sick. Find out what they have eaten in the last few hours as they may have an upset stomach. Ask other people in your family if they have seen them do anything strange.

Try to collect as much information as possible as it will be very useful to the veterinarian if you need to visit one. Look for any wounds and with great delicacy touch different parts of their body to see if they show any pain in a particular area. If there is no explanation for their condition and there is no sign of recovery take them urgently to the vet. Come prepared with a list of things your dog has been doing and eating in the lead up to their symptoms presenting themselves.

 

Number 10 - Feels Lonely

 

If you see that your dog:

• Puts their head between your knees or under your hand
• Touches you with their nose
• Lets out little whimpers looking for you to hear them
• Looks at you trying to maintain eye contact

They are looking for attention, informing you that they need you. If they touch your hands with their nose they want you to pet them and spend more time with them because they feel a little lonely and require your company. A curious situation can arise when your dog brings you a toy of theirs, you throw it for them to play with but they ignore it and stay with you. In this case what your dog is trying to tell you it's not that they want to play but they want you to give them the same attention you do when you play together. Bringing you a toy is their way of telling you "hey I feel lonely and bored treat me like when we play with this".

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These have been some of the most common behaviors of our dogs and as you can see that to understand your dog is very helpful as it allows us to know how to make them feel better. We hope that these tips help you better understand your pet and achieve a special bond with them. If you want to learn more about your pet don't miss our posts on the best ways to keep your dog healthy.

 

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