Reading Dog Body Language

Relaxed dogs have a generally soft and loose body posture, they hold no tension and appear at ease. Their mouths are often open and they sometimes even appear to be smiling!

Ear position varies, especially based on breed but generally they are in a neutral or forward position. The tail can be relaxed, gently wagging or wagging enthusiastically.

They may be laying down where they may have a curved posture or if extremely relaxed they may even be on their backs with their belly showing. The eyes are soft and bright or may be blinking slowly.

Happy and relaxed dogs often enjoy being petted. They don't recoil when being touched, there's no tension in their body and sometimes they'll even nudge you to keep the pats coming!

Happy dogs are generally open to play. They may display a "play bow" where the front half is lowered and their tail and bum are up in the air. This is a welcome invitation to play!

Playing between dogs or other animals can be confusing as there is often mouthing, biting, barking and even growling and these behaviours can be associated with aggression. However, you may note that playing dogs will willingly go back in for more rounds rather than cower or retreat. Playing dogs also tend to have "bouncy" movements and even if engaged in rough and tumble their bodies are still generally relaxed.

It's important to note that while every dog has the potential for aggression and some show it more willingly than others, aggression is frequently used as a last resort when their warning signs have gone unnoticed or they have not been removed or been able to remove themselves from a stressful situation. So picking up when your dog is anxious or stressed is probably one of the more important skills to have as it can really help to avoid dangerous situations.

Dogs who are anxious appear very tense. Their ears are usually pulled back close to their head, the facial muscles are rigid and the head may be lowered or turned away so as to not look directly at the perceived threat. You may also note the dog giving a "whale eye". This is when the eyes are fixed on a person or object but the whites of the eyes (sclera) are exposed.

They may be standing rigid, with their tail between their legs and they may have one paw lifted. More often than not they will try to reduce their size by crouching or even laying down on their backs. As mentioned earlier, very relaxed dogs can also roll onto their backs but the key difference here is that there likely won't be any tail wags and the body/facial expressions will appear tense rather than soft. Some anxious dogs may even urinate while on their backs.

Displacement behaviours are also common when your dog is anxious or stressed. These are behaviours that are normal but out of context. Common displacement behaviours include itching, yawning, lip licking, sniffing or shaking off as if they were wet. These behaviours are displayed when your pooch has conflicting emotions and is attempting to diffuse stress or uncertainty. Dogs that are highly stressed can pant, pace and tremble.