Understanding your dog's body language is crucial to communicating with him. Because dogs cannot speak, they use posture, facial expressions, and other body parts to communicate with us and other animals. Although dogs often express themselves verbally, such as barking, whining, and growling, they still rely heavily on non-verbal body language. In this article, you will learn some tips to better understand your dog's body language.
1. Tail wagging
There has always been a misconception that a dog that wags its tail is happy. Tail wagging, however, only indicates that your dog is emotionally aroused, which may be due to excitement, fear, or frustration. The faster your dog wags its tail in certain situations, the more excited it is. Pay attention to tail wags when your dog greets you: for example, when you come home; Does your dog greet you with a slow, sideways or circular wave? This is a sign of a happy, relaxed dog. A faster tail wagging, on the other hand, is a sign of alertness. Dogs tend to wag their tails to the right when happy, while wagging their tails to the left can be a sign of something negative. The position of your dog's tail in relation to the ground can also play an important role; the higher the tail, the more confident your dog is, while a downward pointing one. Or a tail clamped between the legs signals stress or fear.
2. Posture
Your dog's posture can provide important clues about his mood and intentions. Crouching down toward the ground is a sign of anxiety or stress. Dogs crouch to appear smaller and to convey that they are harmless. When a dog shifts its weight forward, it's trying to get closer to an object, which may indicate your dog has become curious. However, certain signs, such as a twitching tail held high, could indicate aggression. However, when your dog rolls onto his back and reveals his tummy, it's usually a sign of relaxation, comfort, and a request to rub his tummy.
3. Facial Expressions
Dogs have facial expressions that are quite similar to ours, but they don't use them in the same way. For example, we humans yawn when we are bored or tired. Dogs generally yawn when they are stressed. Some reports suggest that dogs yawn to calm down in stressful situations.
4. eyes
Your dog's eyes can give us a lot of information about his inner state of mind. Relaxed eyelids show your dog is calm or happy, while hard eyes show your dog may be aggressive. When a dog stares at something or someone for an extended period of time, it can indicate a threat.
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