Interpreting a Dog Behavior through its Body Language
Dogs don't just communicate vocally, they also use and interpret body language, using their whole body to communicate from a tilt of the head to a wagging of the tail.
A dog's body language is more than a wagging tail or baring its teeth. It is a way of communicating who they are, what their pack position is and much more.
Start taking note of your dog's actions and start interpreting dog behavior now!
The more you understand your dog, the more you know how your messages to him are understood.
Interpreting Dog Behavior in the Dog Park
Taking a trip to the dog park and watching how dogs interact with each other can help one learn how one dog's body language communicates and reacts to another dog's body language.
Watch the positions of his ears and the look on his face from the frown on the forehead to the tension around mouth and muzzle.
How the dog's weight is distributed and how he is holding his tail.
You will begin to learn if he is relaxed and / or dominant in a given situation or whether he is submissive or even fearful.
Interpreting Dominating or Submissive Dogs
A dominant dog isn't an aggressive dog, he is confident of himself and his position.
Likewise, a submissive dog is not a frightened dog. In fact they are also confident knowing where they stand in the grand scheme of things. They know their position and are content with it.
A dog's body language may show that they are submissive to a higher rank but dominant to a lower rank. In fact it is within these middle ranks that most fighting occurs because they are continually vying for position.
A pack leader does not need to lower himself to fighting.
When you are at the park, watch the dogs that are playing together but more importantly watch those that are meeting for the first time.
How does one react to the other, do they both react the same? Does one dog show dominance over the other?
Interpreting their Overall Behavior
When you watch them, look at their overall behavior and then try to pick out the subtleties in the behavior.
Do they both meet with tails up and wagging, are they relaxed or stiff?
Watch the eyes, the ears, mouth and hair - particularly along the neck and back.
Interpreting You and Your Dog's Body Language
Dogs are naturally pack animals with acute senses.
They can hear, see and smell things long before we can. They are always watching each other as well as to what is going on around them.
They use their body language as a means of communication and will very often watch yours and interpret your moves.
Knowing this, we can use it to our advantage by doing two things; learning our own dog's body language and learning how to use it in their training.
Learn more about a dog's body language and how to interpret their demeanor and behavior as well as other dog training information.
Interpreting and Reading Dog Behavior
Learning and interpreting dog behavior will drastically increase the happiness and ease of living together, as dogs communicate with us through actions.
Consider your pet as a family member, and you will be rewarded with the ultimate bond of unconditional love.
Interpreting dog behavior is pretty simple.
They have limited actions and verbal noises, and once you are able to start interpreting dog behavior, will make both your lives easier. You will then know when your pet is happy or distressed.
Interpreting dog behavior is what most devoted dog owners can immediately do and know what their dogs are feeling by different body language signals.
Below are some examples of interpreting dog behavior:
Interpreting Happy Dog Behavior
A Friendly Tail Wagging Dog's tail will make wide sweeps or almost a circle movement, with the tail hanging down, and not held straight up and wagging stiffly. The ears are relaxed and fur will be smooth down the spine and shoulders.
A happy dog doesn't make eye contact, but will sniff and check things out in a relaxed and easy manner.
Ask the owner if it is okay to pet their dog after the sniffing routine is finished, then offer the back of your hand to smell first before petting.
Just stand with your fist turned towards the unknown dog at this point, staying fairly still with arms hanging down at snout level. Allow the dog to approach you rather than sticking your fist out towards him.
Interpreting an Aggressive Dog Behavior
If a dog's tail is stiff and held high, and the ears seem alert, and he stares directly into your or your dog's eyes, then you are encountering a hostile dog. The hackles are raised. - ( the fur down the spine and around the shoulders ).
If you meet another dog while out with yours, or even if you are just out alone don't assume he is friendly because his tail is wagging. Although the strange dog is not growling, showing it's teeth and snapping at you, he can be dangerous.
Try to get out of the immediate area, without running and bringing attention to yourself, in a quiet controlled manner.
Interpreting a Happy Playful Pup Behavior
Your dog bows down and rests on the chest and front elbows, with the butt swinging happily up in the air. Sometimes after a short display of this, they get up, bark, run in circles, do a quick roll around, and return to the position.
Most people will recognize this type of dog language, even people who aren't dog people. Let's play.
Interpreting A Very Unhappy Fearful Dog Behavior
The ears are usually laid back and tight against his head, and the fur is raised along the back and shoulders. The whole body will be lowered, and tucking the tail to cover it's scent will be a good indication that your dog is afraid of something.
Fear biting is sometimes a result when a dog is afraid. This is a dog you want to retreat from quietly and quickly.
Interpreting A Submissive Dog Behavior
When a dog is being submissive, it may lie on his back and expose the belly.
This is not a sign of cowardice. This is your dogs way of giving you top position, which in turn leaves him the ease of being relaxed and enjoying his wonderful life. This type of laid back, relaxed dogs are saying I just want love, and are not looking for a fight.
This is a good dog to bring into your home and become one of the pack.
As long as there are no other symptoms to go along with this behavior that would indicate the dog shows obsessive behavior along with this body language, or is so timid that is hides all the time and is truly a "scaredy dog".
In Conclusion
Obviously these few examples above of "dog body language" are just that - a few. Dog's have many actions, expressions and stances that indicate different wants and needs. Traits that are explained here, and many more, are genetically passed on and were orginally wild dogs way of communicating with each other, rather than humans.
Interpreting the different variations within your dog's behavior makes living together a very rewarding endeavor.