Pets

Dogs use an extensive display of body language to communicate to their human and canine counterparts.  Here are some examples with explanations as to their meaning and common usage.

PLAY BOWING
Your dog’s rear will go up, front goes down, tail starts wagging and eye’s become bright.  Used to signify a non threatening desire to play and may be used on another dog or a human.  Make sure you respond!

ROLLING OVER
Rolling over and exposing their belly to another dog is a submissive display, your dog is saying “Hey, I know I’m lower down the pack order than you, I submit to your dominance and don’t what to fight to determine it.”
When done for human, it’s sometimes an indication they have done something they no they should not have and are seeking forgiveness rather than punishment.  Or they may be rolling over rather than obey a command such as “outside!”

Most often though it means ”Hey! Good to see you, please pet my belly!

TAIL WAGGING
A tail wagging in dogs is like a smile in humans.  It often means happiness, but sometimes other things.
In some breeds that like a fight, it can mean they are happy, as they are about to have a fight!  Wagging may also indicate nervousness, or agitation. A wagging tail held low almost certainly means this and is often followed by the dog fleeing, wetting themselves, or rolling over submissively.

Look to other body language to put the tail wagging in context.  What is going on.... has the dog’s owner just come home?  Is there a cat just across the road?  Is the body language aggressive or submissive?  Weight distribution is  major factor, aggressive dogs will have their body weight forward.

A QUICK GUIDE TO DOG BODY LANGUAGE

Dog Eye Language

• Direct eye contact indicates a bold and confidant dog
• Casual eye contact means he's happy and contented, needing nothing from you but desiring to stay “checked in” with his pack owner in case circumstances change.
• An averted or fleeting gaze means deference or guilt.  Some overly timid dogs will always avert their gaze.
• though difficult to see, dilated pupils indicate fear.

Dog Ear Language

• Relaxed ears( in dogs that CAN relax them -  see Spitz Breeds) indicate a dog is calm
• Erect ears(as with relaxed ears, not all dogs can raise their ears, typically heavy eared dogs such as spaniels can not) show that a dog is alert and attentive
• Ears pointed up and ahead indicate a dog taking an assertive position, that may become aggression.
• Laid back ears indicate a scared, worried or embarrassed dog.

Dog Body Language

• Pawing shows a desire for appeasment
• Licking another dog's face may be a play invitation, submission indicator, or both... I will play with you and your are the boss.
• Play bowing (as detailed above) is an invitation to play and or a sign of happiness
• Draping the head over another dog's shoulders is a challenge – “I am not going to fight you right now, but submit to me or I might”.
• Freezing in place means a dog is frightened

Dog Mouth and lips Language

• Panting indicates many things and is not an indicator of anything concrete.  Dogs pant when playful, excited, stressed, sick, in pain.... or.... wait for it.... when they are hot
• A dog with its mouth and lips closed is uncertain or appeasing. May be accompanied by head tilted to one side.
• Licking lips is a sign or worry or appeasement.... or hunger!
• A dog with a  relaxed mouth, is content and calm
• Lips pulled back into a snarl, is a warning sign, a threat made more serious when accompanied by a snarl.
• Some dogs “smile - grimace” – you will know it when you see it, usually its when they are feeling both very happy and relieved.... say when they sneak into a bedroom they are usually not allowed into and receive a warm welcome when they do.  Often precedes playful behaviour and is accompanied by head tilting

Dog Hackles Language
* Raised means fear, anger, or a warning.  Beware a hackled dog, behaviour will be unpredictable
* Smooth hackles indicate a dog is calm

DogTail Language

•  A calme at peace dog will hae a relaxed tail
• A slow tail wag held straight out means a dog is unsure – usually the wag means, “Hey, everything ok yes?”
• Tail held or carried down indicates worry or uncertainty
• Tail held up and wagging quickly indicates excitement and happiness
• An erect tail is a sign of alertness, often accompanied by erect ears and high held head.
• A tail held between the legs is a sign of fear, often accompanied by other body language

MOUNTING
When your dog either mounts another dog or stands above another dog by putting his front paws on the other dog's back, he/she is asserting his dominance over the other dog. Mounting other dogs isn't just a male characteristic. High-ranking females do it, too. It’s not exactly related to intercourse, other than in dog packs often only the most dominate animals mate at all, so it could be an indication of an animal showing itself to be most dominant, either male or female.

HUMPING
There's often sexual intent in this behaviour, even if the dog doing the humping is neutered, or even female. You can let dogs interact this way, as long as the dog being humped isn't trying to escape (Editors note - and providing the humping dog is not an unneutered roaming male and the other dog your pure bred pride and joy female in season). If a dog does it to a person, break his focus suddenly by making a loud noise to stop him in his tracks.
.(Editor – my Spitz/staffie cross was a notorious mounter/humper, as was a border collie I had as a child. Both were desexed females.)

YAWNING
Yawning in dogs may indicate either tiredness(usually) or stress(sometimes).  A yawn fills a dog’s body with oxygen and prepares them for action.  It may precede a burst of adrenaline prior to an incident or come after a situation has been defused.

TONGUE FLICKING
Dogs may flick their tongues in and out when they are feeling uneasy or apprehensive.  This behaviour may be combined with yawning behaviour. A dog that yawns in anticipation of something enjoyable, such as a walk, does so to be both prepared for the activity, and to cope with it not yet happening.

Leaning Dog Behaviour
Dogs’ lean usually to show others they “own” you.  Or to show you they own you!  Or they could just be itchy....

Dog Smiling and Submissive Grinning
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers curl their upper lips when happy. Alaskan Malamutes and Samoyeds are also big “smilers”. Dogs sometimes exhibit what is known as a "submissive grin," which is a type of appeasement gesture. This behaviour is particularly common in Dalmatians and is often combined with play behaviour and head tilting. Most dogs, however, don't smile in the same way people do. If anything, they tend to assume a grinlike expression when they're feeling threatened or aggressive and want people to see their teeth.

TAIL TUCKED AND EARS BACK
If your dog tucks his tail, lays his ears back, takes a few steps backward or hides behind you, you can be sure he's feeling uncertain. It could be a person or an object that he's not sure of, and you'll need to lessen his fear by introducing him slowly and unthreateningly to whatever he's apprehensive about.

NOSE NUDGING
Love Me!  Walk Me!  Notice me!  Nose nudging is done as a display of wanting attention, and is done by dogs to other dogs, and humans.  (Editor’s note – I had a big ridgeback, that would also nudge me – so I would move away from the heater where she liked to sleep!)

PAW LIFTING
Like nose nudging, its attention getting behaviour.  Many dogs can be trained to shake hands and love the exuberant praise that follows it, so will offer a “paw” to shake at any opportunity.  Paw lifting can also mean, I’m a bit sad, or tired.  Its still an attention seeking act, but its just not always done when your dog wants to play.