Understanding
Your Dog’s Body
Language
Dogs are one of the most
expressive animals
on the planet.
Along with barking, body
language is their primary
means of communication.
Their conscious and
unconscious signals make
up a complex language that
reflects how they think and
feel. What you might think is a
cute gesture could actually be
a sign of stress. While all dogs
have unique personalities and
characteristics, their body
cues are universal. When you
have a better understanding
of dog body language, you
can help your Pet feel safer,
confident and more relaxed.
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I’m Happy
When a dog wants attention or to play, its body will look relaxed. The tail will wag enthusiastically
or thump on the floor. The dog will pant or expose its tongue, or have a happy expression on its
face. Other signs that your dog is content include:
Eyes
• Blinking or squinting eyes
• Dilated pupils
Mouth
• Relaxing of the mouth
• Opening the mouth slightly,
resembling a smile
Ears
• Ears perked upward, but not
pointing forward
Tail
• Relaxed tail that hangs down
• Excited tail wagging
• Wiggling of the backside
Vocalization
• Short, high-pitched barks
• Yapping
• Whimpering
Body and Head
• Loose, relaxed body
• Lying down with a tucked paw
• Play bowing with the front legs outstretched and lowered, and the rear end up in the air
• Rolling over to expose its belly, demonstrating trust
• Occasionally freezing while playing
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I’m Alert or Checking
Things Out
When something piques a dog’s interest, its behavior demonstrates that it is trying to decide if a
situation is safe and the best course of action. A dog that is interested in something and alert:
Mouth
• Keeps its mouth closed
Vocalization
• Low whine
• Alarming bark
Eyes
• Widens its eyes as it
investigates
• Focuses and stares
Tail
• Holds its tail horizontally or high
• May slowly wag its tail
Ears
• Points its ears forward
• Twitches its ears to listen
to a sound
Body and Head
• Looks focused and alert as it lean its body slightly forward • Raises a paw
• Nose and forehead look smooth • Cocks its head from side to side
You often see this type of behavior when a dog sees a squirrel or someone at the door. When
you notice that your dog has an alert posture, this is not a good time to pet or hug it. It is trying
to decide if the situation is a threat that requires action.
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I’m Anxious or Nervous
When you see signs of anxiety or nervousness in a dog, it doesn’t want to play, even though it
might exhibit behavior that seems cute or submissive. A nervous dog acts the way it does to
relieve its own stress or to placate the perceived threat in hopes of preventing a conflict. Signs
of anxiety in a dog include:
Eyes
• Half-moon, or whale, eyes: Half-moon eye is when you can see the whites of a dog’s eyes because it turns its
head away but keeps looking at the perceived threat. When a dog does this, it wants to be left alone. You may
see this when someone hugs a dog that does not want the attention.
• Furrowed or curved brow
• Brief and indirect eye contact
Vocalization
• Barking before retreating
• Low-pitched whine
• Moaning-type bark
• Excited short barks
Ears
• Ears drawn back
Mouth
• Tensing of the jaw
• Altered saliva production that could
cause drooling, heavy panting, or
panting that sounds dry or raspy
• Licking the air
• Licking their lips
• Yawning when it’s not tired
Tail
• Tail hangs low and might slightly wag
• Dogs with curly tails, such as pugs or
malamutes, might straighten them
Body and Head
• Lowered body
• Holding its body still for a moment before reacting or until the threat goes away
• Raising one paw: While this is cute, the dog is communicating that it is worried. It does not want anyone to pet it.
• Turning its head away from the perceived threat
• Sweaty paws
• Shaking from the release of adrenaline
• Piloerection: The hair on the dog’s spine or neck stands up (similar to goose bumps on a human), releasing an
odor from the hair follicles
• Hugging: A nervous dog will sometimes hold onto its Pet parent for comfort.
• The dog leaves the uncomfortable situation
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I’m Scared
When a dog is scared, it displays appeasement and deference language to prevent a conflict or
injury from a perceived threat. This non-threatening behavior demonstrates submissiveness and
fear. Many of the signs that a dog is scared are the same ones that demonstrate anxiousness.
A frightened dog will also:
Mouth
• Draw its lips back to show teeth
Eyes
• Narrow its eyes
• Avert its eyes
• Show the whites of its eyes
Tail
• Tuck its tail between its legs
Body and Head
• Lower its head
• Bob its head
• Hide behind an object or person
• Crouch
• Rolling over to expose its belly
• Accidentally urinate
• Go into a different room and relieve itself
Vocalization
• Whining
• Low-pitched worried yelps
• Growling
Ears
• Bring its ears back or sideways
It is a good idea to give a dog a safe place to go to when it feels scared or wants to be left alone,
such as a crate or mat. Respect the dog when it retreats to this space.
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I’m Defending Myself
When a dog demonstrates defensive behavior, it’s trying to keep itself safe. The dog exhibits
the behavior to encourage others to stay away. If the threat does not go away or the dog feels
trapped, its defensive actions will turn offensive. When this happens, there’s a chance that the dog
might bite. Defensive and offensive dog body language includes:
Ears
• Drawing its ears back
Eyes
• Dilated pupils
• Focused eyes that stare or make eye contact
Tail
• Tail wags
• Tail tucked
between its legs
Vocalization
• Growling
• Low-pitched yelping
• Whining
Body and Head
• Leaning its body forward
• Wrinkling of the nose
• Raised hackles; the hair on the back of
the neck and near the tail stand on end
Mouth
• Pushing its lips forward and snarling
• Tensing of the mouth
• Snapping at the air as a warning sign
• Snapping at the perceived offender as a warning sign
• Quickly nipping the perceived offender as a warning
sign: The dog immediately releases after it bites
• Biting, holding and shaking with intent to harm
It is important to note that when a dog bites, holds, shakes and disembowels a stuffed toy, it is
pretending to attack prey. This occurs more often in dogs with higher prey drives. This action is a
sign of play, not necessarily a sign that a dog wants to do this to humans or other animals.
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I Feel Dominant and
Aggressive
A dog should only display aggression when it feels threatened. If the dog demonstrates
the following behavior toward you or others without provocation, seek the assistance of a
behavioral specialist:
Eyes
• Narrowed if aggressive
• Wide open if displaying dominance
• Focused and staring
Ears
• Close to the head if aggressive
• Pointing forward or back if aggressive
• Straight upward or pointing forward if
displaying dominance
Mouth
• Snapping and missing:
The miss in such a
situation was intentional
• Biting
• Curled lips and mouth
open to show off teeth
Vocalization
• Barking aggressively even after you tell it to stop
• Snarling
Tail
• Raised tail that looks bristled,
stiff or as if it’s quivering
Body and Head
• Guarding toys, bed, food dish, food or other items from you, members of your family or guests: Guarding
is a dangerous behavior that can escalate quickly. Professional training can help a dog overcome this
aggressive behavior.
• Lunging, barking or growling at others when it’s on or off a leash
• Raised hackles
• Urinating intentionally inside the home
in your presence or the presence of others: A dog urinating inside
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the home isn’t always a sign of aggression. It might have a medical condition or need training. When this
occurs, schedule a checkup with a veterinarian. If a dog is housebroken and urinates inside the home,
on a person, another Pet or on your belongings, it could have a serious behavioral problem that requires
immediate professional intervention.
• Wrinkled nose
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I’m Going to Bite
When you recognize dog body language indicative of an imminent bite or attack, stop interacting
with the dog immediately. If you are touching the dog, move your hands away from it slowly. If
you are bent over, stand up slowly. If you were taking something away from the dog when the
behavior occurred, let go of the item. Turn your head and eyes away from the dog to see if it
leaves. Do not talk, touch or approach the dog. If the dog does not leave, move away from the
area slowly; do not run.
Signs that a dog might bite include:
• Freezing or the body becoming stiff suddenly • Focused eye contact
• Lip curling that shows teeth • Standing with its front legs splayed and head low
I Want to Do Something, but
Am Trying to Control Myself
When a dog wants to act in a certain manner but suppresses the urge to do so, it is
demonstrating displacement behavior. These are normal behaviors that don’t seem to match
the respective situations. A dog exhibits displacement language to calm itself down or distract
itself from its feelings of anxiety or conflict. You might notice this type of dog body language
when you’re getting ready to go out. Your dog may want to jump on you or run out, but
yawns instead. When a child takes away the dog’s toy, the dog may bite its own foot instead
of the child. If the dog feels threatened, uncomfortable or nervous, it might demonstrate
displacement behavior to take the focus away from the situation.
Examples of displacement language in a dog include:
• Shaking its body as if it were wet
• Sniffing the ground or other objects suddenly
• Suddenly scratching when it’s not itchy
• Biting its paws or other body parts suddenly
• Licking its chops when it’s not hungry or there is no food in the area
• Yawning when it’s not sleepy
• Nose licking
• Making sneezing noises
• Pacing
• Spinning
• Making its teeth chatter
Many displacement behaviors are normal actions that a dog does in its everyday life. The key is to
examine the context of the behavior. At night, when a dog yawns and goes to bed, this behavior
is normal. If someone hugs a dog that does not want the attention, it may exhibit displacement
behavior and yawn. These actions displace the urge to leave, bark, bite or act inappropriately with
a different behavior. A dog is more likely to exhibit displacement behaviors if it doesn’t have an
outlet for its frustration or energy. Without the proper outlets or intervention, the behavior can
become compulsive.
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My Tail is Wagging
The most misinterpreted dog body language is tail wagging. Many associate the action with
happiness, but some dogs wag their tails when they feel anxious, stressed, over-stimulated or
focused. To interpret a dog’s tail wagging, you must pay attention to other cues. For example:
• A friendly dog that is happy and wants to play has a relaxed body, wiggly
bottom and a tail that wags fervently.
• A confident dog that is investigating something that captured its attention
will hold its tail in the air. This action allows the scent in its anal glands to
circulate, alerting others to its presence.
• A frustrated, scared or aggressive dog will wag its tail as it barks. Its
body will be stiff and its eyes will be focused. Do not approach a dog that
demonstrates this behavior.
• A dog that holds its tail low or between its legs is nervous, timid or scared.
• A dog investigating an area or assessing a situation may hold its tail
higher, but wag it slowly.
• When a dog feels tense, defensive or aggressive, it may extend and
slightly curve its tail.
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