WHAT IS YOUR DOG TELLING YOU WITH THEIR BODY LANGUAGE FROM HEAD TO TAIL?
Most animals use body language as well as sound and smell in order to communicate with one another. Body language is the movements of animals’ facial expressions, eye behaviour, posture, and the movement of their body parts is inherent in all creatures including humans.
A common saying in animal welfare is that we are the voice for the voiceless, but more recently I agree rather with the saying that we are the voice of the unheard. So, my question to you is this: Are you hearing what your dog is saying through their body language?
Many people think that it is easy to ‘read’ their dog, but there are so many subtle signs that many people don’t pick up on. Decoding your pet or another pet’s body language is not as straightforward as looking at a tail wag or the ears. Lexi Donnelly, a behaviour consultant at Best Friends Animal Society, shares how you usually see several dog body language signals happening at once. To make dog expressions even more nuanced, “Body language signals can be challenging due to breed difference and physical appearance, such as cropped ears, docked tails, wrinkles, etc.”
WHY IS BODY LANGUAGE IMPORTANT?
Dogs don’t use words, but through the gestures of our canine companions they can express a wide range of emotions and actions and it is crucial for communication. Your ability to understand and interpret body language can help you to pick up on unspoken issues or feelings in your pets. When we understand body language, we can better understand our pets and meet their needs which will deepen our relationship. Dog bites and fights can also be prevented by better understanding and predicting behaviour.
I am not a behaviourist, but I will share some of the basics I have learned about this topic. We can’t begin to cover the full extent of dog body language (or other animals) in one article, so we will look at the basics only! Check out these PAWSOME BODY LANGUAGE pictures from www.RPLUSDOGS.com and here are a few body gestures from other species.
To understand a dog’s communication signals, it’s necessary to pay attention to specific body postures, movements, and facial gestures although we do need to look at them all together and within context too. Gilbert-Gregory gives the following cues:
HOW A DOG LOOKS WHEN RELAXED
Posture — The weight is carried evenly; may do a play bow or wiggle.
Tail — Relaxed and neutral position; may be wagging.
Ears — Neutral position.
Mouth — May be open with tongue hanging out, or may be closed with lips relaxed over teeth.
Eyes — Soft, with normal pupil size.
Appetite — Readily eats.
HOW A DOG LOOKS WHEN ANXIOUS
Posture (and fur) — Piloerection (raised hair on the shoulders and back); might roll over and lift a forelimb.
Tail — Might be tucked in under the body.
Mouth — Might show a submissive smile (a very wide smile), or may be panting, lip licking and/or yawning.
Ears — Pinned back.
Eyes — Whale eye (white portion of the eye showing at corner or rim), pupil dilation, or averted gaze.
HOW A DOG LOOKS WHEN AGGRESSIVE
Posture — Muscles tense, weight shifts back and low to the ground; may also roll over to expose belly or raise one paw.
Hair — Piloerection is a red flag.
Tail — May be tucked or low to the ground; may be wagging slowly or rapidly.
Mouth — Pulled back, with possible growling, snarling, excessive panting, lip licking, chewing, or yawning.
Read last week’s article on aggressive behaviour.
CALMING SIGNALS
Some of these body gestures are referred to as “calming signals” and it is a way your pet tells you they are uncomfortable or not a threat, yet so many people and especially parents miss this. They include: Breaking eye contact/turning away, lifting a paw, sniffing the ground, freezing/stillness, showing the whites of the eye (whale/moon eye), lip licking (when not eating), yawning (when not tired), walking slowly, “smiling”, wagging tail, panting, play bow, exposing the belly/lying on back, shake/shiver, lowered head and more.
A note on a dog’s hair – When you see a dog’s hair raise, most people think it is only a bad sign, but it could be arousal, discomfort, or fear. Similar to when we get goosebumps from an awesome story or when watching a scary thriller.
THE MYTH ABOUT WAGGING TAILS
Many people will say: ” the dog’s tail was wagging so I know they just wanted to play.” In an article by Dr. Karen Becker, she shares how wagging tails do not always indicate happiness or pleasure. This is a good reason why you should stop using the tail wagging as a sign that all is okay. Tail wagging probably evolved as a dog-to-dog form of communication, since it appears dogs message each other through tail wags.
A 2013 study suggests that dogs who see another dog wagging to the left respond anxiously, with elevated heart rates and dogs who see another dog wagging to the right remain relaxed. Other tail wagging signals include full body wags, the “circle wag”, tip of the tail wags and stiff or rigid wags.
Donnelly breaks it down to:
- A high tail wag can be over-arousal or early warning signal that the dog is frustrated or fearful.
- A loose, half-mast wag can be comfortable and playful.
- A low tail wag can signify fear and serve as an early warning signal.
- Tail between the legs – this body posture is not one of confidence or feeling at ease.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
When you are trying to decode your dog’s gestures it’s important to look at the whole picture and within context. What happened when the behaviour was displayed? Dogs will most likely not display only one gesture at a time and you will have to look at the whole body, not just one part. Although some body language is universal, focus on your pet’s individual body language. Next time you interact with your dog, look specifically at their body language. Look at how their posture changes when they are in different situations.
Always look at the body language when you want to touch an animal. Touch should always be with clear consent, voluntary and with ongoing permission. We refer to it as PET-PET-PAUSE. The safest bet is when you let the dog approach you and initiate the interaction. If you notice they are stressed and showing any of the calming signals, move away and take them to a safe space to help them relax.
REMEMBER T-E-M-P: Tails, ears & eyes, mouth and posture.
I have heard people brag about how well their dog listens to them, but I want to know how well you listen to your dog by observing, understanding and reacting to their body language and through it help them navigate this human world, they were forced into, better. Make the time to really “get” your four-legged best friend because it will improve your relationship and avoid unfortunate interactions.
Next week we will look at an animal and Easter topic.
WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER DO BETTER!
