CHARLOTTE – For the next few weeks, we’ll be talking about how to speak dog through their language: body language. Think you understand your dog? Try to see through new eyes and truly “hear” your dog, with your eyes.
Top 5 Body Parts To Watch:
- Eyes:
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- Soft, almond-shaped eyes = happy, relaxed
- Hard eyes, a very focused, prolonged stare = indicates tension building, aggression
- Wide, dilated pupils = stress, fear, anxiety
- “Whale eye”, crescent-shaped = stressed, fear
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- Ears
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- Soft, floppy = relaxed
- Up, turned forward = alert, listening, seeking information
- Pinned against the head = fear, anxiety, worry
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- Mouth
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- Open, soft edges = relaxed, happy
- Closed = alert, thinking, assessing
- Lips can be tight or soft
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- Tail
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- Wagging = DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN HAPPY
- Stiff, slow wag = assessing, considering
- High = alert, play aroused or fear aroused
- Tucked low = fear, moderate to severe stress
- Soft, wagging with wiggling bottom = happy
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- Overall body
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- Looking at the overall body will give you the most information. Just like humans, dogs can have conflicting feelings, thus conflicting body language sometimes. Reading it all together helps give a clearer understanding.
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This is just the very basics of dog body language. It’s a fascinating topic that many people don’t take the time to understand. It’s literally speaking another language!
Want to learn more? Stay tuned for next week when we discuss the Top 5 Body Language Cues Your Dog Wishes You Knew!
“Some people talk to animals. Not too many listen though. That’s the problem.” A.A. Milne
Sit, Stay, Play Dog Training & Behavior (704) 641-1042
