30 ways your dog communicates with you through their body language
As humans and dogs don’t speak the same vocal language, communication must be sought through alternative channels. Although your dog cannot simply tell you how they feel or what they want, the body language they display can help translate their thoughts. Understanding your dog’s body language may be the most important communication cue you can learn to understand what your dog is thinking or feeling.
Here are some indicators to help you identify what might be going on in their head:
1. Downward Dog: No, your pup isn’t doing yoga – when they put their butt in the air with their chest down and legs stretched in front of them, this typically means they are ready to play.
2. Panting: Panting can indicate multiple things: it can simply mean they are hot or overexerted and are panting to cool themselves; it can also indicate pain, stress, or other issues causing discomfort. If you believe your dog’s panting is related to pain, their panting may mean that they are handling the stress at an ‘OK’ level.
3. Closed, Tight Mouth: This can be an indicator your dog wants you to stay away – this means they may not be handling stress well.
4. Licking Lips, Yawning: Oddly enough, yawning accompanied by lip-licking can be an indication of fear or feeling of conflict. Dogs may yawn to calm themselves in tense situations.
5. Avoiding Eye Contact: Someone’s guilty.
6. Open Mouth, Loose Tongue: Your dog is relaxed.
7. Cowered Body: If your dog appears to curl up or attempts to lower their body or make itself smaller, this is likely a sign of anxiousness, fear, or being stressed.
8. Tail Tucking, Trembling, or Shaking: Your dog is scared and indicates defensiveness; they are not likely planning to respond with aggression. Constant shaking can also indicate stress caused by a medical issue.
9. Rolling Over and Revealing Their Belly: This is a submissive action. Hopefully, this means they trust you and just want a good belly rub, but there is a chance it could also mean they are afraid.
10. Licking Humans: This is your dog showing you affection –a nice, wet kiss.
11. Excessive Paw Licking: This could indicate a skin condition or dry skin. If you see your dog doing this, investigate a bit further. It can also indicate boredom.
12. Erect Tail: Your dog is on alert and may be feeling threatened.
13. Pacing: A pacing dog indicates an anxious dog.
14. Spinning: This is an intensified version of pacing. Rapid pacing or spinning accompanied by whining or panting indicates stress or anxiousness.
15. Raised Hair: Your dog is on high alert.
16. Stiffening of the Body: This suggests your dog is readying itself for aggression; this is often combined with alert ears, stances, eyes, and a closed mouth.
17. Barring Of Teeth: Aggressive behavior is escalating; your dog may be preparing for a fight or is showing their weapons to scare off an aggressor.
18. Greeting by Butt or Crotch Sniffing: This may simply be your dog’s friendly way of saying ‘hello’.
19. Shutting Down: If your dog refuses to eat, becomes lethargic, and/or pulls away from you when you reach toward them, they may be anxious, fearful, or ill. Investigate these actions further.
20. Destructive Behavior: If your dog expresses destructive behavior while separated from you, it may indicate separation anxiety; they may be lashing out in need of attention. It also can signal boredom accompanied by unexerted energy.
21. Direct Stare: Large, open-eyed, alerted stare suggests your dog is focused and ready for aggressive behavior.
22. Ears Tucked Back: This can mean more than one thing: if accompanied by a wagging tail, they may be happy and calm; if accompanied by a growl, they may be ready to spring forth.
23. Ears Forward: Your dog is at attention and may be preparing for action. This could indicate they may be planning for aggressive or playful behavior, depending on the scenario.
24. Low Growl: Your dog may be trying to ward off what they believe to be a threat. The lower the growl, the more threatened your dog may be.
25. High Growl: This is a more playful growl; you may hear it during a game of tug-of-war.
26. Short Growls Spurts: Short, sporadic growls signal your dog is uncertain about something and is still reviewing the situation.
27. Long Growls: The longer the growl, the more serious your dog is. Your dog is not happy, and they are ready for aggression.
28. High-Pitched Bark: Your dog is happy to see you and excited to play. Let’s go outside and play ball!
29. Whine: This is just like human behavior: a whine indicates they want something.
30. Howl: Communication for attention. They may be trying to communicate with other dogs or get their human’s attention. Different breeds of dogs howl more often than others.
Understanding your dog’s body language will aid with training and socialization. Try to determine the things that trigger your dog to feel stressed, and work to desensitize them to it. For further help with training and socialization, Baxter & Bella is an excellent program that can help you identify body language, and address and manage many issues. You can read more about their program here.
If you believe your dog is constantly displaying cues reflecting it may be in pain or experiencing a health issue, contact your veterinarian right away to get them checked out.
What’s your dog’s body language telling you?
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