Have you ever come in contact with a dog and the hair stood up on the back of your neck from fear? Wouldn’t it be great to know what a dog’s body language is saying? The truth is you can learn what a dog’s body language is saying by learning a few simple tips. Below is a breakdown of different things to watch for and what they mean.

The Mouth

If you see that your dog has tight lips, this can mean that he is stressed. They key is to knowing if it is just an uncomfortable stress or if he is showing signs of a threatening stress. If you see that your dog is panting then goes to breathing with his mouth closed he is most likely confrontational and if he is closed mouthed and then starts panting he is getting in a lighter mood.

Yawning is another telltale sign of discomfort. It shows that your dog is stressed and you will see this a great deal in the veterinarian’s office when there are many dogs in the room together.

Your dog’s ears

You can tell if your dog is on alert as his ears will be standing straight up so he can hear better. Sometime you will see him direct his ears in the direction he is listening. When your dog pulls his ears back, it is a sure fire sign that he is not happy. You may even see the hair on your dogs back stand on end when he is confrontational. This is common to see when he sees another dog comes around or if he sees a cat or squirrel.

The tail tells all

Even though the tail is the easiest way for your dog to express his feelings it can be hard to tell what the tale is saying. Your dog is scared if he puts his tail between his legs and if it is standing straight out he is more than likely staring down a cat or squirrel. If he is wagging his tail in a circular motion, he is happy and if he is wagging it fast and high, he is aggravated.

There are many signs to watch for where your dog’s body language is concerned it is just a matter of getting to know your dogs personality and his likes and dislikes. It is helpful to know the above signs to watch for when you come in contact with a dog you are not familiar with so you can try to avoid dealing with an aggressive dog. Dogs are much like people as they show their feelings through their motions and their body language is much like ours as well.

Learning your dog’s personality is key to having a better relationship with your pooch and it can help you to help your dog when he gets scared or upset. Just watch for signs of aggression and try to remove your dog from the situation before the situation escalates into a dogfight.

Author Bio: Article by Kelly Marshall of Oh My Dog Supplies, check out our elevated dog feeders selection online.

Category: Pets
Keywords: dog communication,puppy communication,dog personality,puppy personality,what is your dog saying