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How to Read Dog Body Language When it comes to interpreting your dog’s body language, several behaviors are very obvious: When you arrive home, they should run to the front door to greet you; if they stare at the treat jar, it indicates they are hungry; and if they move sluggishly, it indicates they might not be feeling well.

Some may be less obvious, though. If you learn to read the body language of your best friend, you will gain a much deeper understanding of them and fortify your relationship as you go up and down life together—from camping trips to cuddles.

Everything you need to know about interpreting body language in dogs is provided here.

How Much Do Dogs Understand?

Studies have shown that dogs are able to recognize more than 150 cues. Some breeds are capable of understanding up to 250 words, signals, and sounds, including Labradors, Border Collies, Poodles, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Shetland Sheepdogs, and Golden Retrievers.

How to Tell What Your Dog is Feeling

Situation, context, and verbal and visual signals all play a part in each communicative engagement and help you understand what is being said.

Here’s how to read typical body language cues to determine how your dog could be feeling.

Happiness & Related Feelings

Happy signs include:

• Tail is loose and at mid-level.
• gaping mouth
• The tongue hangs over the front teeth.
• Tail wagging in relaxation

Typical indications of assurance:

• erect
• Pay attention
• The tail is slowly waving.
• eyes are open and making direct eye contact.

Playful signs:

• raised back end and tail
• front legs lowered (as in the downward dog yoga position)
• Animated Motions
• Fear/Anxiety

If you observe any of the following behaviors in your dog, he is probably fearful:

• ears and tail lowered
• head lowered
• back arched
• showing teeth
• snarling or grumbling
• shaking
• yawning and lip licking
• Whale Eye: When a dog’s eyes are such that they show the whites of his eyes when looking directly at things.
  Hide between your legs, behind a table, or under a bed Whale Eye: This occurs when the whites of a dog’s eyes become visible while indirectly looking at something.

Try using something more enjoyable to divert your dog’s attention when they exhibit nervous behaviors. Next, commend them each time they behave in a more positive way (e.g., by coming out from under the bed or table).

The greatest course of action is to maintain your composure since you can guide others in how to respond.

Insecurity

If your dog licks their nose while you talk to them, it could mean that they’re feeling a little insecure. (This cue is difficult to understand because dogs also lick their noses to moisten them and attract smell molecules.

Understand the context in which he is acting out—it’s the key to understanding the action.

Then, if you know what situations really make your insecure—meeting new people, or fireworks—you can try to minimize those situations, and create positive associations to help keep your pet calm.

Other Kinds of Canine Body Language

Barking

Your dog may also talk to you straight up by barking. This is to express joy and delight when playing, such as saying, “Notice me!”

Your dog is warning you of the presence of the stranger since your dog feels threatened by them by barking at their presence.

Nuzzling

Now, if you think that your dog buries his head in you, then it is most likely an expression of love. Dogs nuzzle as a way to show affection. Depending on the situation, it can also be a sign of nervousness, which is quite rare. They might bury their head inside of you to feel safe and for protection.

Wagging of Tail

Obvious answer: Your pup’s happy when they wag their tail, right? Not so fast, say the experts. “Dogs use tail wagging to express a number of emotions beyond just being happy,” says Dr. Miles Bensky.

“To truly distinguish between different emotions, you have to look at the height at which they carry their tail and the speed at which it wags.”

So how can you decipher the meaning behind your dog’s wags? Here’s how to read the following characteristics of wags:

• A slow, wide wag indicates that your dog is content and letting you know they enjoy you.
• A quick, little, side-by-side wag indicates excitement in your dog.
• Your dog is attempting to understand a situation or is feeling insecure if it wags slowly and lowers its head.

Certain breeds indicate their need for space by wagging their tails quickly and/or holding them high. It depends on the wag’s height and speed, as Dr. Bensky said.

Also Read : Why Are Dogs So Loyal?

Raised Hackles

The way a dog’s hackles, or the hair on the back of their neck, respond, is another indicator of body language.

They rise when he is guarding. Keep in mind that he might be being more alert to someone or something, but raised hackles alone are not a positive indication of anger or fear.

Sniffing

One of a dog’s major senses of their environment is through smell. Sniffing can indicate interest and an attempt to learn something. They are capable of sniffing in pursuit either of the location of whatever it is, trying to identify what it is, or if someone else or another dog has been present recently.

Smiling

Since dogs are less facially expressive than humans, opening of the mouth and sticking out their tongues clearly express something. The dog’s smile indicates his contentment and satisfaction.

Take Time to Talk

The best method to improve your ability to read dog body language is to spend as much time as possible with your pet. Take them on walks and games and other different kinds of activities. Conversely, talk a lot; dogs pick up on volume and tone of speech. Remember to be at ease and smile frequently; they will recognize that this is a positive expression.

You’ll become more fluent in each other’s language with time spent together. You might eventually even be able to tell one bark from another.