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How to understand your dog’s body language

By December 1, 2022No Comments

Like many of us, you definitely have a dog. You love him, feed him, walk with him, and buy him the bestcustom leather dog collar, but sometimes you need help understanding what your dog wants or needs. Dogs express their emotions in many ways – barking, howling, whining, tail wagging, etc.

If you know what your four-legged friend is trying to tell you, dog communication process will become more accessible and effective.

Features of communication with a dog

From their ancestors – wolves – dogs received many methods for communicating with humans – from facial to sound expressions.

Unlike humans, dogs cannot deceive. Their postures or sounds always mean what they want to say. You have probably noticed that your dog reacts similarly in certain situations.

With the knowledge of dogs body language, you willcomprehend your dog’s thoughts and mood. So you can even predict its possible behavior.

Tail

Between the legs, low. The pet became nervous, and he was scared and uncomfortable.

Raised high. The dog is excited or feels confident.

Wobble. Wagging is a sign of happiness if the animal is relaxed or excited. The dog is angry if barking; a tense muzzle and a defensive stance accompany the wagging.

Ears

Dogs ear signals:

·     pressed to the head -the dog is submissive or scared;

·     pinned down and pulled back- most probably, the pet is friendly and does not feel threatened;

·     raised and listening – the dog shows interest, ready for action. It can also be interpreted as a body sign of aggression.

Facial expression

Wide eyes. If the dog looks away and concentrates on something and the whites of the eyes are visible, this dog language sign means aggression or anxiety. It is necessary to let the animal calm down or eliminate the cause of the alarm.

The gaze is down. By its very nature, looking directly into the dog’s eyes is a challenge. But having lived with people for a long time, the pet understands that eye contact is not dangerous. Looking away in the case of a domestic dog means politeness.

Yawn. If the dog does not want to sleep, yawning may indicate that the animal is stressed and wants to get rid of excitement.

Open mouth. Most likely, the pet feels satisfied. But if the household is eating, and the dog is looking at you with its mouth open, then this dog body sign gives you a signal that it would be nice to share.

What do dog verbal cues mean?

Sometimes our four-legged friends whine, howl or growl. All these signals of the dogs body languagemean certain emotions they are trying to convey to people.

Howl

If your pet starts howling, he is trying to get you back or find another dog. For example, when you leave for work, you may notice that the pet begins to howl. So he tries to bring you back, whether he is a puppy or in his adulthood.

If one dog howls, then other brothers join him almost immediately. It is called one-time dog communication between animals. Can dogs understand each other? Of course, the can.

Whining

It isn’t easy to interpret, as it can express completely different states of the animal. For example, a dog whines in pain or stress to get attention. Here you need to pay attention to other methods of dog communication to comprehend what he is specifically trying to tell you.

For example, if a dog sits near the door and whines, then this means that he urgently needs to go outside.

Most often, whining is a bad sign. And with its frequent manifestation, it is best to consult a veterinarian.

Barking

In translation from a dog’s barking, this is a cry. His tone may vary, but attention should always be paid to him. If the barking is fast and prolonged, the dog most likely sensed or saw a stranger, so he tries to warn his pet parents about his appearance.

A loud and booming bark is a sign for a stranger not to approach and stay away. Better to do so. Screechy – a request for help. In this case, you need to help the poor animal.

Singing

It is a clear sign that your best dog is happy or just glad to see you if he starts to “sing” when you get home from work.

It is often done by animals when people play musical instruments or sing themselves.

Growl

It is the “request” of the animal that you should move away from it. For example, dogs do this when they feel someone is trying to infringe on their food. They may also react to strangers or even their pet parents if they try to take their toys away from them.

At the same time, a roar means that the dog does not mind negotiating and not touching you if you do not touch him, food, or things.

Mumbling

It is the manipulation method our four-legged friends use when they want something from their pet parents. They know perfectly well that they will be scolded for barking, but light grumbling is not punishable, and for it, on the contrary, you can get a treat or your favorite toy.

You need to know these essential things about dog language to understand your pet without words.

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