🐶 Let’s talk all thing dog body language 🐶

I love talking all things communication when it comes to our canine guardians and body language and behaviour is what we see at surface level allowing us all to learn how to communicate in the language that are dogs speak.

We expect our dogs to learn our language so surely we should repaying the favour?

This blog is to compliment a recent webinar I offered on this topic, it is simple a taster of this huge topic but will offer enough to get you started as guardians.

Get yourself comfy, grab a cuppa and have read.

There is a-lot of misinformation around canines it can be down right confusing at times, however, I am a strong believer that if you understand your canines communication signals then you are half way there.

Canines are incredibly subtle, some breeds more than others and there is a lot of design issues now needing to be taken Into account due to breed variations.

Please remember it is not in your dogs best interest to cause and carry an injury. A dog will not go straight to a growl and bite unless their communication has been ignored, missed or shut off over time.

To warm you all up into this mini delve, some important points to remember:

🐾 It is not in your dogs best interest to cause injury or carry an injury.

🐾 Dogs can show the same stress communication signals when they are frustrated, fearful or excited. The energy put into the signals differs massively and this is where the magic is.

🐾 The only times your dog will display a different format of communication signals is when they are calm.

🐾 If you ignore your dogs communication signals they will stop using them and go straight to the behaviour that they know will be respected.

For this foundation step I am going to run you through the ‘ladder of aggression’

🐶💚 the green behaviours 💚🐶

Let’s start down in the green and work our way up.

These signals are incredibly subtle, remember it is not in your dogs interest to cause injury to themselves or others so these subtle cues are vital for helping us set our dogs up for success as much as possible.

Once you know how to understand your dogs communication signals, your subtle canine is as subtle as a brick!

**Please note at this point this blog is a taster into this huge topic and is a foundation piece for all canine guardians.**

Let’s get cracking

Right at the bottom of the ladder we have:

🐾 Yawning: Now this is one of the most subtle cues and has to be taken in context in the situation.

A yawn when used as a stress signal often means looking at the facial muscles, are they tight, are ears pulled back tight, is there any sound in the yawn, mostly you will hear a whine behind the yawn.

🐾 Nose-lick: Again, easy to see in some and is often a lovely clear indicator that your pooch is showing levels of stress. Remember if your dog has just had something super yummy to eat then this may not be a stress response.

When used, it really is just a flick of the tongue over the nose, now some breeds will take this cue a step further and flick their tongue off the roof of their mouth-you will hear it but not see it. Think your french bulldog in this arena!

🐾 Whale eye: When your dog shows the white of the eye, their head often goes off to a 45 degree angle, their full body may lower or start to shift on a curve, there is no set pattern here.

What is worth noting, is that lots of dogs go from this signal to growl/snap/bite and show nothing in-between.

This signal is a commonly used one and worth looking for.

🐾 Turning the body away: from the head dropping onto an angle the body will follow and allows the dog to start to pop themselves back onto a curve, you see dogs work in circles not straight lines.

(These images are all stock images off google to represent the outlined behaviours in this blog)

When we are noticing our dogs display these low level skills, it allows us to be proactive dog guardians and change the scenario.

What do you need to do to help our dog choose a better outcome?

The more time you spend being proactive at this level, the less likely your dog will spend time in the more reactive behaviours.

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Now this stage of the ladder has lots to take into account, and there can be confusion, and misunderstanding at this stage in the game.

It is also worth feeling into the energy at this point, it is very clear especially with certain individual canines that the energy can shift as their behaviour does.

Do you perhaps automatically tense up as your dog does? Do you feel suddenly uneasy or on edge?

This can be the biggest light bulb moment when you start to explore canine body language and is the deciding factor as to what it is your dog is communicating with you.

Remember your dog can use the same communication signals whether they are feeling excited, fearful or frustrated, but the energy will feel completely different between the 3.

Now some of the behaviours our dogs show at this point in the ladder, can be downright confusing to throw us off and lead us into a false sense of security so let’s take a look at the 3 areas that really can keep us on our toes.

🐾 Displacement behaviours: I can hear you now, what the heck is a one of those?!

In a nutshell, these behaviours are your every day behaviours that our dogs can use to try and disengage a scenario when they are uncomfortable (think humans fidgeting).

They can be sniffing, digging, sitting, scratching, rolling around in the grass and so on.

Us humans can miss these and think our dogs are completely relaxed and doing well but are they? If your dog goes from here to a more serious reactive behaviour then not all is as it seems. Look at the full picture here, to see if your dog is displaying any displacement behaviours.

(These images are both mine and stock images taken from google to represent some of the behaviours outlined in this section)

🐾 Ears: Fantastic tools of communication when they are primitive (up right) but there is a huge difference across the board in breed design that can mean reading ears can be a little tricky.

Now if you don’t have a dog with upright ears, you are looking at the muscles at the base of the ears on your dogs head as well as positioning to see what it is your dog is showing you.

Are they pricked forward? Are they relaxed? Is one pulled back whilst the other is pricked forward? Or are they both pulled back tightly or pulled back with a bit of a body wiggle?

The whole aura of energy around the dog is another great thing to take into account. Is your dog still, or is there wiggly butts and movement? Are they holding a foot up when their ears are pricked forward? Are they nice and relaxed?

🐾 Tails: Another fabulous way our dogs can communicate with us but again breed differences has meant there is a lot of conflicting communication occurring between dogs and also towards humans.

Knowing your dogs breed and what is normal for the breed is also helpful as this differ’s massively.

Likewise dogs that are docked/bob-tailed vs, curls right up and over the back are at a disadvantage.

Now in a nutshell, as I could talk all day about tails! The higher the tail, the higher levels of arousal your dog is showing. Tails low or tucked under and your dog is trying to hide their scent and often are very unsure.

Movement is another big thing in tails, is it fast and furious? Is it nice and relaxed, is it stock still? Is it slow and deliberate?

We have all heard of the dog that has bitten but it was wagging its tail…a wagging tail is not always an indicator of a happy dog!

💛 The golden nugget in terms of canine behaviour that our dogs can learn and utilise is the ability to walk away from a situation in which they are not comfortable in. This single behaviour is the most important lifeskill that we can harness in our dogs and it is the one behaviour that not all dogs can do naturally 💛

Knowing and understanding the variations in the energy of the individual will be your biggest learning curve and also the one that will be the biggest game changer in your relationship with your dog.

Now let’s move into the more reactive behaviours our dogs can show and generally when we are at that stage we are paying attention, because the aftermath can hurt!

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We ask so much from our dogs daily, expect them to learn our language yet we are not always willing to learn theirs?

Can you imagine the harmony we would create if we all understood our dogs.

On that note let’s move into the reactive set of behaviours at the top of the ladder, the behaviours that usually make us take action, because they are hard to ignore in all honesty.

Firstly let’s look at 2 of the most misunderstood behaviour signals our dogs can use at this stage in the game.

(These images are both mine and stock images taken from google to represent some of the behaviours outlined in this section)

🐾 Lie down, Leg up: Now it is worth noting, NOT all dogs will do this and this can go as far as full breed groups missing out this signal (frenchies are a prime example of a breed that has not utilised this communication signal).

This is also a prime misinterpreted behaviour that us humans really do miss.

Let’s break it down and please see pictures as references.

You have the full chilled and relaxed lie down as displayed by my gorgeous boy. However the difference when they are not comfortable is there will be more tension held in the body, possibly a slight curve, and the back leg will be lifted just a touch.

The purpose of this stance is the dog is saying it ‘means no harm but please hurry up and sniff so you leave me alone’. Dogs can jump up swiftly if we go in with a rough tummy rub or some will also bite if they feel threatened and unsafe.

(These images are both mine and stock images taken from google to represent some of the behaviours outlined in this section)

🐾 Play bows: Now although not on the ladder, they are another behaviour that can have 2 meanings and come in probable around the same point as lie down and leg up.

Play bows are an invitation into play, and when used for such there is a lot of bounce in the energy, there will be movement, they won’t stay in the position for a great deal of time. The energy around it is fun and inviting.

On the flip of the coin, a play bow can also be used to create space. There will be a level of stillness here, heads may go down on an angle and there will either be a slow deliberate movement of the tail or it will be very still.

❤️We are now at the growling stage. The one behaviour that should always be respected.

What I do want to touch on though is a growl can of course be used in play so there is differences in tone and context as with the whole ladder.

Now a growl should always be respected and NEVER tell a dog off for growling.

If the growl is punished or ignored your dog will stop using it, and then you are in dangerous territory.

Think along the lines of taking the batteries out of a smoke alarm, the house is on fire and you have no idea as you have received no warning.

The growl is the final warning for what comes next and what comes next can hurt!❤️

(These images are both mine and stock images taken from google to represent some of the behaviours outlined in this section)

Then the most reactive behaviours and those that cause injury, snaps and bites.

• Snaps: Now dogs tend to use their little teeth for this behaviour, so there can still be a level of breaking the skin if they make contact, more damage if you are to pull back which often occurs as it is a natural reflex.

Now occasionally a dog will use a snap as a form of a test. They make no contact but you hear it and see it. They are asking the question of ‘are you going to do me harm’ and this can be done to humans and to dogs. Depending on the reaction will of course then feed hat happens next. A disengagement or a reaction.

• Bites: This is a whole other level entirely and once we are in bite territory, we enter a grand system which allows us to grade a bite from 1-6, with 6 resulting in death of an animal or person.

• Biting hurts and it should well be noted that it is NOT in your dog’s interest to cause you or anyone else harm. As harm can lead to injury to themselves also which would directly effect survival. However, dogs learn very quickly that biting works and therefore to save time and efficiency they can jump to this level of reactivity very quickly.

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The more time your dog spends up in the red area of the ladder the more likely they will go straight to this point because they know it works. They are rehearsing a behaviour and ultimately perfecting the skill.

When you do have a dog up in the red you only have one option and that is to react. It’s about getting your dog out of this area as quickly, efficiently and safely as possible and removing them from the situation. Your dog is in survival mode up here and it’s no fun for anyone.

Spend more time being proactive at the lower levels in the ladder and the less time you and your dog will spend in the red.

I hope it has been useful and you have come to realise the importance of understanding your dogs subtle skills. This is an art form and learning this skill can set you apart in being the best advocate of your dog.

Lois Hetherington. BSc.

Holistic Canine Behaviour Coach