Dogs Do Speak, But Only to Those Who Know How to Listen
To be fair, it may just be the Huskies always chatter. In fact, it is the only dog breed we often see being quite vocal. As you pay close attention, you will see that each dog has something to say. The key point, though, is that the way they can communicate with you differs from normal human communication.
To express their feelings and intentions, dogs use a variety of distinct cues. Dogs use different vocalizations, including barks, whines, and growls, to convey information to one another. Yet, dogs often depend on body language rather than words to communicate. Because of this, there may be many instances of miscommunication between humans and dogs.
As humans, we don’t always understand dog body language. For instance, your pet may start yawning or look away, but the meaning of the signal is completely at odds with what it implies to a human. Find out how to interpret your dog’s body language so you can have better conversations with your furry friend. This essay is a compilation of the knowledge of experienced veterinaries and dog trainers affiliated with Sirwiss, and it will help you understand why your dog may be acting the way it is.
Let’s See if We Can Read Them, Your Canines
Even if you have a dog and love them dearly, it’s likely that there are some of their antics that you find less than endearing. He seems like a lovely boy, so why is he always so agitated? Parenting a fur baby means constantly navigating circumstances like these. So, it is important to evaluate each body language separately.
1. Tail Wagging
Waggling the tail seems to be an intuitive form of communication. A happy dog is one whose tail is wagging, right? Wrong. Many people mistake the meaning of this signal. Just because a dog’s tail is wagging doesn’t indicate it’s happy or excited. Either exhilaration or irritation or something much worse may be on the other end of that. Examining the dog’s tail posture and the speed and direction of the wag might reveal its mood and intents.
To put it simply, an excited dog will wag its tail quicker. Consider the leisurely, side-to-side sweeping motions of your dog’s tail that it makes as it greets you. A calm canine, indeed. A greater degree of excitement, sometimes for the worse, is indicated by a quicker twitch-like wag. The situation is like that of a guard dog on high alert.
The wag’s direction might also provide useful information. Researchers have found that when dogs are happy about something, like socializing with their owner, their tails wag more to the right. A greater leftward wag of the tail was seen when dogs were confronted with a negative stimulus. Then, there’s the whirling, helicopter-like wag of the tail that certain dogs display. A cheerful wag, no doubt about it. Often, this behavior is seen by dogs upon welcoming a special person in their lives.
Last but not least, you can tell a lot about a dog’s mental state by looking at where its tail is in relation to the floor. Simply said, an aggressive dog is one whose tail is held high. Animals whose tails are tucked between their knees or tucked to the ground show signs of anxiety. Dogs waving their tails like a flag are feeling proud of themselves and could even be showing signs of aggression. Calm dogs often have their tails hanging straight down; however, this varies by breed. Chow Chows, for example, have a tail that curls over their backs, whereas the Italian Greyhound’s tail is carried in a very low, neutral posture. You may tell whether your dog’s mood has changed by looking for a change in the tail position in the “neutral” position.
2. Hackles Raised
When a dog’s hackles rise, it indicates that the hair on their back is sticking up. The fur may puff out over the shoulders, down the back, and all the way to the tail, a condition known as piloerection. This is a clear indication that the dog is excited, albeit not always in a bad sense. The dog may be anxious or worried, but he may also be enthusiastic or vested in something. It is often an instinctive response, similar to goosebumps in humans.
3. Posture
The weight distribution of a dog may reveal a lot about his attitude and purpose. Consider a hunched-over dog. It indicates anxiety or tension. The dog may be attempting to flee something, and his position makes him look smaller. To put it another way, it says, “I mean no harm.” A dog that turns onto their back, displaying their tummy, is an extreme example of this position. This may seem to be a dog asking for a belly rubbing, and in a calm dog, it often is. But it may also be an indication of significant stress and worry. In order to pacify the dog, he may urinate a bit.
A dog’s weight is pushed forward in the opposite stance. This dog is attempting to get a better look at something. This might just be a sign of the dog’s curiosity. Yet, when combined with other hostile body language indicators like as a twitching tail held high, it might imply offensive intentions. The dog in this case is attempting to appear bigger.
The play bow is a simple example of dog body language. When dogs do this, their chest is on the ground and their rump is in the air. It is used to start play with other dogs and even humans, as the name indicates.
Paw rise is a less obvious indicator. The paw rise is part of the pointing characteristic of pointing breeds like as the English Setter. An elevated paw, however, frequently signals that a dog is unsure about a situation or is feeling insecure.
4. Facial Expressions
Dogs and humans have many of the same facial characteristics, but they aren’t used in the same ways. Think about the sensation of yawning. Dogs yawn in response to anxiety, whereas humans yawn when they are sleepy or bored. Dogs, it is said by enthusiasts, may utilize their yawning to relieve stress in themselves and their masters. If you want to soothe your dog relax during a tense situation, like a trip to the vet, she recommends yawning at him. Don’t be shocked, however, if your dog yawns right back at you. Dogs are susceptible to “catching” yawns for the same reasons that yawning is infectious among humans.
Dogs’ lip-licking is another kind of body language that might be misunderstood. Much like humans, dogs lick their lips in response to positive and negative emotions. The flick of the tongue might be difficult to detect because of how quickly it occurs. Your dog isn’t trying to tell you it wants to lick your face, but rather that it doesn’t like the current circumstance very much.
A smile is the most perplexing expression there is. Some dogs do, in fact, grin, and it may be rather frightening to those who aren’t used to seeing it. Usually, when dogs bare their teeth, it serves as a warning, as if they’re saying, “Look at my weapons.” When coupled with a threatening growl, a snarl makes its hostile purpose very apparent. Although smiling dogs also show their front teeth, the intent is much different. A dog with a relaxed and wriggly stance is likely to be smiling in a submissive manner. Everything about the dog’s demeanor screams, “Hello, I come in peace.”
5. Eyes
If you glance into your dog’s eyes, you might find out a lot about how he or she is feeling. In the first place, a dog’s eyes might be either kind or fierce. Gentle eyes are characterized by loose eyelids, giving the impression that the dog is squinting. The dog’s tail wags when it’s relaxed or content. Hard eyes, on the other hand, are characterized by a seeming freezing of the eyeballs. You’ll recognize them as signs of a sour mood. Maybe the dog is protecting an item or is just in a bad mood. When a dog stares closely at something, particularly for an extended period of time, it is often an indication that it perceives danger.
One essential canine communication method is making eye contact. Averting one’s gaze is supposed to defuse tension in the same way that a harsh stare might provoke aggressive behavior. When dogs are anxious, they will deliberately avert their gaze and refuse to make eye contact. It’s easy to mistake a dog’s pain for defiance or obstinacy, but in reality, the dog is only trying to get some relief from its surroundings. The whites of the eyes are another key indicator. When a dog’s whites show, it’s called “whale eye,” and it’s an indication that they’re agitated or nervous.
6. Position of the Ears
When a dog’s ears are laid back and down, it’s showing submission or is seeking attention. But, when combined with other body signs like bared teeth, this may be an indication that your dog has detected danger and is ready to go into protective mode. It’s possible that your dog is trying to tell you something by perking up his or her ears. Just having its ears up means that your dog is paying attention. If your dog is asleep and you enter a room where there is activity, you may observe that although their body remains still, their ears stand up. They are only observing his surroundings and listening to see whether they should be worried. Your dog is probably listening if it is wide awake with its ears perked and seems focused on anything in particular. If your dog or cat’s ears are perked up and cocked forward, it may be overstimulated or even violent. The “up” ears of your dog may be partially up and partially down. This is a natural and relaxed posture for his ears to be in as he listens, but he isn’t actively seeking anything out.
Interpreting Dog Body Language
There is no lone-wolf effect with any of these canine nonverbal cues. There is an entire sequence of them. Hence, take into account the dog’s whole-body language, from the position of its tail to the expression in its eyes, while deciphering what it’s trying to say. Your dog is always “talking” to you. You may strengthen your relationship with your dog by taking the time to learn its language. On top of that, knowing how your dog feels can allow you to anticipate his or her actions and ward off any problems.