Canine Body Language
Understanding dog body language can help you know when it is safe to approach or handle a dog.
Green body language and behaviors: non-fearful dog
Body posture: Relaxed, weight evenly distributed, “loose” or “wiggly” body
Tail: Relaxed, neutral position, may be wagging
Ears: Relaxed, neutral position
Mouth: Appears “soft,” may be open, tongue out, relaxed muzzle
Eyes: “Soft,” relaxed, neutral eyebrows, normal pupil size, steady relaxed gaze
- Approaches
- Friendly
- Seeks attention
- Calm
- Play bows
- Barking or whining for attention
- No signs of fear
- Neutral: Undisturbed from resting, eating, playing, or other maintenance behaviors
Dogs communicate so they can stay safe!
Knowing how your dog feels can help you protect them from feeling threatened, or like they must fight or run away.
Red body language and behaviors: fearful dog
Body posture: Tense, stiff, uneven weight distribution, may be still, hair on end, may roll over and show belly or hold up one paw
Tail: Often wagging slowly, may be tucked or high
Ears: Back, rotated down, or erect and forward, wrinkles between them
Mouth: Closed mouth, tense muzzle, wrinkled nose, showing teeth
Eyes: Wide open, dilated pupils, scanning/darting, wrinkles in brow, avoiding eye contact, slow blinking, whites of the eyes showing, head low/outstretched neck looking up over brow, “hard stare”, squinting, tense eyebrows
- No approach
- Backing away
- Aggressive displays
- Straight, hard, fast approach
- Freezing
- Hiding
- Repetitive behaviors out of context
- Alarm bark, yelp, scream, growl, silent
- Shaking, trembling, panting
- Head-turning, lip licking, turning away
When you know how your dog feels, you can set them up for success! Avoid putting your dog in a situation where they feel overwhelmed. That can lead to unwanted behaviors or injuries.
Yellow body language and behaviors: ambivalent dog
Ambivalent dogs:
May show behaviors from both Red and Green categories
Can be hard to categorize as either Red or Green
-
- Unsure – approaches AND retreats
- Signs of stress with friendly behaviors and/or approach
- Approach and/or attention seeking with signs of fear
- Partial approach with friendly behaviors. No fearful body language or behaviors.
Calming Signals
When dogs are uncomfortable, they may display behaviors known as calming signals. These behaviors may help dogs avoid or stop conflict or help them cope with stress.
You may observe:
Displacement behaviors: Normal behavior out of its usual context. Often an animal feels frustrated or conflicted because they want to approach but they feel unsure. Some examples include: scratching, sniffing the ground, mounting, eating/drinking
Appeasement gestures: Behaviors meant to reduce threat. Examples include: play bow, turning or looking away, smiling, rolling over
Other signs of stress: These responses may decrease anxiety or allow your dog to assess the situation. Examples: lip/nose licking, yawning, shaking off, darting eyes/head swivels
Calming signals indicate that your dog is unsure or uncomfortable about what is happening. If you see these behaviors and the dog also seems fearful, stop the interaction right away. This keeps you safe and protects your dog’s welfare.
Topic(s): Bare Bones Basics, Behavior, Breeder Resource, Canine Body Language