What Is Your Dog Telling You?
By
Suz Redfearn
WebMD Feature
WebMD Feature
How many times have you wished your dog could talk so you could know exactly what he’s thinking?
But he doesn’t need to speak to clue you in.
Veterinary behaviorists say if you learn to read your dog’s actions,
it’s not hard to figure out what’s going on in his head.
Debra Horwitz, veterinary behaviorist and lead editor of Decoding Your Dog,
says the key is looking at your whole dog, rather than a portion of
him, like just his tail. Observing what your dog does with his face,
body, and tail in any given situation will let you know if he’s feeling
relaxed, concerned, scared, or aggressive.
When you look at your dog, what do you see?
Is he happy?
“When a dog is happy, his whole body looks soft,”
Horwitz says. “And when a happy dog wags his tail, the tail wags his
whole body. He has relaxed ears, a soft pant, eyes are soft. Everything
about him says, ‘I’m cool. I’m good.’”
Is he interested and stimulated?
A dog that’s doing what his genes tell him to is a
happy dog, Horwitz says. When a retriever is fetching, her body language
screams, “I’m totally into this!” Same thing goes for a terrier who
gets a chance to sniff out a critter or whip a new toy back and forth,
and a border collie that’s being directed through an obstacle course.
Presented with a mere hint of these activities, the dog may run out of
pure joy, wag its tail, bark, grin, and spin in circles.
Once you find out what makes your dog happy in this way, offer him this activity as often as you can.
Is he concerned?
Let’s say you’re outside with your dog, and
another dog suddenly shows up on the scene. If your dog doesn’t know
this dog, he’s likely to show his concern by stiffening his tail and
wagging it in a way that doesn’t wag the body.
“That kind of tail wag says, ‘I’m thinking, I’m assessing,’” Horwitz says.
The wagging tail may go straight up, which shows a heightened alert.
When a little nervous, your dog may draw his ears
closer to his head and pant a little faster, or may close his mouth to
enable him to sniff to check everything out. He may also open his eyes
wider to let in more light.
Is he afraid?
Dog owners often confuse fear in a dog with shame or
guilt, says Melissa Bain, assistant professor of clinical animal
behavior at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
You come home from work to find your dog has had an
accident in the house, or maybe he’s chewed your shoe. You express
strong disapproval, giving him a stern talking-to. He reacts by holding
his body close to the ground, pinning his ears back, and tucking his
tail between his legs.
“He may look like he feels guilty, but he’s actually scared and anxious about what you might do,” Bain says.
Fear of someone your dog doesn’t know looks different.
When a dog is afraid of something or someone
unfamiliar that’s coming at him, he’s likely to get into a defensive
posture that signals he’s ready to fight, Horwitz says.
It’s likely that your dog will “go rigid and tall,
trying to make himself look bigger than he is, and his tail will go up
very high and stiff,” she says. The dog is hoping the threat will just
go away.
Is he angry?
Maybe not. If your dog tears up your furniture while
you’re away, you may think he's angry at you, or spiteful. But most
dogs who do that fear being alone, Horwitz says. They’re displaying
separation anxiety. Others do this because they don’t get enough
attention or exercise. Talk with your vet, or a pet behaviorist, to come up with solutions.
Is he in pain?
Crying can be another area of
misunderstanding. Many owners think a dog that’s whining is trying to
signal pain, when in fact many times dogs will whine just to get you to
get up from your computer and pay attention to them. They may also whine
because they’re anxious, Horwitz says. If your dog is whining, check
him over to make sure he’s not in pain. If you give him attention and he
still doesn’t stop, call your vet.
Taking the time to learn how to read your dog will enhance your enjoyment of pet ownership, and it will make for a very content, comfortable dog, Bain says.
“It’s imperative that pet owners understand what their dog is saying,” she says. “It’s the key to a great relationship.”
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