Dog Body Language - Decoded

With Christmas Eve tomorrow, the hustle and bustle at its peak, and visitors coming over or maybe you are taking your dog to somebody's house. Think of all of the new smells, activities, noises, and people coming and going. Especially over the holidays, Pet Pals' Dog Mentorship Program wants to keep pets and kids safe and teaches families how to do just that. As such, lets briefly decode some dog body language. To many it is very surprising what their body language is telling us humans!

Any growl or snarl means I will bite soon: If a dog freezes - becomes suddenly stiff, stands with front legs splayed, head low, looking at you or the dog curls lip to show teeth. STOP what you are doing immediately. Look away, do not make eye contact and give the dog the opportunity to move away

Paw Lift means: Sometimes dogs are more overt when they feel anxious and want to remove themselves from a situation. Please don't force a dog to stay in situation in which he feels anxious, especially if children are the source of his anxiety.

Nose lick means: I am very worried, go away right now. Recognize Other Body Language Signs of Anxiety
*tail between legs
*tail low and only the end is wagging
*tail between legs and wagging
*tail down or straight for curly-tailed dog
*ears sideways for erect eared dog
*ears back and very rapid panting (as seen in the video below)
*dog goes into another room away from you and urinates or defecates

Yawning means: Please stop and leave me alone. Displacement behaviors are normal behaviors displayed out of context. They indicate conflict and anxiety. The dog wants to do something, but he is suppressing the urge to do it. He displaces the suppressed behavior with something else such as a lick or a yawn. For example, you are getting ready to go out and the dog hopes to go too. He is not sure what will happen next. He wants to jump on you or run out the door, but instead he yawns. The uncertainty of the situation causes conflict for the dog and the displacement behaviors are a manifestation of that conflict. The dog may want to bite a child who takes his bone, but instead he bites furiously at his own foot.

If a dog show sign of anxiety keep all kids and people he/she doesn’t know away. Give a toy or chew elsewhere.
• yawning when not tired
• licking chops without the presence of food
• sudden scratching when not itchy
• sudden biting at paws or other body part
• sudden sniffing the ground or other object
• dog shake when not wet or dirty

***Even placid friendly dogs can be stressed by a party. Parties can be very stressful for dogs. Give your dog a safe place to escape. Refraining guests from hugging and kissing your dog is always a great idea.

Here are some examples:
the dog gets up and leaves an uncomfortable situation (he may bite rather than leaving one of these days)
turning head away
hiding behind person or object
barking and retreating
the dog rolls over on back in submissive way (please don't hurt me!)

These are just some examples of things covered in Pet Pals' Mentorship Program. This program partners with you, your family, and your pet(s) to meet the needs of your lifestyle and your unique dog. Together we can help our dogs have an enjoyable Christmas also!

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Thank you to Dog Gone on providing some of the wording included here.