Dog body language: 3 emotions that are easy to recognize

Though dogs communicate with whines, barks, and growls, they more frequently rely on body language to express their emotions and intentions. Deciphering your pooch’s postures, facial expressions, and other physical gestures is a key part of communicating with them. Here’s how to recognize three basic emotions in your pup.

1. Excitement
When dogs want to play, they raise their tail and lower their front end by bending their forelegs. They also erect their ears and open their mouth in the shape of a smile. This behavior may be accompanied by an excited barking and playful advances and retreats.

2. Fear
Thunderstorms, strange places, and a variety of other situations can frighten dogs. They tend to express this emotion by placing their tail between their hind legs and flattening their ears. They may also curl back the corners of their mouth and pucker their muzzle. Additionally, a scared canine’s hackles may be raised.

3. Aggression
Dogs may become aggressive if an intruder ventures into their territory. Indications that they may act aggressively include raised hackles, a tail that’s straight and pointed backward, and legs that are straight and rigid. In addition, they may bend their ears forward and show their teeth.

If you pay close attention, you’ll realize your dog is communicating with you all the time using a variety of signals. By learning what your pooch is saying, you’ll develop a closer bond and be better able to predict their behavior.

Canine calming signals
When faced with a stressful or uncomfortable situation, dogs adopt a variety of behaviors to calm themselves or comfort someone else. These calming signals may include yawning, shaking, blinking, nose licking, sniffing the ground, lying down, or lifting a leg.