Dogs have countless ways of expressing their needs, and usually, there’s a lot they want to tell you. From someone being at the door or wanting to go outside, to there being another dog they don’t like, or someone pushing their boundaries.
They communicate these needs with obvious directional movements, such as looking intently at something, but also in smaller ways, such as how they twitch their ears, or whether their tail is upright or tucked away.
Learning to understand this doggy language is crucial. As the pawrent, you’ll often need to intervene to get their needs met - either by feeding them, letting them outside, calming them down or taking them to the vet, for instance.
This communication also strengthens the bond between you, as you’ll get to know exactly how your dog expresses their feelings. In time, your dog will trust you to understand them at all times.
Let’s delve further into the specific ways dogs communicate through body language...
Relaxed vs. Alert Dog Body Language
One of the most important things to know about your dog is their baseline state - how they look when they feel relaxed and calm. This way, when your dog is showing anything but neutral, you can pay attention to what they’re trying to tell you.
Tail
When a dog is neutral, their tail will be generally loose in a stable position, or casually wagging.
Whether the tail stands upright or low depends on their breed, so remember to take a note of how it usually looks when relaxed.
When a tail is wagging furiously, it can mean a high state of excitement - however, it can also indicate anxiety or frustration.
If your dog’s tail is tucked between their legs, they’re usually worried or threatened.
A tall tail, held up high is often a sign of confidence or intention, for example, when your pooch is leading the way or exploring.
Ears
Ears in a neutral position are relaxed, not pointing any particular way. Sometimes a dog may point their ears back if they’re sleepy, but take note of other body language to know for sure.
Alert, upright ears mean your dog is giving something their full attention. They might do this when you mention walkies, or there’s someone at the door.
Ears pointed to the side can mean confusion or uncertainty. One ear up and one ear down can also mean mixed emotions - that your dog feels curious or conflicted in some way.
If your dog has pinned back ears, they could be feeling fearful or anxious, particularly if their body is also lowered.
Twitching ears can mean your dog is in a highly receptive state. Perhaps there are a lot of noises or people around and they’re trying their best to absorb everything.
Eyes
Neutral eyes will have a rounded eye shape with no furrowing or tension, and a gentle gaze.
Squinting or narrowed eyes mean your dog is threatened or uncomfortable. However, they may also squint their eyes when sleepy or relaxed, so context is important.
If your dog is alert or frightened, they might widen their eyes with whites showing.
A fixed gaze can indicate aggressive or fearful behaviour, particularly if your pooch is staring at another dog while displaying other confrontational body language.
An extended, relaxed gaze, often accompanied by slow blinks, means your dog loves you and has a great bond with you.
Rapid blinking can be a way to indicate stress or discomfort.
Looking away, or breaking eye contact can mean the dog is comfortable/unthreatened by what they’re looking at, or they’re indicating to another dog that they don’t want any trouble.
Mouth
Your dog’s neutral mouth will likely be partly open in a smiling expression, sometimes with their tongue lolling out. At other times, their mouth will be closed and relaxed with no tension.
A closed mouth can mean your dog is focused or giving something their attention, for example, when they’ve seen a squirrel or you’ve shown them a ball. The rest of their body will be demonstrating alertness.
A wide open mouth can show excitement, particularly if your dog’s tail is wagging and they’re generally high energy.
If your pooch is threatened, fearful or aggressive, they will often growl or snarl with exposed teeth.
However, if they’re showing teeth while relaxed (smiling) then they’re often being friendly/submissive.
Yawning can mean tiredness, but can also indicate anxiety, or that they’ve had enough of something. If your dog is yawning a lot and it isn’t bedtime yet, this might be why.
Licking lips can mean your dog is anxious or worried, or trying to communicate a threat. They may lick their lips while waiting for a vet, for example. But if you’re preparing food, they’re just ready to eat.
Overall Body Posture
A neutral dog posture is loose, without any tension in their limbs. They may be sitting or lying down with their body sprawled out, or curled up. Standing, they won’t be hunched or lowered, and their tail may casually wag.
A dog rolling onto its back is feeling comfortable and safe. This is a classic submissive position to show they trust you. They also might do this with a more dominant dog to show submission.
An alert dog will stand upright and tense, with their head and ears upright. They may also lean forward, towards something.
If your dog is lowering onto their paws with their back end in the air, this is called bowing, or a playbow. They do this when they feel happy and playful, inviting you or another dog to play.
A crouched dog that lowers its whole body is fearful or anxious. Often, they’ll have their tail tucked in. A hunched body like this may also indicate pain, so be mindful of context.
Stiff, lowered body and slow movements can mean your dog is threatened or about to be aggressive. Often accompanied by snarling or bearing teeth.
Recognising Your Dog’s Emotions
Let’s summarise how your dog’s body language can communicate their emotional state.
Relaxed. Your dog will either be sitting, lying down or standing in a loose, relaxed manner. Ears and tail will be loose, without tension. Their mouth is usually open and smiling with their tongue showing, or loosely closed.
Alert. Your dog will often be standing upright with their tail held tall. Ears will point forward, the body leans forward, mouth is closed to indicate focus. They may also lift one front paw and look at you to communicate attention to something.
Playful. Your dog may adopt the bowing pose, with alert ears facing forward. Their tail will wag, and they might lurch forward or spin around playfully. Their mouth might be wide open in excitement with their tongue out. They’ll often bark or pant.
Anxious. Your dog may have their ears pointed backwards or sideways, their tail between their legs and their body hunched or lowered. Eyes may be widened. They will probably have their mouth closed or tightened, or they may yawn or lick their lips a lot. A frantically wagging tail and barking can also be a sign of anxiety.
In Discomfort/Pain. A dog who is in discomfort or distress may hunch their body, have their tail tucked in, and ears back. They may look at you with eyes pointed up and whites showing, to indicate something wrong - or they may squint their eyes. They may whine or bark for attention.
Fearful. A dog who is afraid of something will avert their gaze, and perhaps hide or seek comfort from you. They will seem agitated and fidgety. Ears will be pinned back, and they’ll hold their tail against their body.
Aggressive/Threatened. Your dog’s body will be tense and stiffened, probably lowered to the ground. Ears will be alert and pointed upwards or pinned back. They will lower their head and widen their eyes, growling and exposing their teeth. If threatened, they’ll bark aggressively.
Other things to consider
Communicating with your dog is much easier when you’ve gotten to know their personality and how they react to different situations and stimuli. Assessing their body language, considering the context, as well as remembering what your dog is usually like, is key to understanding what they’re trying to say.
Environment
A dog's environment has a big impact on how your dog behaves. Changes in surroundings, new people or unfamiliar animals can cause shifts in a dog’s mood.
A dog may be confident and relaxed at home, but show signs of stress, anxiety or submissive behaviour in stranger settings - like at a busy dog park or the vets. Observe how your dog’s body language changes based on their surroundings, and you’ll soon remember which scenarios make them feel uncomfortable and which you'll have to apply training and
treats to in order to create a more positive environment.
Your dog's unique personality
Just like people, dogs have individual personalities that affect how they respond to things; some dogs are naturally more dominant or assertive, while others are shy. A confident dog may display dominance even in unfamiliar places; an anxious dog may feel threatened more often; while a more sensitive dog might need extra reassurance even in safe situations.
Submissive vs. Dominant behaviours
Finally, dogs demonstrate either submissive or dominant behaviours - it’s a way of communicating that goes right back to their canine ancestors. Once you’ve recognised the difference, you can understand your dog’s mood and intervene if needed.
Submissive dogs often exhibit low body posture, avoid eye contact, and may roll over to show their belly. These are signs of deference, friendliness, or a desire to avoid conflict.
On the other hand, dominant dogs may stand tall, hold their tails high, and maintain direct eye contact, displaying confidence or control. They also might mount another dog or a person’s leg if they want to assert dominance - this isn’t always a sexual behaviour. Dominant actions aren’t necessarily aggressive, but they can be if the dog feels threatened or challenged.
Remember, lots of dogs exhibit both dominant and submissive behaviours at different times, depending on the situation. At a certain point, you’ll understand your dog so well that you can pick up on small movements and shifts in mood when they’re interacting with other dogs or people, and be able to manage them appropriately.
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