Your Dog’s Body Language

Among the main reasons that dogs are such good companion animals is because of their ability to communicate with humans. It is studied that they tend to understand us better than we know how to read their body language.

The signs that they show us so that we can interpret what they tell us are many, the posture, ears, mouth, hair and tail of your dog are very clear indications of what our pet wants to make us understand with his body language .

Dogs perform vocalizations and gestures with their face and body in their own way, just like people, to express their feelings. Although some of these gestures may seem very similar to ours, it is quite likely that they have very different meanings.

The first thing is the observation of body language

In learning to know the meaning of our pet’s gestures, observation is the best instrument, and through it we can understand many of the things it does. Many dog ​​gestures and skills are subtle and must be interpreted.

In learning canine language, we can react to a hypothetical problem before it increases. This learning process has two paths, on the one hand we identify their gestures and we are learning to interpret them, and on the other hand they also have to learn our behavioral signals as well.

Dogs don’t understand our language either, but they will identify tones and the semantics of words ; it is important that we teach them what “no” or “sit down” means. Just by saying “sit down” over and over again the animal will not be able to know what it means and will think that it is part of the nonsense we humans say, according to its perception, throughout the day.

Therefore, the dog should be lured into a sitting position and then rewarded for obeying. This action will awaken the animal’s craving to sit up. With this, hearing the word “sit” hereafter will associate it with what to do.

Eye contact and punishments

In the analysis of the dog in the face of visual contact with us, humans have to know that, as in the case of people, that dogs feel confused and threatened with a fixed gaze, among other things because it is a posture of threat to them. A dog that averts its gaze to avoid the risk of confrontation is being courteous, in its own way.

Eye contact with us humans can be trained in dogs to communicate their perceptions to us. The best way to carry out this training is called “positive reinforcement” or “clicker training”.

It is a stable and effective workout. It is not very effective, for example, punishment, because it has been shown that dogs have very short memories and it is most likely that they do not associate some activities with their punishment.

In addition, it is studied that dogs do not feel guilt. For example, the dog learns that when he defecates on the ground we do not like it, and when we get home, he will do what is necessary to compensate us, but this does not mean that he relates the action of defecation with our discomfort.

Some gestures

• Turning around and showing their belly is a typical gesture that our pets make, and it is a kind of show of respect, as well as absolute confidence.
• Sneezing, yawning, and lip licking are signs that the animal is nervous.
• The tail is another of the most indicative and gestural elements. When the tail and butt move, surely we all identify joy in it. But if the tail wags slowly it means a cautious character. If the tail is raised and stiff, it is an unequivocal sign that the animal is on alert. A mid-height tail means some satisfaction, but if it is between the legs it is a sign of fear.
• In a confident position the dog will be upright, with the tail up and moving slowly, with the ears relaxed and the eyes with small pupils.

• If it stands in front of us, with its head and chest on the ground, its front legs spread and its tail up, it is a clear invitation to play. The swinging of our pet’s hip indicates the same.
• If the animal raises its leg to touch our knee or another part of the body, this gesture of body language means that we pay attention to it for some reason.