SERVICE DOG HAND SIGNALS SERIES

In pointing breeds like the English Setter, the paw raise is part of pointing behavior, where the dog indicates nearby prey. As the name implies, it’s used to initiate play with other dogs and even with people.Ī less easily understood signal is the paw raise. This is when dogs place their chest on the ground with their rump in the air. In this case, the dog is trying to appear larger.Īn easy-to-read aspect of dog body language is the play bow. But it could also indicate offensive intentions, particularly paired with other aggressive body language cues like a twitching tail held high. This might simply indicate the dog’s interest. This dog is trying to get closer to something. The opposite posture is a dog with their weight shifted forward. The dog may even urinate a little in appeasement. But it can actually be a sign of considerable stress and anxiety. This may look like a dog soliciting a belly rub, and in a relaxed dog, it often is. The extreme of this posture is a dog that rolls onto their back, exposing their belly. In other words, it says, “I mean no harm.” The dog may be trying to get away from something and the posture makes the dog appear smaller. Consider a cowering dog that is hunched toward the ground.

PostureĪ dog’s weight distribution can tell a lot about mood and intention. It’s often an involuntary reaction, like goosebumps in people. The dog might be upset or stressed but could also be excited or intensely interested in something. This is a definite sign that the dog is aroused, but not necessarily in a negative way. Technically called piloerection, the fur can fluff up across the shoulders or down the back and all the way to the tail. When a dog’s hackles are raised, it means the hair along their back is standing up. If you get to know your dog’s neutral tail position, you will more quickly recognize when their emotions have shifted. Some breeds, such as the Chow Chow, have tails that naturally curl over their backs, whereas some other breeds, like the Italian Greyhound, have a very low neutral tail position.

Relaxed dogs hold their tails in a neutral position, but neutral depends on the breed. Dogs with their tails held up like a flag are feeling confident, perhaps even aggressive. Dogs with their tails pointing down to the ground or even tucked between their legs are feeling fear and stress. Essentially, the higher the tail, the more assertive the dog. You’ll usually see it when a dog is greeting a beloved person.įinally, the position of the dog’s tail relative to the ground holds important clues about their emotional state. Then, there’s the helicopter tail wag (where the dog’s tail spins in a circle). Tails wagged more to the left when dogs faced something negative. A study on tail-wagging showed that dogs tend to wag their tails more to the right when feeling positive about something, like interacting with their owner. The direction of the wag may hold clues as well. A faster, twitch-like wag indicates a higher level of arousal, possibly in a negative way.

Think about those long, slow, side-to-side tail sweeps your dog makes when greeting you - the type that wags the dog’s whole body. To interpret the dog’s emotions and intentions, look at the speed and direction of the wag, as well as the position of the tail.īasically, the faster the wag, the more aroused the dog. It could be excitement, but it could be frustration or worse. People misinterpret this signal all the time.Īll a wagging tail means is that the dog is emotionally aroused.

If a dog’s tail is wagging, the dog is happy, right? Wrong. Tail-wagging seems like an obvious body language signal. To better communicate with your canine companion, learn some tips on reading dog body language. At other times, it’s in direct contrast with what that same signal means to a human, such as when it comes to yawning or looking away. Sometimes, dog body language is simply unfamiliar (after all, people don’t have tails). That can lead to plenty of human-dog misunderstandings. More often, though, dogs rely on nonverbal body language. It can be quite different from how humans communicate with one another.Ī lot of canine communication consists of barks, whines, and growls, so it’s important to know what dog sounds mean.

SERVICE DOG HAND SIGNALS SERIES

Dog body language involves a series of unique methods for communicating emotions and intentions.

Service dog hand signals