Discover how to read and understand your dog's behavior (Part 1)
Anyone lucky enough to share their life with a four-legged companion will agree: dogs are capable of communicating in countless ways! Science has proven it: dogs are sensitive, social, and intelligent beings. They experience fear, joy, anger, surprise, and sadness, just like us!
The biggest mistake you can make is thinking they communicate in a similar way to us. Dogs communicate primarily **through sight and non-verbal behavior**. A dog will only growl, bite, or fight as a last resort, when all other signals have been misunderstood or ignored.
This article is by no means exhaustive, but simply aims to give you a little boost to better communicate with your beloved four-legged companions and thus be able to better help them feel happy and safe.
Photo source: Pixabay sweetlouise
1. Prerequisites for reading a dog's behavior
Three points are essential to always keep in mind before attempting to interpret what your dog is trying to say:
- Overall observation: Observe your dog's body as a whole and do not focus simply on one detail (such as the ears, tail, etc.) while ignoring the rest.
- Crucial context : Always consider the context. What is happening in the environment that could be influencing my dog's behavior?
- Unique individual : Each dog is an individual in its own right. It will react differently depending on its history, age, health, morphology and training.
2. How does my dog greet?
- Welcome stretch : He stretches nonchalantly, paws on the ground, his gaze gentle and his ears relaxed. He is probably expressing his joy at seeing you after a long separation.
- Playful greeting : Manifested by a bouncy gait, a wagging rump with ample tail movements, and a relaxed body. This expresses interest and joy.
- Head tilted : His head is tilted to one side, with his ears forward and an attentive gaze. He is showing his interest, curiosity or surprise and analyzing the situation.
- Sniffing the rear end : When you encounter other dogs, this behavior allows you to gather information and demonstrates a certain curiosity . The sniff should be brief so as not to be perceived as impolite.
- Friendly nose-to-nose contact : Only with familiar dogs. Its gaze is gentle, its ears and body relaxed, demonstrating a sense of ease and curiosity.
3. The different types of gaze in dogs
During training, we work on direct eye contact, but in the canine world, indirect eye contact is more innate and polite.
Gentle gaze
Your dog has laughing eyes, avoids direct eye contact, and has relaxed ears, mouth, and body. He is probably expressing joy and tranquility and has no desire to confront you.
Hard or fixed stare
Your dog maintains constant eye contact, has its ears forward and jaw clenched, and displays stiffness or immobility. It is probably anxious or upset, and may be in a confrontational mood.
Beaten dog eyes
Eye contact is maintained, eyebrows are raised, and ears are forward. Our dogs know perfectly well that through this gaze, they can obtain certain behaviors from their human (usually food or a pat!).
Blink of the eyes
Your dog avoids direct eye contact, looks at you sideways, or blinks. He's trying to tell you he's uncomfortable with a situation or a disproportionate reaction. If he also backs away, it could mean he's in pain.
Dilated eyes (Whale Eye)
His pupils are large and dilated, revealing the whites of his eyes. His gaze is turned in the opposite direction to his head, and his body is still. Your dog is indecisive or feels trapped. He needs his space respected and an escape route (flight or confrontation).
Photo source: Pixabay enjoychris