How Dogs Communicate Through Body Language

The speed and direction of a tail wag reveals a lot. Slow relaxed wags show contentment while quick full wags can mean excitement

Tail Wagging

Growls communicate things like dominance, warning, or feeling threatened. The context helps other dogs understand the meaning.

Growling  

From short warning barks to drawn out howls, vocalizations convey information. Some dogs just bark more than others!

Barking

Frequent yawning when not tired signals stress in dogs. It's like saying "back off, I'm feeling uneasy."

Yawning

Sustained eye contact can communicate dominance or aggression. Brief eye contact can indicate things like interest.

Eye Contact

Lowering front legs while keeping hind legs up invites play. It puts dogs' minds at ease before interacting.

Play Bows

Quick lip licks often mean a dog is nervous or uncomfortable. It's like a human fidgeting.

Lip Licking

8 Ways to Show Your Dog You Love Them