One of the most common things I hear from dog guardians is: ‘well his tail is wagging so that means he is happy, right?’. Actually, no it doesn’t! We need to look at the whole body, and also what is happening around the dog at the time. Here are a few things to look out for when observing your dog.

Tails

A dog’s tail can give us a lot of clues about how a dog is feeling but it doesn’t tell the whole story, especially with dogs like French bulldogs who have hardly any tail at all! For these dogs, the whole bottom wiggling shows us that they are happy. 

Wagging Tails

• A wide loose tail wag along with the whole body being soft and wiggly is the sign of a happy dog. If the tail moves in wide fast circles (helicopter tail) this is the happiest wag of all!

• A high, stiff and narrow tail wag combined with a tense face and body means that the dog is not feeling friendly but if the dog’s bottom is wiggly he is excited and playful. The more agitated or excited the dog feels, the higher the tail and the faster the wag.

Anxious, Low Tails

• If your dog’s tail is clamped down over his bottom or tucked under, he may be feeling anxious, unsure or scared. The lower or more tucked under the tail, the more anxious or fearful your dog may be feeling.

Relaxed, Neutral Tail

• What a relaxed and neutral tail position looks like will depend on the breed of your dog and the type of tail. He may be feeling relaxed and happy – look at the bottom. Relaxed tails are attached to relaxed bottoms!

Which Side Is Your Dogs Tail Wagging?

• Yes, it really does make a difference! Studies have shown that when dogs wag their tails to the right, they’re likely to be feeling happy or confident, whereas wagging them to the left can mean they are frightened or feeling negative emotions.

Eyes

Soft Eyes

• Your dog’s eyes look almond-shaped and their ears, mouth and body are relaxed. He may be feeling happy and peaceful.

Hard Stare

• Your dog is giving continuous direct eye contact, their ears are forward and they have a tight mouth. The body is still or stiff. He may be feeling concerned or annoyed and confrontational.

Blinking Eyes

• Your dog is squinting or blinking, avoiding direct eye contact. He may be feeling uncomfortable when something or someone is too intense. Frequent blinking may mean more discomfort, if your dog is leaning away there is possible pain.

Whale Eye

• Eyes will have big dilated pupils with the whites of the eyes showing. Eyes are focused in the opposite direction to where your dog’s head is pointing and the body is frozen or not moving. He may be feeling conflicted or trapped, asking for space and thinking about how to escape. 

Ears

A dog’s ears are not only for hearing – they can help tell you how your dog is feeling.

Alert Ears

• Your dog’s ears move up and rotate forward. He may be feeling interested, attentive and excited.

Pinned – Back Ears

• Your dog’s ears are forced back flat against their head. In some floppy-eared dogs, the more stressed the dog is, the more ‘pinched’ the ear flaps look. He may be feeling scared, anxious or sad.

Dropped Ears

• Your dog’s ears have moved down, sideways or back but are not pressed against his head. If your dog is approaching someone and has soft eyes, this is friendly and non – confrontational. If he is leaning away and avoiding someone, this is uncertainty or worry.

Signs of Stress

These are the signs that your dog may be feeling uncomfortable about their situation.

Lip or Nose Lick

• Your dog will be licking his lips or nose when there is no food present. He may be feeling concerned, and uneasy, need to reduce tension and is saying that he is finding a situation difficult.

Stress Yawn

• Your dog will be doing short yawns, his body won’t look relaxed and you may hear a squeaky sound. He may be feeling anxious, needing to avoid conflict, feeling uneasy and communicating that he needs a break.

Sniffing or Digging the Ground.

• Your dog may suddenly start sniffing the ground or digging when something or someone appears. He may be feeling anxious, wanting to avoid interaction, needs to focus on something else and is uncertain about the situation.

 Scratching or Licking 

Like sniffing or digging, this is a sign of your dog doing something out of context due to anxiety.

• Your dog suddenly starts scratching or licking himself while in the middle of doing something else. He may be feeling anxious or nervous about a situation

Feel free to get in touch with Happipup if you have any concerns with your dog’s body language by either calling 07973 272 911 or emailing sandra@happipup.co.uk