The chart
Dog body language
Read the whole body, in context. One signal alone means nothing.
- Relaxed
- Alert
- Stressed, wants space
- Back off now
Tail
- Neutral height, wide loose sweepHappy, sociable
- High, stiff, fast short wagsHighly aroused: play or threat, check the rest
- Low or tucked between the legsWorried, wants to disappear
Ears
- Neutral, softNothing special
- Pricked forward, pointedFocused, sometimes the start of a chase
- Pinned back, flat against the skullFear or appeasement, depending on the body
Eyes
- Soft, almond-shaped, blinkingAt ease
- Whale eye: whites showing, head turned awayUncomfortable, wishes it would stop
- Hard, fixed stare, no blinkingStrong tension, do not hold the stare
Mouth
- Open, loose, tongue outRelaxed, the “smile”
- Lip licking, yawning out of contextCalming signal: “enough”
- Closed tight, corners pulled forwardTension rising
- Lifted lips, teeth, growlWarning: step back, never punish
Body
- Loose, wiggly, weight evenly spreadHappy
- Play bow: front down, rear up“Everything that follows is a game”
- Low, crouched, weight back, tremblingFear: leave a way out
- Frozen, stiff, weight forwardRight before the bite: space, now