Airplane earscat
Ears turned out to the sides, flat like wings: the cat is irritated, worried or in pain. Pinned back, it is fear or anger.
Read the explanation →Dog and cat behavior glossary
In shortThe words you need to read your pet, each defined in a sentence or two. Every term links to the page that explains it in depth: the signals to watch, what you can do, and when to see a vet.
A
Allogroomingcat
Mutual grooming between two animals, mostly on the head and neck. In cats it marks a close bond: when he licks you, he includes you in his group.
Read the explanation →Arched backcat
Side-on with raised fur, an arched back is a defensive posture; during a stretch or under a stroke, it means nothing worrying. Context makes the difference.
Read the explanation →Attachmentdog and cat
The bond that makes a human a secure base: the animal seeks them out when worried and explores more calmly in their presence. It has been shown in both dogs and cats.
Read the explanation →B
Blepcat
The tip of the tongue sticking out of a relaxed cat who forgot to pull it back in. Cute and harmless, unless he drools, has bad breath or keeps his mouth open.
Read the explanation →Bottle-brush tailcat
A tail puffed up to its full fur, often with an arched back: the cat is scared or startled and trying to look bigger.
Read the explanation →Bunting (head rubbing)cat
The cat rubs his cheeks, forehead or chin against you or objects, leaving scent from his facial glands. A friendly mark that means “you belong with me”.
Read the explanation →C
Calming signalsdog
Small gestures a dog uses to defuse tension: licking his nose, yawning out of context, turning his head away, sniffing the ground, slowing down. The term was popularized by Norwegian trainer Turid Rugaas.
Read the explanation →Chatteringcat
Rapid jaw clicking, sometimes with small chirps, when a cat stares at a bird or insect he cannot reach. A mix of hunting excitement and frustration.
Read the explanation →Cognitive dysfunctiondog and cat
Decline of brain function in older dogs and cats: disorientation, shifted sleep, night-time vocalizing, forgotten training, changes in relationships. Often underdiagnosed, it can be managed.
Read the explanation →Coprophagiadog
Eating feces. Common in dogs, especially with fresh stools, it is usually a behavior rather than a nutritional deficiency.
Read the explanation →D
Desensitization and counterconditioningdog and cat
The core method for fears: expose the animal to a very mild version of what scares him while pairing it with something he loves, then increase very gradually.
Read the explanation →E
Environmental enrichmentdog and cat
Anything that lets an animal express natural behaviors in your home: heights, hiding spots, scratching posts, hunting games, sniffing activities. One of the best ways to prevent behavior problems.
Read the explanation →F
Feline Grimace Scalecat
A validated tool for spotting pain on a cat’s face from five signs: ears turned out, squinted eyes, tense muzzle, stiff whiskers, lowered head.
Read the explanation →Flehmen responsecat
The cat, like the horse, curls back his lip and holds his mouth slightly open after sniffing a smell, drawing the molecules toward the vomeronasal organ in the roof of the mouth to analyze them.
Read the explanation →Freezingdog
The dog suddenly goes still, body stiff, often with the mouth closed. A sign of high tension, common right before a bite: give him space.
Read the explanation →G
Ground scratchingdog
After eliminating, the dog scratches the ground with his hind legs. He probably spreads his scent and adds a visual mark to his message.
Read the explanation →Guilty lookdog
Ears low, eyes averted, tail tucked after some “mischief”. It is mostly a response to your reaction in the moment, not a feeling of guilt.
Read the explanation →H
Head tiltdog
The dog tilts his head to one side when spoken to. It shows up mostly when he hears a word that matters to him, like a toy’s name.
Read the explanation →Hisscat
The loud burst of air, mouth open, that a cat makes when scared or cornered. A defensive warning, not an attack: he is asking for distance.
Read the explanation →K
Kneadingcat
The cat pushes alternately with his front paws, as if kneading dough. A gesture inherited from nursing, linked to comfort and relaxation.
Read the explanation →L
Ladder of aggressiondog
The progression of signals from a dog who feels threatened, from the subtlest (yawning, lip licking, looking away) to the strongest (freezing, growling, biting). Punishing the growl removes the warning, not the fear.
Read the explanation →Leash reactivitydog
Barking, lunging and growling at another dog or a passerby, mainly on leash. Most often fear or frustration, amplified by a leash that prevents both escape and approach.
Read the explanation →Lip lickingdog
A quick flick of the tongue over the nose or lips, away from meals. One of the most common calming signals: the dog is a little uncomfortable.
Read the explanation →M
Mouthingdog
A puppy grabs hands and clothes with his mouth: he explores, plays and teethes. He learns to soften his bite from the reactions of his littermates and his humans.
Read the explanation →O
Overgroomingcat
A cat licks himself until he loses fur, often on the belly or flanks. Long blamed on stress, it most often hides a medical cause, especially an allergy.
Read the explanation →P
Petting-induced aggressioncat
A cat suddenly bites or swats while being petted. The warning signs are subtle: a lashing tail, rippling skin, swiveling ears. Short strokes on the head and cheeks work better.
Read the explanation →Picadog and cat
Chewing or swallowing non-food items: plastic, fabric, soil, stones. It can have a medical or behavioral cause and always deserves a vet’s opinion.
Read the explanation →Play bowdog
Front end down, rear end up: the dog announces that what follows is play. It mostly serves to start or restart a game.
Read the explanation →Positive reinforcementdog and cat
Adding something pleasant (a treat, play, petting) right after a behavior so that it happens again. The basis of modern training, at least as effective as punishment, without its side effects on fear and aggression.
Read the explanation →Predatory sequencecat
Stalk, approach, pounce, catch, kill, eat: the steps of the hunt, which play replays. Letting the cat “catch” the toy at the end of a play session prevents frustration.
Read the explanation →R
Raised hackles (piloerection)dog
The hair along the neck, back or tail stands up under the effect of adrenaline. It is an arousal reflex, not necessarily aggression: fear, surprise, intense play or alertness.
Read the explanation →Redirected aggressioncat
A cat, aroused or scared by something he cannot reach (a cat outside, a noise), lashes out at the nearest person or animal. A common cause of sudden fights between housemates.
Read the explanation →Resource guardingdog
The dog protects what he values, food bowl, bone, toy, spot on the couch, by freezing, growling or biting. A natural behavior that can be prevented and worked on without confrontation.
Read the explanation →S
Separation anxietydog
A dog’s distress when left alone: barking, howling, destruction near doors, house soiling, drooling. It is treated gradually, never by punishing what happened during the absence.
Read the explanation →Shake-offdog
The dog shakes as if he just came out of water, although he is dry. He is “resetting” after a tense or exciting moment, like being handled or meeting someone.
Read the explanation →Slow blinkcat
The cat slowly closes his eyes, then opens them again while looking at you. A sign of relaxation and trust, and you can answer the same way.
Read the explanation →Socializationdog and cat
The period when a young animal learns what is normal and safe: people, animals, noises, places. It is most sensitive in the first weeks, roughly 3 to 12 weeks in puppies and 2 to 7 in kittens.
Read the explanation →Solicitation purrcat
A purr with a high-pitched, cry-like component that cats use to ask for food. Humans hear it as more urgent than a relaxed purr.
Read the explanation →Submissive grindog
The dog pulls back his lips and shows his front teeth, with a low, loose, wiggly body. Despite the teeth, it is an appeasing greeting, not a threat.
Read the explanation →T
Tail upcat
A vertical tail, sometimes hooked at the tip like a question mark: a cat’s friendly greeting as he comes toward you.
Read the explanation →Trigger stackingdog
When several small stressors add up in the same day, the dog overreacts to something he would normally tolerate. That is why some reactions seem to “come out of nowhere”.
Read the explanation →Trill (chirrup)cat
A short rolled “brrr” made with the mouth closed, used to greet or to invite you to follow. Mother cats use it to call their kittens.
Read the explanation →U
Urine marking (spraying)cat
A cat sprays small amounts of urine on a vertical surface, tail up and quivering. A scent message, often linked to stress or other cats, to be told apart from a litter box problem.
Read the explanation →W
Whale eyedog
The white of the eye showing as a crescent while the dog keeps his head turned away but tracks something with his eyes. A sign of discomfort or tension, often just before a growl.
Read the explanation →Wool suckingcat
The cat sucks or chews fabric, wool in particular. More common in Oriental breeds, it can turn into swallowing fabric, which is dangerous for the gut.
Read the explanation →Z
Zoomiesdog and cat
Short bursts of frantic running in circles or zigzags, also called FRAPs (Frenetic Random Activity Periods). In dogs and cats alike, it is a normal release of energy, often in the evening or after a bath.
Read the explanation →Mimo reads behavior. It does not replace a vet.