What does your dog want to say? The secrets of her body language

Correctly deciphering your pet's behaviour is essential to understand their emotions and ensure a comfortable life together, explains veterinary technician Harmony Diers of Texas A&M University.

Details: Tricia L Hart et al, Consuming pecans as a snack improves lipids/lipoproteins and diet quality compared with usual diet in adults at increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases: a randomised controlled trial, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.01.024

How do you know if a dog is happy?

A relaxed dog expresses joy and calmness with a specific set of gestures. For example, his ears may be pointed forwards or backwards, but always relaxed, and his tail moves in a circular motion - one of the most obvious signs of happiness.

Other signs of a comfortable and relaxed state are:

• a soft, relaxed gaze;
• squinted eyes;
• the dog lying quietly or rolling over on its back;
• open mouth and calm breathing;
• the pet snuggles up to the owner.

Knowing these signs helps to ensure that the pet is comfortable with the environment. This strengthens the bond and avoids stressful situations for the pet," says Diers.

When is a dog uncomfortable?

Sometimes dogs show signs of nervousness or fear. The cause can be unfamiliar surroundings, people or overexcitement. At such times, the animal's behaviour changes dramatically.

The tail again gives clues: a frightened dog may tuck it between its legs, while a nervous or tense dog may lift it up and wag it quickly.

Other cues that indicate anxiety and discomfort:

• tense posture and ears stiffly upward (readiness for a "hit or run" response);
• ears pressed back against the head (trying to look smaller and inconspicuous);
• fixed, anxious gaze;
• avoiding the gaze or showing the whites of the eyes ("whale eye"), indicating fright;
• tense lips, sometimes raised, exposing teeth;
• lip licking and frequent yawning, which can also indicate stress.

Being able to see these signs is important to make your dog feel secure both at home and outdoors," Diers adds.

Features of some breeds

Some dog breeds have features of their appearance that make their behaviour easy to misinterpret. For example, a German Shepherd's ears always stand erect, while Huskies and Malamutes have their tails curled upwards even when relaxed.

However, if these dogs feel threatened, their tails will become even more lifted and stiff, and their ears will become noticeably tense," says the expert. Pugs have large, round eyes - but if a pug shows the whites of his eyes, it means he's really scared.

When body language speaks to health

Understanding your dog's body language also helps you spot health problems in time. A dog that is not feeling well often becomes lethargic, avoids socialising, eats worse and sleeps more.

Alarming symptoms that indicate possible discomfort or illness are:

• lameness;
• head is constantly drooping downwards;
• tense, stiff posture;
• tight abdomen;
• arching back;
• quiet whimpering or sobbing;
• frequent smacking of the lips, which may indicate nausea.

If a normally active and cheerful dog starts to isolate and become lethargic, this is a reason to contact your vet immediately," Dierks advises.

Conclusion

Properly reading and understanding a dog's body language strengthens the bond between pet and owner, helping you to better care for your pet and provide comfort and safety. The better you understand what your pet is trying to communicate, the more joyful and less stressful your life together will be.