Ever wish you could talk to your dog, find out what’s on his mind? Was he bored while you were at work? Was that stuffed kong the highlight of his day? Well, nobody has figured that out yet. While we can’t chit chat with our dogs, they are constantly communicating with us using body language. And after taking about a year off from meeting new people and new dogs, it’s important to pay attention to what our dogs, and maybe someone else’s dog, are telling us to make it’s a good experience for all.

Chances are that when you walk in the door, your dog is all wiggles. Her mouth is relaxed, maybe open, her butt is wiggling, her tail is a whirly bird (this is the very technical term for this wag), or super wide side to side wag, and maybe she’s even bowing. She can’t use words, but she’s telling you: “Hey! Hi! I’m so happy to see you! Want to play?”

Ever wonder what your dog is saying to other dogs when they meet on the street? Well, if his body language is all wiggles, like above, he’s saying: “Hey, hi, want to play?” But if your dog’s body is stiff, maybe his tail is a high and tight wag, he’s mouth is tense, he’s saying something like: “Yeah, I’m not so sure about you. Let’s just keep things moving along.” If you see your dog exhibiting this sort of body language, or a dog that you are approaching exhibiting this sort of body language, just keep calmly walking.

Maybe you’ve been in a situation where your dog’s tail is low, she’s crouching and hesitant to approach something, like a traffic cone. She’s saying: “Nope, don’t want anything to do with it. It’s scary.” Respect that. Encourage her to go check out the scary thing, but please don’t drag her over to it. If she does check it out, reward her with something yummy. If she doesn’t, that’s okay, maybe next time. It’s kind of like kids and vegetables (or any food you really don’t care for). If you’re forced to eat it, you’ll probably want nothing to do with it…ever. If your parents encourage you to taste it, maybe give you something you like afterwards, chances are you’ll be more likely to try it again.

If you need any help deciphering your dog’s body language, help encouraging your dog to be relaxed around other dogs, or trouble shooting any behaviors, we’re here to help in all situations. So please reach out and let us know how we can help.

Canine Sports Dog Training