Understand Your Dog – Read 23 Dog Body Language Cues [Infographic]

While our dogs can’t communicate verbally, they can communicate with us using their body languages. It is therefore very important that all dog owners should be able to understand this dog body language to co-exist peacefully with their dogs. This infographic, presented by iHomePet, shows you 23 dog body language cues worth knowing about.

The following dog body language is very important, and it is vital to have some knowledge about them if you want to make sure that you understand your dog properly.

Active influence: Such a dog is very active and will keep barking, jumping and mouthing or nipping to pass his message home.
Passive influence: This dog will engage with you by staring at you, nudging, licking and dropping things at your feet to convince you to play with him.
Assertive-aggressive: Such dogs will become aggressive at the slightest provocation; they will have raised hackles and will always be still.
Assertive-overly confident: They will hold their tails high as a sign of showing that they are so confident.
Alert/self-assured: These dogs will focus on their environment and hardly distractible.
Relaxed: Such, a dog, is easy going and is not bothered by anything going around him.
Fearful-aggressive: These dogs will bark, lunge and growl at the least cases of noise.
Fearful-nervous: Such dogs always show fear and will sleep with one eye open. They also exhibit a lot of nervousness.
Shy-submissive-timid: Such dogs will shy away from strangers and turn his body sideways when greeting strangers.
Submissive: They will always acknowledge that you are dominant over them by exposing their belly.
Alert-checking things out: This dog will have his ears facing forward with its mouth closed.
Playful: This dog socializes well and is ready to always play with you.

Calming Signals

There are signals that your dog may exhibit which show that the dog is calm and everything is alright and under control. The calming signals include:

Unique alertness: your dog may assume and upright posture with its ears straight and facing The dog does this as if asking, “Who’s this?” and he’s trying to get the answer.
Licking lips: If your dog licks his lips when there is no food present nearby then this must be a sign that your dog is calm and just happy.
Panting when not hot or thirty: if you notice your dog panting when not thirsty or when it’s not hot then do not be worried, your dog is alright.
Acting sleepy or yawning: When you know very well that your dog is not tired yet he is yawning or acting sleepy, this should not be a cause for alarm. He is alright.
Whale eye: if your pooch gives you the whale eye signal then it wants some alone time, he wants some space, and you should give him space.
Scratching: if your dog scratches himself, then it means he is somehow stressed. Do not be worried about that.
Blink eyes/shaking the soft ears: This is a signal that your dog gives when he is relaxed.
Greeting stretch: if your dog gives you this signal then there is much love in the air. It is like he is saying, “Hello, I love you.”
Squatting with one raised front leg: this is a signal that your dog uses when he wants you to feed him.
Head tilt: your pooch will do this to show that he is curious about something.
Kneeling with the tongue out: this shows that your pooch is totally very happy.

The 23 dog body language cues mentioned above are by no means all the body language signals of your dog. But, you can use this article as a resource to understand “what your dog is feeling?”, and help you train your dog.

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