Getting Started With How To Read Dog Body Language
Our dogs communicate through body language. Since we ask them to live in this human world, we think it’s super important to learn to “speak their language.” Keep scrolling for different examples of dogs that we’ve captured. You’ll also see our observations, so we can help you learn to read dog body language in real life.
In Dog Body Language, a Wagging Tails Does Not Equal a Happy Dog
We thought it would be fun to tackle the old misnomer that a wagging tail indicates a happy dog. In the video above, you’ll see two slow motion clips of the same dog (Otis). In both videos, Otis is wagging his tail, but the way he wags his tail and what the rest of his body is doing tell two very different stories.
Here’s what his body language actually means:
In video one (red text blocks), Otis is alert and upset (human labels) because of the mail truck that pulled up (context). You’ll notice his tail is high, and he does short, stiff wags. The rest of his body is stiff and tense, and he is making himself appear large. His mouth is closed shut and his lips are puckered as he leans forward.
In the second video (green text blocks), Otis is happy and excited (human labels). Someone he loves just showed up in the driveway (context). He is doing big, sweeping tail wags, and his whole body is loose and wiggly. His mouth is open and he has a soft face and eyes.
Tails give us a lot of information, but it is really important to look at the dog’s whole body in order to get the bigger picture. The context also helps us better understand what we are seeing. “Wagging tail = happy dog” is such a common myth.
How To Read Dog Body Language on a Playdate
Dog body language is like a dance, and it is super fun to watch! It’s also quite helpful to be able to read dogs, so you know when you might need to intervene.
In the video above, you’l see two adolescent female dogs who have known each other since they were puppies. They'd been playing around in the yard for about an hour before this video was taken. Play can look quite different depending on the dogs involved. In general, we have to look at the whole picture to determine if it is play (for example, a lot of dogs give a goofy fierce face during play that might look scary out of context with their soft, wiggly body).
In the video, we’ve labeled what you’ll observe, but it moves pretty fast (tip: if you tap and hold on the screen, you can pause). We recommend watching it once where you just pay attention to the dogs, and then again where you read the text, and then go back and see if you can spot the body language that we highlighted.
Here are some takeaways about dog body language during play that we can learn:
Play should be consensual. Often, this means dogs take turns in their “prey” and “predator” roles, but not always. Some dogs really prefer one role over the other.
You want to see loose, wiggly, soft bodies!
You want to see occasional breaks (they pause to take a break themselves).
It is often a good thing when you see mirroring (they look like they are doing the same thing).
Lack of direct eye contact & soft (probably even squinty) eyes are good signs!
If you’re ever unsure if play is consensual, it is helpful to look at the dog in the “prey” role. Do they appear frightened, or do they seem calm about the dog on top of them/chasing them? If you’re still unsure, separate them for a few seconds. Release just the dog who has been in that “prey” role to see if they choose to go back for more play. If they do, then you can release the other dog. If they don’t, then you can help keep them apart for a bit so the dog doesn’t get overwhelmed.
What To Do if You’re Not Sure About the Dog Body Language During a Playdate
If you aren't sure if the play you are seeing is mutual (typically when one dog seems to be relentlessly pursuing the other), one of the simplest ways to check is to do a simple “consent test.” To do this test, you need to get a hold of the dog who is doing the pursuing (you can gently hold and then give them a treat, stick a treat to their nose to lure them away, or recall them if you feel confident they’ll respond). The dog who has been pursued is allowed to run free -- this gives them the choice to walk away from that “play” or to return and invite play again. If the “free dog” keeps coming back for more, then you can more safely say that it is play (noting that the dog may need help getting some breaks still), and you can release the dog being held back to play. If the “free dog” walks away, they are communicating that they don’t want to participate in that play, so you can keep the dogs separate. If you aren’t sure about either dog, you can alternate which dog is the one given a choice to leave.
How a Dog Can Calm Things Down With Their Body Language
Y’all ready to watch a really socially savvy dog and learn even more about dog body language?! As background, it may be helpful to know that the little dog featured in the post above (Sully) can still exhibit some “fear reactive” behaviors (charging, barking, lunging) towards dogs. We were walking through this field on our hike when we encountered this lab. Sully barked a few times (not in video) and started to run straight at the lab (not polite). The lab’s body language diffused Sully’s tension IMMEDIATELY (literally, she stops in her tracks and moves onto sniffing). FYI this post has a play-by-play called out in text on the video - it moves a bit fast, but you can tap and hold to pause the Reel and/or watch it again to make sure you catch it all!
Here are some dog body language observations we wanted to point out:
When Sully runs at the lab, the lab LOOKS AWAY while maintaining a soft, still body. The lab is a confident dog, who reads Sully correctly and uses his body to appease her and de-escalate. The rest of the dog’s body language makes it clear that this look away isn’t done out of fear (look away can be because of discomfort).
Sully and the lab stand still while looking away for a few more seconds. Sully feels comfortable enough to move onto sniffing (and the lab correctly does not come to interact).
When Otis went to greet the lab, notice the trajectory he took (before the butterfly distracts him LOL) - it is arcing to the side. This is a softer way to greet than the trajectory Sully was initially taking (straight on).
Notice how the lab has a low head and does some sniffing as he comes to greet Otis. This sniffing can say “I come in peace” to other dogs (hence why letting your dog sniff is CRUCIAL on walks).
They do a quick nose to nose greeting. This is often done as an initial step before they sniff genitals or butts. Here, they don’t progress beyond a nose sniff. They keep it short, andOtis walks away. The lab correctly reads that no further interaction is wanted.
Dogs are highly effective communicators. And guess what?! We can take lessons from them in how people can politely greet dogs: From the side & w/out eye contact! (Obligatory note: Many/most dogs don’t actually want to be greeted by strangers despite how cute they are.)
How To Read Dog Body Language During Off Leash Greetings
Ready to break down some dog body language during off leash greetings?! The video above has three clips (numbered in the video) of off leash greetings between unfamiliar dogs on a trail. Here’s some of our observations and commentary:
Clip One: The grey dog and the white dog approach each other at a pretty casual pace (there’s no rushing on either side). The grey dog’s tail is raised up, but the rest of his body language is pretty neutral. The white dog has ears at half mast (and back a bit). Based on the rest of the body language, this feels like friendly positioning. Both dogs curve around the side to the back for a quick butt sniff (with some distance - aka no noses jammed in butts) and then they both carry on their way. This clearly isn’t a greeting between two dogs who are best friends, but it is a really cordial, polite greeting between two dogs who don’t know each other.
Clip Two: The same white dog from clip one does a big arc towards the back of a small blonde dog. The white dog’s tail and ears are at half mast (friendly, neutral). The blonde dog speeds up a little bit to move away from the white dog and does a couple of baby head turns back towards the white dog (as a way of saying “don’t approach”). The white dog does not follow her. This white dog is a dog-savvy dog in case that isn’t clear and correctly reads the blonde dog and gives a TON of space in the approach and then reads the “no” from the blonde dog loud and clear and isn’t ’t pushy.
Clip Three: A brown dog comes in with a lot of speed. He runs around the side to the back of the grey dog for a sniff. The grey dog turns to also do a butt sniff (circle dance ensues). The grey dog leaves the greeting by walking away, and the brown dog follows him with nose to butt. The grey dog allows this for 11 or 12 steps. After that, you can see the grey dog’s back curls up and its tail comes down (aka we are closed for business). The gray dog then turns to face the brown dog, and the brown dog correctly reads that and gives the grey dog space.
It is useful to be able to read dog body language in case you need to step in if your dog is being pushy or advocate for your dog if they are uncomfortable. We’ll be sure to keep adding dog body language examples to this guide.
