Eyes – Hard Eye – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Nov 11, 2018 | Dog Body Language, Eyes - Dog Body Language

Eyes – Hard Eye – Dog Body Language

The term ‘hard eye’ in dog body language refers to situations where a dog gives direct eye contact, characterized by an intense hardened, fixed, glassy stare. Eye contact is not polite in dog communication and is used for the purpose of a warning or as a direct threat to another party, with intent of further action should the party not heed the warning by moving away.

Hard eye can be difficult to describe; there is a lack of analytical language to convey precisely how the eyes appear. If you have been on the receiving end of ‘hard eye’, it is something that you will sense, however difficult it is to put in words. The eyes seem to glaze over and become colder, and there is a definite change in their appearance, as well as a lack of warmth.

Hard eye is normally displayed along with other body language: the eyes will appear large and wide, the dog’s mouth may close, or the dog may already be displaying an agonistic pucker (showing teeth). Tense areas may be apparent on the face, with the skin pulled back or deep furrows showing in areas. The ears may be positioned slightly to the side or moved forward with tension, while the whiskers may look flared or appear to be pushed forward. The dog’s body might orient towards the party receiving the stare, and the whole body could seem tense. Most commonly, the dog will appear still and frozen. A hard stare and freeze may be the last warning before further escalation or even a bite.

The hard stare and freeze can be prolonged in some instances, but in other situations it may occur so quickly that it is missed, with people not realizing a warning was given before a bite. There is a quick glaze, along with a freeze of the body, and, within seconds, a fracas breaks out between two dogs, with the human not realizing which dog instigated it with a stare.

This is why it is important to consider how you use eye contact when interacting with a dog, especially one that is unknown to you. If you wish to be polite, it is crucial to try to build trust by avoiding direct eye contact – especially in the first interactions. As well as being aware of your eye contact, make sure your body is positioned in a non-confrontational manner by turning your shoulder away, with your body facing side-on to the dog. It is polite to avoid staring by turning your head away slightly, using your peripheral vision to observe the dog. If you do give a little selected eye contact, do so for short periods with slightly squinted eyes, and you can also include some slow blinking. Most dogs have grown accustomed to receiving direct eye contact from humans, especially from family members with whom they may feel comfortable. Some dogs may not respond to direct eye contact favorably, especially from strangers, and may display their fear by barking or lunging at the person.

Here are a few examples of situations where a dog may display a hard eye:

An adult dog is lying down on the ground, chewing on a toy. An adolescent dog is playing around with another toy across from the older dog. He throws his toy around clumsily, dropping it near the adult dog’s feet. The adolescent dog playfully stumbles over towards his dropped toy. The adult dog is wary of the younger dog coming closer and possibly attempting to take his toy instead of the one dropped, so he keeps the toy in his mouth, quickly stops chewing, and freezes. His ears go ever so slightly forward, his eyes become wider, and he gives a direct stare towards the adolescent dog, whilst keeping very still. The adolescent playfully paws in the direction of the adult and lets out a playful huff. Remaining frozen, the adult continues to give eye contact. His nose creases and he shows some of his front teeth. The adolescent averts his head slightly, does a lip lick, and turns away to pick up another toy, which is on the floor a little further away.
A person is standing between a couple of dogs and giving each of them attention. Another dog approaches the group. One of the dogs receiving attention freezes for a second. Whilst orienting towards the approaching dog, he gives direct eye contact with a hard stare. This happens in an instant. The person giving attention to the dogs is standing behind the dog that is giving the stare, and she does not realize this is occurring. Unfortunately, by engaging with the approaching dog, she continues to encourage him to come closer. The dog that is giving the stare lunges and snaps at the approaching dog, which reacts and snaps back. All of this happens so quickly. The person shouts at the approaching dog, whereupon both dogs move away and do a shake off.
There are a few dogs hanging out in a dog park. One of the dogs, a small terrier mix, prefers to not interact with the dogs running around and chooses to lie down in the shade near where the people are sitting. After a few minutes, a poodle mix decides to walk towards the terrier, which is still lying in the shade. He approaches the terrier from behind and gently scents his rear end and back. Although the terrier remains lying down, his body stiffens, his head rises slightly, and his ears move a little to the side. He becomes very still and his eyes seem wide. The terrier does not turn to look at the dog sniffing him but remains still. The poodle now carefully walks in a slight curve to the front of the terrier. With eyes somewhat squinted, and ears a little back, he stretches out to carefully sniff the terrier around the face. The terrier turns his head away slightly; his eyes remain wide and have a hard appearance, and a bit of ‘whale eye’ is visible. The reason for the appearance of ‘whale eye’ (the sclera or whites of the eyes becoming pronounced) is that the dog is trying not to give direct eye contact but does not feel comfortable taking his eye off the subject that is causing him concern. The poodle continues to air sniff near the terrier’s face. The terrier still frozen, and revealing hard eyes, now lifts his lip, showing some teeth. The poodle does a head turn and lifts his paw, then decides to carefully turn and walk away from the terrier.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice ‘hard eye’ in different contexts. As discussed below, interpretations such as the above examples should not be attempted without careful observation and consideration of all aspects of the situation.

A few notes to consider when observing dog body language:

Observation before interpretation

Interpretations should be offered only once you have observed the complete interaction and taken note of the wider picture. To offer an unbiased interpretation of the body language, observe and take note of the situation, taking into account the dog’s whole body, the body language signals and environment first before offering an interpretation. List all the body language you see in the order that it occurs; try to be descriptive as possible without adding any emotional language. For instance, saying a dog looks happy is not descriptive and would be seen as an interpretation rather than an observation.

You could however list what you observe: ears to the side, eyes almond shaped, slight shortening of the eye, mouth open, long lips, tongue out, body moving loosely, body facing side-on, tail wagging at a slow, even pace at body level.

From the observation I could interpret that the dog seems relaxed or comfortable. I still prefer to say relaxed rather than happy, as I feel you will truly never know exactly what the dog may be feeling on the inside emotionally. It is quite likely the dog may be feeling happy, but I prefer to comment on how the dog is behaving in response to the situation rather than presuming internal emotional states.

The importance of viewing body language within context

Interpretations can vary depending on the context. It is possible for certain body language to be used in different contexts and have subtle differences in meaning within those contexts. Individual body language signals should not be observed in isolation; the wider picture should be considered. Take note of what the dog’s body as a whole is saying. Keep in mind each dog is an individual with varying skills and experiences. What may be typical for one individual may not be for another. In order to observe body language in context, consider the following: the situation, body language signals, the body language expressed by all parts of the dog’s body, the environment, and the individuals involved. It is worth noting how the body language changes with feedback from the environment or the other individuals interacting.

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.

Eyes – Almond shaped – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Sep 29, 2018 | Dog Body Language, Eyes - Dog Body Language

Eyes – Almond shaped – Dog Body Language

‘Almond-shaped eyes’ is a term used to describe the eyes of a dog in a relaxed and neutral position. The term ‘soft eyes’ may also be used and implies almond-shaped eyes. Both terms are quite self-explanatory. For instance, if a dog is alert, anxious or uncomfortable, the eyes will appear larger and rounder due to muscular tension in the face pulling the eyes open wider. If there is no tension in the face, the eyes naturally should appear slightly squinted and almond shaped. The gaze of the eyes should appear soft.

Along with soft/almond-shaped eyes, other parts of the dog’s body will indicate that the dog is relaxed. There should not be any tension around the eyes or on the face. The eyes may blink. The dog’s mouth may be slightly open, the ears could be slightly to the side and neutral, the body should be loose and moving fluidly.

Here are a few examples of situations where a dog eyes may appear almond shaped:

A dog is lying on the grass in the park. There is no tension in his body; he seems relaxed and his tail lies loosely on the ground, following the curve of his back. His eyes are neutral and almond shaped, and his mouth is slightly open at times. His ears are relaxed and to the side, and occasionally they move around to listen to the sounds in the park. He slowly dips down his head and sniffs some of the grass in front of him. As his guardian approaches, the dog looks up at him, slightly squinting his eyes. His ears move back slightly, and he thumps his tail on the ground in a slow, circular pattern.
A dog is walking around in the park, off leash. His body looks loose, and he moves easily as he strolls around. His eyes are almond shaped and his ears are to the side. His mouth is open, his lips look long, and his tongue is hanging out, as it is a warm day. Occasionally, he curves and dips his head down to sniff the grass, his mouth closing as he does so. He curves round to watch some dogs greeting each other in the distance. Stopping, he lifts his head a bit higher and closes his mouth. His ears go slightly forward, and his tail pauses and is held level with his back. The dogs in the distance greet curve around each other and go their separate ways. The dog curves away, moving in a loose flowing manner, with his tail wagging slightly from side to side. He continues to walk in the opposite direction and occasionally dips his head down to sniff.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice almond-shaped eyes in different contexts. As discussed below, interpretations such as the above examples should not be attempted without careful observation and consideration of all aspects of the situation.

A few notes to consider when observing dog body language:

Observation before interpretation

Interpretations should be offered only once you have observed the complete interaction and taken note of the wider picture. To offer an unbiased interpretation of the body language, observe and take note of the situation, taking into account the dog’s whole body, the body language signals and environment first before offering an interpretation. List all the body language you see in the order that it occurs; try to be descriptive as possible without adding any emotional language. For instance, saying a dog looks happy is not descriptive and would be seen as an interpretation rather than an observation.

You could however list what you observe: ears to the side, eyes almond shaped, slight shortening of the eye, mouth open, long lips, tongue out, body moving loosely, body facing side-on, tail wagging at a slow, even pace at body level.

From the observation I could interpret that the dog seems relaxed or comfortable. I still prefer to say relaxed rather than happy, as I feel you will truly never know exactly what the dog may be feeling on the inside emotionally. It is quite likely the dog may be feeling happy, but I prefer to comment on how the dog is behaving in response to the situation rather than presuming internal emotional states.

The importance of viewing body language within context

Interpretations can vary depending on the context. It is possible for certain body language to be used in different contexts and have subtle differences in meaning within those contexts. Individual body language signals should not be observed in isolation; the wider picture should be considered. Take note of what the dog’s body as a whole is saying. Keep in mind each dog is an individual with varying skills and experiences. What may be typical for one individual may not be for another. In order to observe body language in context, consider the following: the situation, body language signals, the body language expressed by all parts of the dog’s body, the environment, and the individuals involved. It is worth noting how the body language changes with feedback from the environment or the other individuals interacting.

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.

Importance of allowing your dog to sniff

by Martha Knowles | May 14, 2018 | Thoughts & Reads

Importance of allowing your dog to sniff

I peek out the front door to check on my dog, who is sunning himself in his favourite spot in the sun. He is lying on an old moving trolley, since repurposed to give him a boost up to the sunrays, which don’t reach the ground at this time of morning. As I stick my head out the door, he lifts his nose, and I can see his nostrils gently flare in and out as he recognizes I am close. He does not see me with his eyes, as they are squinted shut due to the sun, but he sees me with his nose.

There are many more examples of my dog using his nose to see. When I return from the shops, and we greet enthusiastically, my human tendency is to reach out and touch to say hello, but he ducks away, preferring to sniff my hands first to see where I have been. (If you have not already read about the human as opposed to canine perspective of greeting, it is worth reading ‘How do you greet a dog politely’). When I return from volunteering at the dog shelter, he sniffs my shoes and clothes carefully. I get the full pat down with the nose. If I offer him something, whether it is an object or food, he does not use his eyes to examine the item further; he sniffs it.

On one occasion, when out on a walk with my dog, he stopped, hesitant to go further. I surveyed the pavement ahead. It seemed clear. I thought he was being overly sensitive and encouraged him to continue. As we passed the parked cars ahead, hiding behind the wheel of the last car was a cat. I felt very foolish. My dog was right – there was something ahead! He had seen it with his nose. I should have listened. Being human, I had immediately dismissed what I could not see with my eyes. On another occasion, he started sniffing the ground very attentively, seemingly following a trail back and forth, as he narrowed in on the direction of the scent trail. Looking ahead to see what had taken his interest, it was easy for me to quickly spot a scattering of nacho chips that had been discarded on the pavement. This time my eyesight won out against my dog’s nose, and I was able to divert him away.

Even with these simple observations, it is apparent how often my dog uses his nose and scent to make sense of and navigate his environment.

It is understandable why the use of olfaction may be the predominant sense for dogs. It is estimated that dogs have 300 million olfactory receptor cells; in comparison humans have about 5 million. Dogs have the ability of smelling with each nostril on an individual basis, allowing them to distinguish the direction of the scent. The slits on the side of the nose allow for the old air to exit at the same time as the dog is breathing in new air through the nostrils, allowing the dog to take in scent continuously. The air is separated and passes through an area at the back of the nose that has a labyrinth of scroll-like bony structures called turbinates. The air is filtered through the turbinates for olfaction, while some of the air follows a separate route down the pharynx for respiration. The air that humans take in for respiration and scent is not separated, going in and out with the air that we smell. Additionally, dogs have a secondary olfactory organ called the vomeronasal organ that allows dogs to detect pheromones and non-volatile chemicals. There are times where you can spot the dog using his vomeronasal organ, as he will display a tonguing response. The dog may chatter his teeth or drool a bit at the mouth as he deciphers the components of the scent. To interpret all this information, a larger percentage of the dog’s brain is used to process scent, with the olfactory bulb taking up more area of the brain than it does in humans. The dog can detect smells at concentrations of 100 million times less than our noses can detect.

In Alexandra Horowitz’s book, ‘Being a Dog: Following the Dog Into a World of Smell’, she gives an example of scientific research to test scent thresholds of detection dogs. One of the tests was how diluted an odour could become before the dog would struggle to detect the odour. The scent of amyl acetate (smell of banana) had to be distinguished from non amyl acetate canisters. The dog kept finding the scent until it was diluted to the equivalent of a couple of drops of amyl acetate to one trillion drops of water.

It is estimated that dogs have 300 million olfactory receptor cells; in comparison humans have about 5 million.

The following Ted-Ed video lesson by Alexandra Horowitz gives a good summary of the dog’s sense of smell and why dogs are physically able to process scent so efficiently. For an in-depth look at how dogs perceive the world with their noses, it is well worth reading Alexandra Horowitz’s book, ‘Being a Dog: Following the Dog Into a World of Smell’.

Imagine visiting an art gallery if every time you attempted to look at a painting, you were forced to move along and had your eyes covered, missing the chance to get a glimpse of the painting. How frustrating an experience would that be? As humans, we do not have the same level of perception and therefore discount dogs’ levels of sensory perception far too many times, especially when giving them opportunities to interact with the environment. Too often I have seen guardians impatiently yanking their dogs away if the dog stops to sniff even for a moment. I have observed dogs that are walked obediently to heel and not permitted to stray to sniff, dogs walked with equipment that does not allow them to dip their noses down or move their heads or bodies with ease, or walks that are carefully curated from a human perspective, where the walk is a quick march for exercise purposes and stopping is not tolerated. The mental stimulation from sniffing and exploring can be just as tiring as physical exercise.

If my dog responds to an environment in a manner in which he is comfortable to investigate it – in an in-depth manner with calm sniffing – this indicates that the walk is going well and the environment is suitable for him. If my dog is pulling, moving erratically and choosing not to engage with the environment by sniffing, this is a telltale sign that he is not coping for some reason. So sniffing calmly and engaging with the environment can give clues as to the internal state of your dog. A good walk for my dog would be one in which he meanders with a calm, loose, slow-moving body, taking his time to stop at various spots to sniff and investigate. To do so, the leash needs to be long enough for him to move comfortably, and the equipment he is wearing should not hinder him from being able to reach the ground with his nose easily. The choice of walk should be individual for each dog; certain environments or times or the duration of a walk can be too stimulating for some dogs. A dog may not have the appropriate skill level or coping skills for a particular environment, or the dog’s stress level may be too high to cope with a particular walk.

How your dog engages with the environment by sniffing, and in which context he does so, can give vital clues as to how comfortable your dog is feeling and if he is coping within an environment.

There is another important reason to pay attention to your dog’s sniffing. On certain occasions, sniffing plays a part in how dogs communicate. If you have not already read the dog body language article about sniffing, you can read about it here.

The dog may stop to sniff as a calming signal or negotiation. For example, a dog may use sniffing the ground at a distance in the beginning stages of approaching another dog. A slow non-direct approach is polite, and it gives each party the opportunity to negotiate at a distance. In another context, sniffing could be used as a way to defuse a situation; one dog may walk away sniffing the ground, encouraging the other dog to mirror him, defusing the interaction.

Depending on context, sniffing the ground could also be displacement behaviour or a stress response. If the dog is unsure of something ahead, he may slow and start sniffing the ground, showing he may be feeling conflicted. It is vital to allow your dog to express himself and to observe your dog’s body language so you can offer support in such situations.

I mentioned an example of when my dog chooses to sniff the ground as displacement when he feels uncomfortable, in this article: ‘Considering the effects of walking or running straight towards a dog’.

The body language that occurs when a dog starts sniffing due to displacement can be subtle. It is crucial to observe changes in the environment, noting the dog’s whole body and body posture, as well as movement and body language signals. For instance, a dog may see something ahead, pause, and then subtly curve his body away from the object that is causing discomfort. He may then do some displacement sniffing. It is worth observing how he sniffs; some displacement sniffing may seem less focused than when a dog is actively investigating a scent. In other instances, it can seem out of place, as the dog suddenly finds a spot to sniff intently. The dog may use the moment of sniffing as a surreptitious way of surveying the environment, so it is important to observe where the gaze of the eyes falls. The dog may also move his ears, perhaps to the side slightly, in order to use his other senses to gather further information. One should pay attention to the subtleties.

Scent is the predominant way in which dogs make sense of their world. Sniffing is vital to the way dogs gather information and interact with their environment. At times, depending on the context, a dog is not just sniffing a scent; he is communicating. What he is communicating can vary according to the circumstances, so it is worth paying attention in order to be a supportive partner. Allowing your dog to interact fully with his environment and express himself with ease ensures a stronger, mutually connected relationship between dog guardian and dog.

A video tribute to the twitching nose and the scents in the breeze.

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.

Sitting – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Sep 22, 2017 | Dog Body Language

Sitting – Dog Body Language

In dog body language, sitting is a very clear body language signal that is unmistakably visible when offered. It may be used to communicate clearly to another dog that no harm is intended. It could be offered as a gesture of goodwill to a dog that may be feeling a bit uncomfortable within an interaction, or it may be used to calm an interaction down.

Here are a couple of examples of situations where a dog may offer a sit:

A young pup is interacting with a variety of passing adult dogs in an off lead area. She is keen to interact and greet each passing dog but finds herself a bit out of her depth at times, so I can see why she may have chosen to sit as a strategy of communication when greeting. Still honing her skills of polite greetings, she wavers between being slightly unsure and obviously nervous, which may come across in her bounding about in a playful puppy manner at times if a situation becomes a little awkward. With this particular interaction, an adult dog is rather pushy with his greeting. The adult dog approaches the puppy quickly, coming in quite close to her. His tail is wagging really fast, his ears are to the side and slightly raised, and his head is up. He tries to sniff the puppy’s face and back and keeps bumping into her while attempting to place his chin on her shoulder. His movements are jerky and quite fast. This behaviour could be interpreted as bullying. She immediately chooses to sit, crouching down slightly. Her ears are back, and with soft, blinking eyes, she attempts several head turns. Interestingly, at this point a third dog intervenes to split the pair, moving the adult dog on. Perhaps both the puppy and the adult dog are struggling and do not have the skills to cope with the interaction. Read more about splitting behaviour in this relating story.
Two dogs approach each other in a curve to greet. One dog pauses, whilst the other dog stops and sniffs the face of the first dog. As she gently sniffs around his face, he does a head turn. They both curve around, and she sniffs underneath him and then starts sniffing his rear end. He does quick head turns and keeps his eye on her. She sniffs his rear end for a while. He takes a few steps away and sniffs the ground, but she follows and continues sniffing. He does a lip lick, his ears are slightly back, and, with his body slightly crouched, he curves around to look back at her. He decides to sit, and then she curves away, walking on to sniff an area nearby. The message is clear: he sits to communicate his discomfort with the prolonged sniffing and wants to calm the situation. She listens to his clear message and decides to walk away and give him a bit more space.
There is a dog sitting quite still in the corner of the room, at the far end. He is avoiding eye contact with anyone in the room and is choosing to stay as far away as possible. He is not feeling comfortable and is trying to be as inconspicuous as he can because he does not wish to interact. Another dog tries to befriend him. She approaches slowly in a curve but tries to sniff his face. He snaps at her, giving her a warning to back off. Immediately afterwards, he turns his head away and remains still. She hops away from the snap, gives him space, and sits a distance away, avoiding any eye contact and keeping her body parallel and side-on to him. She sits for a while, hoping this will calm the situation and he will realize she means no harm. He continues to keep his head turned, so she decides to get up and walk away, as it is clear he does not wish to interact, even with her calming signal of sitting. In this situation, there are two different sits occurring: the one dog sits to show he is no threat but wishes to be left alone, and the other dog sits in the hope of facilitating interaction by offering a calming signal that communicates no threat.
A puppy is trying to play with an older dog and jumping around in front of her. The older dog is not interested and has given the puppy a few head turns to try to calm the situation and show she does not wish to interact in this manner. He continues and is not listening. She walks away and sits down with her back to him, communicating even more loudly that she is not willing to interact with him until he calms down.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice any sitting in different contexts. As discussed below, interpretations such as the above examples should not be attempted without careful observation and consideration of all aspects of the situation.

A few notes to consider when observing dog body language

Observation before interpretation

Interpretations should be offered only once you have observed the complete interaction and taken note of the wider picture. To offer an unbiased interpretation of the body language, observe and take note of the situation, taking into account the dog’s whole body, the body language signals, and environment first before offering an interpretation. List all the body language you see in the order that it occurs; try to be as descriptive as possible without adding any emotional language. For instance, saying a dog looks happy is not descriptive and would be seen as an interpretation rather than an observation.

You could, however, list what you observe: ears to the side, eyes almond shaped, slight shortening of the eye, mouth open, long lips, tongue out, body moving loosely, body facing side-on, tail wagging at a slow, even pace at body level.

From the observation, I could interpret that the dog seems relaxed or comfortable. I still prefer to say relaxed rather than happy, as I feel you will truly never know exactly what the dog may be feeling on the inside emotionally. It is quite likely the dog may be feeling happy, but I prefer to comment on how the dog is behaving in response to the situation rather than presuming internal emotional states.

The importance of viewing body language within context

Interpretations can vary depending on the context. It is possible for certain body language to be used in different contexts and have subtle differences in meaning within those contexts. Individual body language signals should not be observed in isolation; the wider picture should be considered. Take note of what the dog’s body as a whole is saying. Keep in mind each dog is an individual with varying skills and experiences. What may be typical for one individual may not be for another. In order to observe body language in context, consider the following: the situation, body language signals, the body language expressed by all parts of the dog’s body, the environment, and the individuals involved. It is worth noting how the body language changes with feedback from the environment or the other individuals interacting.

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.

Panting – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Aug 18, 2017 | Dog Body Language

Panting – Dog Body Language

When a dog exhibits panting out of context, such as on occasions when he is not cooling himself on a hot day or recovering from exercise, this is clear body language that shows the dog is stressed^* or showing some anxiety. Dogs may also start panting out of context due to pain or a variety of other medical issues. These observations only cover the topic of panting from a dog behaviour and body language point of view.

Here are a few examples of situations where a dog may show signs of stress by panting:

This observation concerns an elderly dog staying with his guardian at a bed and breakfast for the first time. The elderly dog is generally quite slow with his movement. He walks a short distance from the car to the living room of the bed and breakfast, so he does not have any strenuous exercise. Once in the bed and breakfast, his guardian settles in the living room to have a cup a tea. There is no real overt dog body language. The dog seems his usual still self, but he has started panting. The only other notable behaviour is that he occasionally walks up to his guardian and a nearby stool, and then he walks back to his bed. This subtle body language of panting shows the dog is struggling with this new environment and feeling a bit anxious.
A shelter dog returns to her room after a walk. It is a mild winter’s day and she is not panting during the calm, steady walk. However, as soon as she returns to the room with the volunteer, she starts panting. The room has sufficient airflow, and the temperature is at a comfortable level, so this would not cause the panting. The dog sits down in the room and is not active. Her commissures (corners of her mouth) are drawn back quite far as she pants, and her tongue starts protruding and looking spatulate at the end. The sides of her chest are moving in and out quite rapidly. Her pupils dilate, and the tension in her facial muscles is noticeable as the ridges on her face become very pronounced. Her ears are alert and up, moving to the side at times as she listens to the shelter noises. Her eyes are wide and she keeps scanning the environment. At times when she hears a noise, she freezes, her eyes wide and ears pinned to the side, as she tries to hone in on the sounds. Slowly she starts to drool. The volunteer has noticed the dog’s paws are wet most of the time and thinks that she may have been licking them constantly as a self-soothing act. By observing the dog in her room, the volunteer realizes that the wet paws are due to her excessive drooling (hyper salivation). Although this shelter has wonderful facilities, including individual comfy rooms with separate airflow, this environment is still too stressful for this particular dog. The smells and sounds of the shelter environment make her anxious. Going back to the room most probably signifies to the dog that the volunteer is going to leave, which adds to the anxiety. This dog is subsequently moved to a foster home to help her acclimatize and minimize her stress levels.
In a training class, the dog handler is becoming quite frustrated, as her dog seems unable to focus. The dog is moving fast; he can’t seem to stay still. He is panting, his commissures (corners of the mouth) are pulled back, and he is looking around and scanning. His pupils are dilated, and the furrows on his face seem exaggerated. He seems to do a lot of scratching of his neck with his hind leg. Excessive scratching, if there is no reason for the dog to be itchy, is classified as displacement behaviour. It is worth noting the frequency and observing when excessive scratching starts occurring. All the body language above show the dog is quite stressed. This class environment may be too stimulating for him, and he is finding it difficult to cope in this environment.
This is an observation of a dog experiencing fear due to fireworks. The dog’s eyes are wide. The pronounced furrows and ridges on her face create a puffy look under her eyes. The ears go forward and up, then are pinned to the side when a bang goes off. She is panting, her lips are pulled back, and the commissures (corners of the mouth) are pulled back, creating furrows on the cheeks. She is unable to keep still, scanning the environment and pacing around. Her tail is down and her back seems somewhat hunched and rounded. At times her body lowers. In-between bangs, there are times when her mouth closes, as she watches with wide eyes and ears forward and she freezes for a few seconds. She occasionally does a few lip licks and yawns then returns to pacing around the room.
A person walks into the room, holding a leash. The dog approaches and can’t sit still. He jumps up at the person multiple times, his pupils dilate, and he starts panting. In-between jumping up, he paces around a bit and does a shake off. The panting with a combination of body language in this instance is not due to anxiety or fear but due to the dog becoming hyped and overexcited.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice any panting in different contexts. As discussed below, interpretations such as the above examples should not be attempted without careful observation and consideration of all aspects of the situation.

What is meant by stress^*?

When I mention stress, this does not necessarily imply negative emotion. I mean stress in the physiological sense. So certain body language signals can mean the dog is feeling some sort of emotional discourse. This discourse could range from positive to negative emotion. Both excitement and fear could have similar effects on the body, with various hormones being released and activating the sympathetic nervous system. The dog may be feeling uncomfortable/fearful or it could also be excited about something. When analyzing stress in body language, it is worth noting the frequency and intensity of the various body language signals.

A few notes to consider when observing dog body language:

Observation before interpretation

Interpretations should be offered only once you have observed the complete interaction and taken note of the wider picture. To offer an unbiased interpretation of the body language, observe and take note of the situation, taking into account the dog’s whole body, the body language signals, and environment first before offering an interpretation. List all the body language you see in the order that it occurs; try to be as descriptive as possible without adding any emotional language. For instance, saying a dog looks happy is not descriptive and would be seen as an interpretation rather than an observation.

You could, however, list what you observe: ears to the side, eyes almond shaped, slight shortening of the eye, mouth open, long lips, tongue out, body moving loosely, body facing side-on, tail wagging at a slow even pace at body level.

From the observation, I could interpret that the dog seems relaxed or comfortable. I still prefer to say relaxed rather than happy, as I feel you will truly never know exactly what the dog may be feeling on the inside emotionally. It is quite likely the dog may be feeling happy, but I prefer to comment on how the dog is behaving in response to the situation rather than presuming internal emotional states.

The importance of viewing body language within context

Interpretations can vary depending on the context. It is possible for certain body language to be used in different contexts and have subtle differences in meaning within those contexts. Individual body language signals should not be observed in isolation; the wider picture should be considered. Take note of what the dog’s body as a whole is saying. Keep in mind each dog is an individual with varying skills and experiences. What may be typical for one individual may not be for another. In order to observe body language in context, consider the following: the situation, body language signals, the body language expressed by all parts of the dog’s body, environment, and individuals involved. It is worth noting how the body language changes with feedback from the environment or the other individuals interacting.

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.