They don’t call dogs “man’s best friend” for nothing! The special bond between person and pup goes way back throughout history. But do we always understand what our four-legged friends are trying to communicate to us?
When your dog is looking straight at you with their ears up and tongue out, they may feel content. When their eyes are intense and they’re not blinking, that could mean that they are alert and focusing on something important to them. Perhaps they’re looking at their beloved companion, that enticing tennis ball, or a juicy treat. When you can see the whites of your dog’s eyes and their ears are pricked up, that may indicate that they are afraid of something.
When a dog makes a rising bark, it may mean that they are ready to play. A howl could be your pup’s response to a high-pitched sound like the sound of your practicing your flute, a police siren, or a firetruck siren.
This infographic also covers a number of positions and postures of your pooch. For example, a low, wagging tail may not indicate that your dog is too happy. It may mean that he or she is slightly anxious. And as you may have heard (or seen,) a dog sniffing another dog’s butt is not rude, but a polite way that they say, “hey!”
Sometimes, your dog is just angling for a treat. But you probably already know that face by now.
