What’s Your Dog Saying?
Wanting to know what our pet dogs have in mind is utterly impossible unless they come up with a translator bark-lish. The next best thing in understanding your pooch is to interpret his movements. At least human studies have gone this far to put meaning to your pet’s body language…
Your pet dog has come from a lineage where in communication is done mostly by a combination of movement and sound. Rarely is a dogs movement solely neither sound nor movement. The sound a dog makes is called vocalization, which is mainly used to send messages. Have you ever noticed a dog barking his lungs out head upward and body rigid? This is the stance to tell the dogs near his territory that a strange dog is close. The combination of vocalization and movements with the slightest variance mean another thing for your pet dog.
The wagging tail…is most of the time mistaken as a gesture of friendliness, people who overtly startle the tail-wagging dog often finds dog teeth on their being. Tail wagging can mean playfulness, excitement, contentment, happiness and confidence. On the other hand, tail wagging can also mean wariness, tentative role assessment on meeting another animal, assuring of its friendliness while sizing a person up.
To be able to interpret wisely is to observe the accompanying gestures.
It would be obvious that accompanied by growling, a wagging tail should be seen as menacing. While a tail-wag with upturned brows and downcast eyes and at times the offer of the belly rub means submission. Don’t mistake that this dog trusts…the dog just considers the visitor stronger.
Knowing what your dog means in his gestures and vocalizations help dog owners prevent accidental biting or misunderstanding from non-pet owners. Usually, dog owners have a gut feel of what their dog is feeling. But to understand why would help you understand how to control and protect your dog from its instincts.