Canine Body Language 101: Why Do We Bother?

A successful relationship between you and your canine is based on the promise of a mutual understanding. Your dog promises to love you unconditionally, and in return, you promise to protect him and give him a happy life.

So, how exactly do we follow through with our promise?

As a dog lover and owner, you know that dogs are very expressive animals. They can express happiness, fear, anxiety, dominance, playfulness, sadness and more, just with a flick of the tail or the position of their ears. Not knowing how to read those signals correctly can greatly affect the relationship between the two of you.  One of our focuses here at Pet U is to educate both our staff and our clients on canine body language.

Why do we bother?

It’s cold outside, but my dog is still panting. Why?

How do you distinguish an alert, playful dog from one who is about to attack?

What are the signs of a stressed, anxious dog?

What signals tell you that the puppy is about to poop inside?

How can you tell when safe play starts to escalate?

When is it okay to pet that stranger’s dog on the sidewalk?

All of our employees at Pet U learn to recognize signs like these quickly, so as to safely manage our playgroups. We teach them how to prevent conflicts before they start, when to break up play, and how to redirect excessive energy. Pet U employees are able to prevent any possible issues quickly and effectively. Our trainers have rehabilitated dozens of fearful, unsocialized dogs just by recognizing their body language and showing them how to overcome their anxiety.

Over the next few months on this blog, we’ll go over the many different body signals and cues that you can look for. Consider this a mini-course in talking dog. You’ve always wanted to know what they’re thinking right?

Stay tuned!