a dogs face

Over the centuries wolves evolved an elaborate system of body language, facial expressions, and vocalizations to communicate with each other. Domestic dogs also use this means of communication, and all of these signals are easily understood by other dogs. If you can learn to interpret how your dog is feeling by observing its posture and expression and listening to it, you'll be well on the way to successful communication with your pet and better equipped to solve any behavior problems that arise.Following are some major canine attitudes and their typical outward manifestations.
AGGRESSIVE
	Ears	Forward or back, close to head.
	Eyes	Narrow or staring challengingly.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Lips open, drawn back to expose teeth bared in a snarl. Possible jaw snapping.
	Body	Tense. Upright. Hackles on neck up. Completely Dominant position.
	Tail	Straight out from body. Fluffed up.
	Vocali- zation	Snarl. Growl. Loud bark.
ALERT
	Ears	Perked-up. Turning to catch sounds.
	Eyes	Open normally or wide.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Mouth closed or slightly open with teeth covered.
	Body	Normal. Possibly standing on tiptoe. Slightly Dominant position.
	Tail	Up. Possibly wagging.
	Vocali- zation	None. Low whine or alarm bark.
ANXIOUS
	Ears	Partially back.
	Eyes	Slightly narrowed.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Mouth closed, or slightly open in a "grin."
	Body	Tense. Slightly lowered in a Submissive position.
	Tail	Partially lowered.
	Vocali- zation	Low whine or moaning-type bark.
CHASE, BEGINNING STAGE
	Ears	Perked-up, forward-pointing.
	Eyes	Wide open. Very alert.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Mouth slightly open. Excited panting.
	Body	Tense. Crouched low in a predatory position. Legs bent, poised to run.
	Tail	Extended straight out from body.
	Vocali- zation	None.
CURIOUS/EAGER/EXCITED
	Ears	Perked-up, forward-pointing.
	Eyes	Wide open.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Mouth open, teeth covered. Possible panting.
	Body	Normal stance. Possible wiggling, standing on tiptoe, or pacing.
	Tail	Up. Wagging.
	Vocali- zation	Excited short barking, whining.
DOMINANT
	Ears	Up straight or forward.
	Eyes	Wide open, staring.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Mouth closed or slightly open.
	Body	Very tall posture. Hackles may be up.
	Tail	Stiffened and fluffed. Up or straight out from body.
	Vocali- zation	Low, assertive growl or grunt.
FEARFUL
	Ears	Laid back flat and low on head.
	Eyes	Narrowed, averted. Possibly rolled back in head, whites showing.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Lips drawn back to expose teeth.
	Body	Tense. Crouched low in submissive position. Shivering, trembling. Possible secretion from anal scent glands.
	Tail	Down between legs.
	Vocali- zation	Low, worried yelp, whine, or growl.
FLIGHT, BEGINNING STAGE
	Ears	Back.
	Eyes	Wide open. Possibly rolled back with whites showing.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Slightly opened mouth. Possible drooling.
	Body	Tense. Shivering. Low, poised to run.
	Tail	Low or between legs.
	Vocali- zation	None. Possible yelp or whine.
FRIENDLY
	Ears	Perked-up.
	Eyes	Wide open. Alert look.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Relaxed, possibly slightly open, "smiling" mouth.
	Body	Normal posture. Still, or possible wiggling of whole rear end.
	Tail	Up or out from body. Wagging.
	Vocali- zation	Whimpering, yapping, or short, high bark.
GUARDING
	Ears	Perked-up. Forward.
	Eyes	Wide open, alert.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Mouth slightly open, teeth bared. Snapping or gnashing of teeth.
	Body	Tense. Rigid. Hackles up. Standing very tall in an aggressive or dominant stance.
	Tail	Rigid. Held straight out from body. Sometimes fluffed.
	Vocali- zation	Loud alert bark. Growl. Snarl.
PLAYFUL/HAPPY
	Ears	Perked-up and forward, or relaxed.
	Eyes	Wide open. Sparkly/merry-looking.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Mouth relaxed and slightly open, teeth covered. Excited panting.
	Body	Relaxed, or front end lowered, rear end up in the air, wiggling in a play-bow. Excited bouncing and jumping up and down. Circling around and running forward and back in an invitation to play.
	Tail	Wagging vigorously.
	Vocali- zation	Excited barking. Soft play-growling.
PREDATORY
	Ears	Alert. Held forward or backward to catch sounds.
	Eyes	Wide open. Staring, focusing.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Mouth closed.
	Body	Rigid. Low to ground, ready to spring forward. Quietly sniffing the air.
	Tail	Straight and low.
	Vocali- zation	None (so the prey won't be alerted).
SUBORDINATE (SUBMISSIVE)
	Ears	Down, flattened against head.
	Eyes	Narrowed to slits or wide open, whites showing.
	Mouth/ Teeth	Lips pulled way back from teeth in a "grin". Nuzzling or licking other animal or person on face.
	Body	Lowered to ground, front paw raised. Lying on back, belly up. Possible urine leaking/dribbling. Possible emptying of anal scent glands.
	Tail	Down, between legs.
	Vocali- zation	None, or low, worried whining. Possible yelping/whimpering in fear.

Top 10 Misconceptions About Pit Bulls

POSTED BY SHELL HARRIS ON MAY 16, 2011 IN ANIMALS, BIZARRE | 8020 VIEWS | 71 RESPONSES

At the turn of the 20th century, Pit Bulls were considered the number one family dog to have due to their loyalty and gentleness towards children. In recent years, highly publicized cases of Pit Bull fighting rings have led to many misconceptions about these breeds. Pit Bulls may be the most mysterious dogs in America- loved by their owners, feared by others and sensationalized by the media

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10. The Pit Bull is a Specific Breed

The Pit Bull is commonly referred to as a specific breed of dog. In fact, Pit Bulls make up a group of several different breeds of dog. Most notably the American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and American Pit Bull Terrier. All of these breeds share similarities in build, coloring and temperament. In some areas, Breed Selective Legislation has led to non related large breeds being considered a Pit Bull, such as the Cane Corso or Alano Espanol.

9. Pit Bulls Are Aggressive to Humans

Many people believe that Pit Bulls are likely to show human aggression or to “turn” on their owners suddenly and without warning. In fact, Pit Bulls were originally bred to show no aggression towards any humans, especially their owners. Properly trained Pit Bulls are no more likely to be human aggressive than any other breed of dog.

8. Pit Bulls Have Locking Jaws

Pit Bulls are said to have jaws that lock on to whatever they bite down on, making it impossible to remove the dog from the object. Some people also believe a Pit Bull can actually dislocate its jaw to grasp on to an object larger than the dog’s mouth. A study done by the University of Georgiadisproves this myth. In fact, the scientists found no unique feature on a Pit Bull that would allow them to lock their jaws.

7. The Pit Bull’s Brain Never Stops Growing

This misconception likely started from the unusually large head seen on many American Staffordshire Terriers. Many people believe that a Pit Bull’s brain starts growing from birth and never stops. As a result the dog will go insane at a certain age or have a truly huge head. In fact, the brick shaped heads found on most Pit Bulls do stop growing when the dog reaches maturity.

6. Pit Bulls Are Commonly Bred for Fighting

Largely publicized cases like Michael Vick’s pit bull fighting ring have led to the belief that the majority of people breed pit bulls to fight them in a ring. Originally, pit bulls were bred for physical tasks such as hunting and occasionally fighting. However, the majority of modern breeders choose to breed pit bulls to be a family’s companion, not a fighter.

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5. Pit Bulls Are Not as Intelligent as Other Breeds

Some people believe a Pit Bull lacks the intelligence of other large breeds such as Labradors. Pit bulls are actually quite easy to train. The Pit’s willingness to learn and desire to please their owners makes it easy for them to pick up even the most advanced tricks quickly. Pit Bulls are also great climbers- many can climb trees- and love puzzle toys and hide and go seek type games.

4. Pit Bulls Have a Stronger Bite PSI Than Other Breeds

Many people believe that a Pit Bull has fiercely strong pounds per square inch of bite pressure, up to 10,000 PSI, meaning that Pit Bull could bite harder than any other breed. National Geographic completed a control study of animal bites using several different species. Crocodiles made the top of the list, with a 2,500 PSI, while dogs made the bottom of the list, with an average 320 PSI. The study used three large breeds of dogs, a German Sheppard, a Rottweiler and a Pit Bull. The Pit Bull was found to have the least bite pressure of the three, according to the American Humane Association.

3. Pit Bulls Attack Without Warning

Pit Bulls, like any other type of dog, typically attack vary rarely and always with provocation. All dogs give off warning signs, such as stiffening their bodies, before attacking any other creature. With proper training, good socialization and owner responsibility, a pit bull is just as unlikely to attack another dog or a person as any other breed of dog.

2. Pit Bulls Do Not Feel Pain

Many breeders will tell you that a Pit Bull has a high pain tolerance, or simply does not feel pain. In fact, all breeds of dogs share the same nervous system. This system allows them to feel pain similar to what any human would feel. The misconception that a pit bull does not feel pain comes from the breed’s tendency to under react in physically stressful situations. Pit bulls were originally bred for a high level of “gameness,” meaning they will continue to try completing a task despite physical discomfort.  While many people feel a pit bull not stopping to whine or cry out during stressful training or hunting sessions is a sign of a lack of pain, it is actually a sign of the breed’s desire to complete a task and please their owners.

1. Pit Bulls Bite More Than Any Other Breed

Media hype is largely responsible for this misconception. News reports of a single Pit Bull bite often make the numbers of Pit Bull attacks on humans largely inflated. In fact, the United States currently has no system in place that tracts the number of dog bites or attacks by any breed. According to the American Humane Association, the Center for Disease Control did a study on dog attacks in the United States for the years 1979 through 1998. The study proved inconclusive, mostly due to the difficulty of assigning a breed of dog for every attack and the large number of attacks in the home that go unreported.

Source:

http://www.americanhumane.org/assets/docs/protecting-animals/PA-resources-pit-bull-myths.pdf

Angela Colley

What does an aggressive dog look like, some examples?

	What does an aggressive dog look like, some examples? What do we look for when evaluating an aggressive dog? The origins of ethology are deeply rooted in the works of Charles Darwin.  In his book, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872/1965), he “described and catalogued” the most common social displays exhibited by dogs.  According to Lindsay (2001), “[h]e argued that social animals, including dogs, evolve innate species-typical communication systems to meet habitual social demands placed upon them.”  When one decides to work with dogs and particularly aggressive dogs that person should have some idea how to read dogs.  According to Aloff (2002), understanding what dogs are communicating and our ability in recognizing their signals may mean, “…the difference between a dog you have to euthanize and one you can work with.”  This is a rather important distinction when a dog’s life is in your hands coupled with emotional trauma an owner may be feeling. Through careful observation, that may include personal observation by the behavior consultant, observing the interaction between the owner and dog, taking a video or still photographs and getting a detailed historical background could all be helpful in predicting the behavior, applying the proper training methods, management and identifying the dogs emotional state. Context Determining the context the behavior takes place in may also be important in determining the intent of the dog’s motivation.  For instance, if my dog is eating and I happen to walk past him and he freezes, this is a good beginning indicator he’s uncomfortable with my presence.  Any further action by me to move any closer will probably elicit another clear signal indicating an increasing emotional response to my presence.  He may slightly retract his lips and might even include a low growl.  Anyone not heeding to this warning is asking to be bitten. So context serves as part of our identifying clues when determining what type of aggressive behavior we are observing as well as accompanying signals

Invoking Stimulus

Commonly referred to as triggers these stimuli are the leading indicators of a change in a dogs’ emotional state.  These specific stimuli, identified are usually the early precursors to the behavior.  Identifying these precursors or stimuli play an important role in developing plans to modify aggressive behavior.  Avoiding the triggers that stimulate an aggressive response is an important part of changing the dogs’ perception of the negatively viewed stimulus.  Continued rehearsal may reinforce the aggressive response so recognition and avoidance are imperative for any modification plan. 

Going back to my earlier example around the food bowl, if I continued my approach and my dog escalated his response by including a slight lip retraction exposing his incisors and emitted a low growl and I backed off, my dog is reinforced for his behavior because it worked.  I was smart to back off, but I would be remiss to my dog if I ignored his behavior. 

Signals

Signals are ritualized patterns of behavior.  We commonly recognize two sets of ritualized patterns of behavior.  The first set is agonistic or assertive behavior used to increase distance.  The second set is appeasement or submissive behavior and used to decrease distance.  We commonly associate agonistic or assertive behavior with gaining and/or maintaining resources or establishing physical or social distance.  The appeasement or submissive behaviors are commonly used to inhibit aggression or invite interaction. 

Cutoff signals usually indicate conflicting motivations and usually include “escape intentions…et-epimeletic intentions…or displacement activities” (Lindsay, 2000).  He says, “…the cutoff is an expressive compromise between fighting and fleeing” saying further the “…apparent function of the cutoff movement is to suspend sensory contact momentarily with the arousing stimulus” attempting to avoid any further escalation toward a fight and avoid a “chase attack” if the animal chose to flee.  Cutoff behavior has “relaxing effects” and appears to “…influence the opponent to reciprocate in kind” leading to mutual compromise rather than submission (Lindsay, 2001). 

The function of cutoff signals is to “postpone or break off agonistic conflict” says Lindsay (2000).  He says cutoff behavior referred to by Tinbergen is a “compromise movement” rather than a “submissive gesture” used as an “opportunity to call a draw or walk away without further conflict and potential injury to the contestants.” 

Dogs use displacement activities as a distraction when confronted with unfamiliar or unpleasant situations, specifically when they are “unable to cope,” according to Aloff (2002).

Calming signals are used “to communicate non-aggressive intent.  According to Aloff (2002), dogs use these signals with known, unknowns and during play when play escalates and the dog is uncomfortable continuing at that level.

Most dogs understand these behaviors; however, some dogs are better at using these signals than others.  Lindsay (2001) says, “an important factor in the development of interspecific (dog-dog) aggression is the quality and quantity of early socialization.”  Ideally, the best time to remove puppies from the litter is around 7-8 weeks of age.  Puppies removed before 7-8 weeks and even those removed during the ideal time “may become socially intolerant toward other dogs” as adults, because they lacked sufficient early exposure to other dogs, which compromised their social skills. 

Another reason communication signals may become maladapted is because litters according  to James (1949) “found that a more or less stable social hierarchy develops among most litters by 12 weeks of age and is comprised of three groups, 1.)  a very aggressive-dominant group; 2.)  a mid-group termed sub-dominate; and 3.)  an inhibited-submissive group.  The social interaction between these groups may predispose individuals to use aggression toward other dogs according to how they learned to use these signals, i.e. a puppy from the inhibited-submissive group may learn that using aggressive signals works to fend off threats from higher-ranking individuals.  On the opposing side, a more assertive puppy may learn their behavior is successful in gaining and controlling resources and social situations.  The outcome is puppies from the submissive group tend to be more socially intolerant and the assertive individuals more aggressive and unyielding as adults.  The mid-group tends to be more socially tolerant resulting from learning to use both submissive (yielding) and agonistic (assertive) behavior more successfully (Lindsay, 2001 & 2002).  

The following are examples of agonistic behaviors identified in specific context with invoking stimuli:

What does the food-guarding aggressive dog look like?  What signals might he use?

Using a typical food-guarding context including some common triggers, an observer might see the following sequence of behavior.

A dog is conspicuously eating from his/her bowl and an astute owner walks by noticing the dog has stopped eating and is frozen in place.  This is accompanied by a hard stare but not directed toward you, the perceived threat.  If you continued to impose on the dog, he will usually escalate his signals that may include a low growl and may simultaneously retract his lips exposing his teeth.  If this was not enough to ward you off, he may snap, usually an air-snap deliberately delivered.  According to Donaldson (2002), “when dogs intend to bite, they bite…when they intend to snap, they snap” and even a “geriatric” dog is faster than even the most conditioned of athletes.  Considering this capability, any further advance will most likely result in a bite. 

I purposely used the word astute to describe the owner, because I would suspect the average dog owner would not be aware of the subtle signs a dog may offer initially.  In this particular context, I do not see a dog offering any cut-off signals, displacement activities or calming signals.  I would suspect to offer these types of behavior would mean the dog would back away rather than continue to defend the object. 

What does the control complex (formerly dominance aggression) dog look like?  What signals might he use?

The confident aggressive dog described by Lindsay says, “[d]uring a strong threat, dogs stand tall on their toes with hackles raised, ears erect, and tail held stiffly up.  The body is tense, with the eyes singularly focused on the target, holding it transfixed with a steady and unwavering gaze.”  As the threat continues, the dog will “retract the upper lip back and up to unsheathe the front incisors and large canines” and this “snarling action is often followed by a menacing low growl in immediate preparation for attack.”

This description may apply to many aggressive dogs, but it certainly could apply to a confident assertive dog that has no intention of backing down.  This is how I would describe the control complex aggressive dog. 

According to Aloff (2002), dogs classified, as control complex aggressive are “abnormal” saying they are “obsessive about rank order” seeming to think of nothing else.  She defines them as “control freaks” always looking for “slights to their authority or status” and lack any ability to use any “mechanisms for conflict resolution.”  She further says, they “offer little or no warning and the triggers may be inconsistently displayed and broad due to the accumulation of the dog’s irritation level.” 

What does the predatory aggressive dog look like?  What signals might he use?

The basic predatory behaviors for the dog are orient/eye/stalk/chase/grab-bite/kill-bite/dissect (Coppinger, 2001).  However, we have altered this pattern through either selective breeding or using the developmental periods to our advantage.  According to Coppinger, just as social motor patterns have developmental periods, so do the predatory motor patterns and if during the time of onset a particular behavior is not reinforced; it drops out of the dogs’ repertoire completely (Coppinger, 2001).

Predatory behavior is distinct, is not motivated by anger, and occurs without signs of sympathetic arousal.  However, some scientists do think it may be affected by “coactive anxious and frustrative influences” ultimately leading to affective aggression.  According to Panksepp, predatory aggression does not “always remain under the control of a single emotional system” and can result from “redirected motivation” (Borchelt et al., 1983) said Lindsay (2001). 

Viewed this behavior sequence might include observing what appears to be a dog orientating toward a moving target.  This moving target may be another animal, skate boarder, bicyclist or child wobbling about.  As the dog locks on to the target one might see the dog begin to stalk usually signaled by lowering the front legs and body and slowly moving toward the target, the tail will be slowly moving from side to side, this behavior may include salivating and ends with a swift bite that includes shaking. 

Some other forms of aggression with entirely different functions are often confused with predatory aggression.  Most often, these include territorial and redirected says Aloff (2002).  Predatory drift may also occur during an escalation in play behavior when one dog shifts from one emotional state to another.  Aloff (2002) points out there are significant differences between play aggression and predatory aggression when determining what you are observing.

What does the fearful aggressive dog look like?  What signals might he use?

Aggression is usually inhibited by fear and elicits either a freeze or a flight response, however in the case of a dog that is unable to respond appropriately due to restraint the animal may have no other choice but to bite.  These dogs may attempt to control the situation initially by using calming signals or appeasement behavior and if these strategies are not countered with appropriate responses, the fearfully aggressive dog may have no other choice but use aggression.

When the dog is successful in thwarting off a perceived threat the defensive behavior may be reinforced and any future behavior may be triggered by conditioned stimuli associated with the original context resulting in avoidance-motivated aggression.  The avoidance-motivated aggression may appear similar to control complex aggression but differs because it is always defensive rather than offensive.   

According to Aloff (2002), “fear and stress often result in aggressive behavior as a symptom of the underlying anxiety” and a dog may in turn express aggression in conjunction with overt fearful behaviors” including avoidance, escape and physiological changes related to the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). 

The behaviors one might observe related to the arousal of the ANS might include, dilated pupils, activation of the sweat glands, increased heart rate, rapid shallow breathing, change in gut motility, piloerection and loss of control over bowels and bladder. 

According to Lindsay (2001), “fear aggression can be differentiated by defensive postures” and approach-avoidance conflict and the following are the general observable behaviors and characteristics.

• Ears back
• Tail tucked
• Nervous snarling
• Showing teeth
• Barking – possible repetitive conflict behavior
• Licking movements – agitation when exposed to eliciting stimuli, such as doorbell, approach of strangers, noisy children, skaters and other similar stimulation or approach of dogs
• Most likely to threaten or bite when suddenly approached by a fear eliciting person or dog…and escape is prevented
• Once fear aggression has generalized to avoidance behavior…fear behavior may be replaced…telltale signs of fear may be replaced with increased confidence and reduced latency and occur under minimal provocation
• Fear related or defensive aggression stands opposite to dominance related or offensive aggression on the agonistic continuum
• Dominance aggression occurs most often during competitive conflict between conspecifics, stimulated by coactive influences of frustration, irritability, and anger
• Defensive aggression is most often directed toward another group member or species…under the influence of acute threat, fear or anxiety.
• Tendency to bite is most often seen by shy or nervous dogs…who have learned to rely on biting as a means of self-defense
• Fear aggression and dominance aggression may present together in the same dog – bipolar aggression may be a suitable term for this dog…and may depend on context when they alternatively appear

References

Aloff, Brenda.  Aggression In Dogs.

            WA:  Dogwise.  2002. 

Coppinger, Raymond, and Lorna Coppinger.  Dogs: a new understanding of canine origin,
behavior and evolution.  Chicago:  Chicago UP, 2001.

Donaldson, Jean.  The Culture Clash.

CA:  James & Kenneth.  1996.

Lindsay, Steven R.  Handbook of applied dog behavior and training.  3 Vols.

         Iowa:   Iowa SP.   2000.  Vol. 1.

Lindsay, Steven R.  Handout of applied dog behavior and training.  3 Vols.
          
Iowa: Iowa SP.  2001.  Vol.2.

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STRESS SIGNS IN DOGS

Stress is a normal part of life for any animal. For example, hunger is a form of stress that reminds us to eat, fear is a stress-related emotion that helps us avoid potentially harmful sitautions.  However, when we put our dogs in stressful situations that they cannot escape, problems can occur. Few dog owners recognize the most common signs of stress and anxiety in their dogs before it is too late.  Learning to recognize these common signals can help you prevent serious problems. NOTE:  Context is important!  Your dog may yawn when they first wake up, shake off after a bath, or pant on a hot day.  But if your dog is in a new or difficult environment and you see these behaviors together, either as a group or in a sequence, and they happen repeatedly, they are very likely an indication that your dog is experiencing stress or anxiety. Lip and Nose Licking This type of licking looks very different than when you feed your dog a spoonful of peanut butter and, like all of the signs, are usually accompanied or followed by other signs of stress listed below. Stress Yawn This usually happens repeatedly in stressful situations, and is done with more intensity than a "sleepy" yawn. Sparky really doesn't like the camera and will often look away, close his eyes and yawn whenever the lens was pointed in his direction. Panting Yes, dogs pant.  But if it is a cool day and your dog has not been engaging in much physical activity and is panting as if she just ran a few miles, this is likely a sign of stress. In this image, the dog is uncomfortable with my camera.  It is a cool, November day (Thanksgiving) and we had not yet taken the dogs out to run.  You will also notice the tension in her mouth and around her eyes and her ears are pinned back and low. When a dog showing signs of stress suddenly stops panting and closes their mouth, that's a warning!  Dogs often close their mouths shortly before they escalate to a snap or bite. Pinned Ears Dogs' ears vary greatly by breed.  Some stand up, some hang low and some are artificially altered to achieve a specific look.  But no matter what type of ears your dog has, if they pin their ears back against their head, it could be a sign of stress. Deveron wasn't enjoying posing for the camera and pinned his ears back to show his discomfort. In contrast, Arrow LOVED the attention of the camera and although his ears are pinned back, you see that his eyes and mouth are open and relaxed. The difference in the expression of the two dogs makes it easier to see which is stress-related and which one is not.  Context is everything! Avoidance Avoidance can look like many things.  Common types of avoidance include: Excessive sniffing Inattention Looking away Turning away Basically, if your dog is in any way avoiding interacting with people or other dogs, he is showing you he is uncomfortable.  Avoidance is always a better choice than aggression.  If your dog is avoiding interaction with anyone, human or canine, respect that choice.  Don't force your dog to interact if they don't want to. Adam, a newly-rescued dog, avoids a hand reaching out to pet his head. This Doberman was not enjoying the attention of these two German Shepherds and is trying to avoid interacting with them.  In addition to the lowered head and body, notice the pinned back ears. Here, Sparky turns away from the camera (in addition to licking his nose). Avoidance means the dog wishes to discontinue the interaction.  They are letting you know in the most polite way possible that they want you to stop what you are doing. Shaking Off Dogs will shake their bodies for a variety of reasons, when they are wet or when they first wake up from a nap.  But stress-related shaking off almost always follows something the dog finds unpleasant.  For example, many dogs shake off right after a veterinary exam. Low Tail Carriage This is easier to see in some breeds of dogs, than others, obviously.  It won't be as easy to spot in a dog that has a docked tail, for example. Many people are familiar with the idea that a "tail between the legs" is a sign of fear.  But sometimes the tail gives less obvious signals. Here, the base of this dog's tail is mid-range, probably the normal position for this dog. As other dogs approach, however, the base of the tail drops.  Also notice her ears and the tension around her mouth. Other Signs These signs don't necessarily come across in photos, but are also common signs of stress. Low body posture Weight shifted to back legs Excessive shedding Excessive whining or other vocalization Slow or tense movement Refusal of food (especially when normally food-motivated) Restlessness or pacing Inattentiveness to owner Sweating from paws Dilated pupils Tension around eyes and mouth This Rottweiler looks tense, and her ears are pinned back. She has a lot of tension around her eyes and mouth, as well.   Closed mouth, pinned ears and looking away. This Border Collie's ears are forward, indicating it is alert to something in the environment, but the tail is low, the mouth is closed and tense and the dog is leaning backward. The dog is leaning backward, ears are pinned back and tail is low.  Add the dog's inability to get away because it is chained, and this is a recipe for a bite! This dog shows signs of extreme tension around the eyes and mouth.  Her mouth is closed, her ears are back and her pupils are very dilated. Not all dogs will exhibit all of these signs.  The better you get at recognizing your dog's signs, the better you can help him avoid situations that could cause serious problems, while working with a qualified trainer to learn how to help your dog form better associations in stressful environments. Additional Resources These books and DVD's are some of the best available on learning body language in dogs. THE LANGUAGE OF DOGS DVD   What is your dog saying to you and to other dogs? How can you tell when play turns to aggression? How do dogs show friendliness, fear, or stress? This educational video features a presentation and extensive footage of a variety of breeds showing hundreds of examples of canine behavior and body language. Behaviorist Sarah Kalnajs teaches you how to read these signals so that you can develop a better understanding of what's really going on in the canine world. Perfect for dog owners or anyone who handles dogs or encounters them regularly while on the job. A 4Paws favorite and required viewing for our staff! CALMING SIGNALS Norwegian dog trainer and behaviorist Turid Rugaas is a noted expert on canine body language, notably “calming signals,” which are signals dogs use to avoid conflict, invite play, and communicate a wide range of information to other dogs and people. These are the dogs’ attempt to defuse situations that otherwise might result in fights or aggression.