Collins Good Dog Behaviour: An Owner’s Guide. Gwen Bailey

own and will attempt to communicate using body postures and signals. Owners need to know what to look for so that they do not miss these vital signs from their pets.

      In addition, dogs will also watch our body language to try to find out what we want them to do. This is why dogs learn hand/arm signals so much more quickly than they learn spoken commands. Pointing out the direction you want your dog to take, using an obvious arm and hand movement, is surprisingly effective, and especially so once he has become familiar with the signal. If your dog, for example, has just brought a recently unearthed bone in from the garden and is about to drop it on the carpet, shouting at him to go out may not be effective. Asking him to go out, leading the way and pointing out the direction you intend him to take with a clear hand and arm movement, will give him a much more obvious message about the action you require him to take.

       PLAYBOW

      The universal invitation to play. A sudden drop into this position usually results in a frantic bout of tag between two playful dogs. If directed at a human, the dog is asking if you would like to play a game.

       The playbow is an obvious invitation to play.

      FEARFUL DOG

      Frightened dogs will have a lot of their weight on their back legs ready to run. Their head is held high ready for a defensive bite if necessary. They hold their tail low or tucked in, ears drawn back but not pinned flat against the head. They will often pant in short, sharp breaths and may yawn a lot. In extreme cases, or if the dog is afraid for too long, they may begin to shake or tremble. The whites of their eyes can be seen as their eyes are held as wide open as possible. The pupils are often wide open and consequently the eyes may have a reddish tinge to them. If the eyes appear red and glassy, the dog is very fearful and should be approached with caution as he may well bite in self defence. The hair along the back of the neck (the hackles) and along the spine may also be raised, especially if he is fearful of other dogs. These make a dog look larger than he really is and help to reduce the chances of him being attacked.

       This dog’s tail is lowered and his ears are drawn back in a fearful posture.

      Dogs that are anxious but not yet very fearful will exhibit some or all of these signs in varying degrees. Watching for subtle clues that your dog is ill-at-ease can help you to take the appropriate action sooner rather than later and may help to prevent your dog from becoming scared or aggressive.

       HAPPY DOG

      A dog that is pleased to see you will wag his tail, sometimes the rear half of his body as well, press his ears back to the sides of his head and pull the corners of his mouth back in greeting.

      Happy dogs appear relaxed and their bodies will be soft and not tense. They will eat readily and will be happy to play games and be handled. A pet dog should be relaxed, calm and happy most of the time.

       A happy greeting from your dog involves vigorous wagging of his tail and rear end.

       CONFIDENT DOG

      A confident dog will hold his head and tail up and his body erect, proudly displaying his strength and purpose. He will often have a ‘presence’ which encourages you to pay attention to him and will appear to be very self assured.

      Very confident dogs rarely use aggression to get their own way since they are sure of their ability to do so without using force. Less confident dogs, however, are less sure of their abilities and may resort to confrontation if they think they will lose. Confident dogs will have had many successful encounters with other individuals during their lifetime and are often very good at communicating with others.

       This confident dog has an erect posture with head and tail held high.

       SUBMISSIVE DOG

      A submissive dog will make himself as small as possible to deter attack from a stronger member of the pack. By showing appeasing gestures, such as lip licking, he is more likely to be tolerated by the stronger individual.

       Adopting a submissive position helps to turn off aggression and signals an intent to appease.

       ANGRY DOG

      An angry dog will often become very still and stiff just before he bites. This period of stillness gives him time to weigh up the opposition and gives the opponent a chance to back down or submit. If you find yourself in a situation where you have done something to make a dog react in this way, for example, you have stroked a dog that did not want to be touched, be very careful what you do next. Keep very still and retreat very slowly.

      Signs to look for:

       Stillness and a rigid posture.

       Eyes fixed and staring.

       Conflicting signals of confidence and fear, for example, tail held high, head high, eyes wide and pupils dilated, hackles raised.

      When a dog becomes angry, adrenalin flows around the body and other changes occur that help to sustain any action that may be taken. For this reason, it is best to isolate an angry dog and let him calm down for at least half an hour before approaching him again. If your dog has had a bad experience, he is likely to be more reactive for a few days after the incident so care should be taken until he has recovered.

       SUBMISSIVE GRIN

      This greeting looks ferocious but is, actually, totally harmless. The submissive grin is seen more often in specific breeds, such as the Dalmatian, and seems to be their way of greeting important individuals. They will also grin in this way when told off, giving rise to the theory that it is some form of appeasement gesture.

       A young Jack Russell puppy approaches slowly. It is cautious and reserved but unafraid.