Reading Dog Body Language

Since puppies can’t tell us with words how they are feeling, it’s important that we learn the skill of reading dog body language. Sometimes, puppies are obvious with their behavior and other times only give us subtle hints on how they feel.

Why body language is important

• Helps you support the pup as you’re showing them the world.
• Recognize a worried, fearful or stressed puppy so you can adjust activities and seek guidance.
• Help you understand why the pup is doing a particular behavior.
• Let you know when the puppy is having fun!

Here are some of the most common behaviors that puppies might show when they are in different states of mind.

Relaxed

• Body: loose body
• Ears: neutral position, can be slightly forward/back
• Eyes: soft, relaxed eyes
• Mouth: relaxed, slightly open
• Tail: neutral position, light slow wagging
• Other: takes food rewards

Illustration ©Lili Chin

Distracted

• Body: tight muscles, hackling (hair standing up)
• Ears: ears forward
• Eyes: keying, hard stare
• Mouth: closed
• Tail: stiff or wagging fast
• Other: refusing food rewards, taking food rewards roughly, vocalizing (barking, whining), pulling/lunging in leash

Illustration ©Lili Chin

Fearful

• Body: lowered body carriage, hackling, freezing
• Ears: pinned back
• Eyes: whale eye (can see whites of eyes), avoiding eye contact, staring
• Mouth: lip licking, panting, yawning when not tired, drooling
• Tail: lowered, tucked between rear legs
• Other: refusing food rewards, taking food rewards roughly, vocalizing (barking), sweaty paws, hypervigilance (glancing around), balking, attempting to flee

Illustration ©Lili Chin

Did you see that some of the same signs show up in more than one category? Dog body language can be nuanced and we want to think about the whole picture. If you’re not sure how to interpret what you’re seeing, reach out for support!

What should I do if the puppy shows signs of distraction or fear?

• Pause and assess what signs of distraction or fear the puppy is showing.
• Lure the puppy with food and verbal encouragement away from the situation.
• Identify the cause (e.g. noise, traffic, surfaces, novel object, dogs, people, etc.).
• Reach out for support before re-introducing what was distracting/scary for the pup.