Post by FOREST on Nov 2, 2014 0:49:42 GMT
Relaxed body language traits:
dog standing erect on four legs
tail hanging down straight (or in some breeds, curled upward) and wagging in a slow, sweeping motion
mouth open, tongue out, gentle panting (but not due to heat or stress)
ears erect and facing forward
eyes with small pupils, no whites showing
dog looking around, taking an interest in his surroundings, smelling and walking around
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Playful body language traits:
rump raised, front of the body lowered, front knees bent, head forward, dog jumping around
tail raised high and waving
mouth open, tongue out
ears perked up and alert
eyes wide open, darting around in anticipation, pupils dilated
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Stressed body language traits:
body bent forward, head down
tail down and limp
tongue extended forward or licking the nose, indicating being wary but not aggressive, panting extensively if overheated
ears folded back
eyes avoiding looking directly at anything, pupils dilated
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Aggressive body language traits:
dog directly facing his opponent, body in a forward lurching position, head tilted forward, hackles raised
tail straight down and tensed or tucked under his legs
mouth snarling, lips curled, teeth exposed
ears back
eyes narrowed, staring at opponent, pupils dilated
Aggressive dog body language traits
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Dominant body language traits:
dog standing erect and tall, hackles raised
tail up straight and bristled
mouth closed or lips curled and teeth visible in the prelude to a snarl
ears erect and facing forward
eyes staring straight ahead or on target
dog "riding-up" on the shoulders of or pinning submissive dog
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Submissive body language traits:
dog crouching, knees bent, front paw raised, rump lowered, head down
tail between the legs
mouth open slightly, tongue dipping out slightly—they may lick the face of the dominant dog
ears folded back
eyes looking away, brief and indirect eye contact with dominant dog or person
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all credit to PositiveMed
minor changes have been implemented
the original article is here
