‘Raised Hackles’ or Piloerection – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Mar 2, 2023 | Dog Body Language

‘Raised Hackles’ or Piloerection – Dog Body Language

When a dog’s hair bristles up or stands on end over the spine region of the back, this is known as ‘raised hackles’ or technically defined as piloerection. The pattern area in which the hair raises can vary and display differently in each individual dog; the hair can raise fully over the spine from the neck to the base of the tail, or just over the shoulder area, or in two patches – one patch over the shoulder area and the other at the rear end, just before the base of the tail. Piloerection is commonly misinterpreted as aggression, but although it can be part of an aggressive display in certain contexts, along with specific body language exhibited, this is not the primary reason it occurs.

To determine whether it is an aggressive or antagonistic display, the piloerection is to be observed with complete body language within context before interpretation is offered, so you should view the dog from nose to tail: What is the eye shape and appearance? Where are the ears positioned? What is the posture of the dog? What is the tail position and movement? How is the dog moving? In what context is the dog displaying piloerection? What is occurring in the environment before, after and during?

piloerection raised hackles shown in 3 patterns across dogs back

There is an article, written by Karen B. London, PhD that speculates that the three different patterns in which the piloerection is displayed correlate to three different emotional behavioural categories the dog may be expressing. To categorize, you would have to observe associated body language for that category of emotion, together with the piloerection, in order to gauge whether this interpretation bears scrutiny. The author acknowledges that this is anecdotal and further study would need to be conducted. For example, I have seen the display of raised fur along the full back in differing body language displays, possibly indicating it is not consistently shown in a particular emotion and can vary with the individual. There would have to be study observing the nuances with a larger data set collected. Patricia Mc Connell also discusses the article regarding piloerection in her blog article.

To understand how piloerection can occur in differing emotions, it is worth looking at the physiology of what is happening in the body. At the base of the hair follicle there is a muscle called the Arrector pili. This small muscle contracts and is activated by the sympathetic nervous system, meaning the individual hairs raise due to an involuntary response. The sympathetic nervous system dictates ‘fight or flight’ within the autonomic nervous system, and the parasympathetic dictates ‘rest and digest’. Both sympathetic and parasympathetic parts of the autonomic system are in constant adjustment. The sympathetic system responds to neural and hormonal feedback to physiological stress. When considering physiological stress, this is not necessarily an indication of negative emotion; similar hormones may be expressed whether the emotion ranges from excitement to fear. Piloerection can therefore occur due to fear, surprise, excitement, arousal, or as part of agonistic intent or aggressive display.

Piloerection is also classified as an Epiphenomenon in Barbara Handleman’s book, ‘Canine Behaviour: A Photo Illustrated Handbook’. An Epiphenomenon ^[1] is a secondary phenomenon or effect that occurs along with a primary phenomenon. For instance, piloerection would occur as a secondary phenomenon along with indications of stress or arousal. An example of indicators of stress would be evident in body language such as ears held back, squinting eyes, lip licks, lowered body posture, paw-lift, tail lowered, and so on.

Here are a few examples of situations in which dogs have displayed piloerection:

This is an observation of two dogs at a dog park. An adolescent dog runs past a couple of dogs to try initiating play though chase. His body is loose, and his tail wags loosely in wide motions, with the tail held at about the same height as his back. A larger dog decides to participate by chasing the young dog. Catching up with the adolescent dog, the large dog keeps slamming his body into him. The adolescent dog tries to continue running; if he slows or stops, he is bowled over by the large dog. The adolescent dog’s body language begins to change whilst being pursued; his tail is down, and his rear appears slightly crouched down as he runs. His ears are back, eyes wide, and mouth open. He is panting, and he seems to be scanning the environment more intently whilst running. Along with this body language, he starts to show some piloerection, with his fur standing on end over his shoulders and rear end. This interaction started as play, but as it continued, the adolescent dog was overwhelmed and seemed to have no choice but to keep running as fast as he could in order to try to escape the pursuit of the larger dog. There seemed to be no role reversal during play between the two, with the larger dog persistently slamming his body into the adolescent dog without taking any notice of the younger dog’s changed body language. After being chased and unable to escape, with no one intervening, the adolescent dog is progressively showing signs of feeling uncomfortable with this interaction.
A dog rescue volunteer is walking a dog on a quieter route back to his kennel via a back entrance. However, this route goes past an outdoor cat enclosure. No cats are visible, as they are hiding under the foliage in the outdoor enclosure. The volunteer takes the dog in a wider curve past the enclosure. The dog starts slowing as they pass the enclosure; his body seems more rigid, while his tail is held stiffly and a little higher than the level of his back. The dog’s ears are up and pointing forward, his mouth closes, he ducks his head down, and he sniffs the ground momentarily. He is also slowly displaying piloerection along his full back. The dog continues to move slowly, then pauses slightly, with a paw lift. The volunteer encourages the dog to keep moving and they pass the cat enclosure. This is a dog that is not keen on cats. Although no cats are visible, in all likelihood the dog is picking up on the scent of the cats and is aware of their presence. The body language displayed by the dog can be interpreted as unsure and unsettled, perhaps a bit aroused, most probably by sensing the cats nearby. He seems weary of their presence via scent even though the cats are not seen.
As a dog enters the dog park, a couple of dogs across the park start to speedily approach her. Although she is aware of the approaching dogs, she seems to be avoiding them and curves away from them, walking along the periphery of the park fence and sniffing the ground. She gives the appearance of not noticing the approaching dogs but is aware. Her head is dipped as she sniffs, but her eyes are directed ahead as she subtly eyes the environment. She continues to walk slowly and sniff the ground and shows some piloerection when one of the dogs encroaches nearer. The dog approaches quickly and very directly, walking in a straight line towards her. The approaching dog seems quite tall in posture, his ears are up and forward, his mouth is closed, and his tail is up, with the tip of the tail flagging (top of the tail shows quick back and forth movements). Together with this body language, he is also showing piloerection over his shoulder area. He moves in quite closely to her, they both pause for a moment, and she turns her head away. His movements seem jittery, and he quickly moves to her rear and attempts to sniff quite invasively. She moves away promptly, squats, pees, and walks away further. He is then redirected to sniff where she has peed, and he marks the spot. Both dogs were a bit uncomfortable with the interaction. She made it very clear she did not wish to be approached by curving away from the dog, moving away from the interaction, and peeing on the ground, giving the dog an option of sniffing without physical contact. The approaching dog, although he chose to approach, in all likelihood did not feel comfortable, as shown by his jittery movement, tall body posture, high flagging tail, and piloerection. Being in a situation where there are many unknown dogs entering the dog park, some dogs may feel the pressure to approach, even when unsure, in order to assess each dog. One of the places where I quite commonly observe piloerection is fast direct meetings between unfamiliar dogs at the entrance of the dog park.
A dog is being walked in the park on a windy day. A plastic bag that has blown across the park has become hooked on a small bush and is rustling about in the wind. As the dog guardian and the dog approach the rustling bag, the dog slows and pauses; her body lowers and her head dips. She starts showing piloerection across her whole spine all the way to her tail. Her ears go forward and up, her tail drops and starts wagging fast, and she lets out a lone bark. With her body and head still in a lowered position, she circles around the bag. Her tail lowers as she tentatively moves a little forward, her posture weighted on her back legs, which are slightly splayed. She turns around, and again, with lowered body and head, and her tail down, curves around the bag in the other direction without venturing closer to it. The lowered body posture, with weight on the back legs, tail down, and piloerection, all demonstrate the dog is fearful and feeling unsure of this novel item that moves irregularly in the wind.
A dog is chewing on a bone when the other dog in the household attempts to walk past him. The dog chewing the bone freezes and lowers his head slightly over the bone while trying to give direct eye contact to the other dog, causing some whale eye (where the white of the eye is visible). His eyes also appears hard. The bridge of his nose is wrinkled, and his lips are pulled back, exposing the front teeth. The commisures (corners of the mouth) are pushed forward as he lets out a growl. Along with this body language, he shows some piloerection over the shoulder area. The dog is resource guarding the bone and displays some agonistic behavior in order to warn the other dog, with the intention of creating space.
A person is returning home with a friend. The dog barks when the door is opened and the friend enters the house. The dog’s ears are back and her head is slightly lowered. Her tail is lower and wagging fast, while her weight is being shifted towards her back legs. She retreats quickly and then moves in an arch around the guest, continuing to bark as she follows the people to the kitchen. Due to her short fur, it almost looks like she has a shadow extending all down her back to her tail. This is piloerection. In the kitchen, she seems to recognize the guest and is no longer barking. Her body is moving more loosely and fluidly, while the piloerection appears to have disappeared. She jumps up against the guest’s leg and then walks away with a wiggly body, subsequently sneezing and shaking herself off. The piloerection could have occurred partly due to the dog’s surprise at not expecting to see the guest and/or possibly due to some excitement.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice piloerection in different contexts. As discussed below, interpretations such as the above examples should not be attempted without careful observation and consideration of all aspects of the situation.

Reference:

^[1]Canine Behaviour: A Photo Illustrated Handbook, by Barbara Handleman, Section is 6 (Table of Contents). For further reading, visit the resources section.

What is meant by stress?

When I mention stress, this does not necessarily imply negative emotion. I mean stress in the physiological sense. So certain body language signals can mean the dog is feeling some sort of emotional discourse. This discourse could range from positive to negative emotion. Both excitement and fear could have similar effects on the body, with various hormones being released and activating the sympathetic nervous system. The dog may be feeling uncomfortable/fearful or it could also be excited about something. When analyzing stress in body language, it is worth noting the frequency and intensity of the various body language signals.

A few notes to consider when observing dog body language:

Observation before interpretation

Interpretations should be offered only once you have observed the complete interaction and taken note of the wider picture. To offer an unbiased interpretation of the body language, observe and take note of the situation, taking into account the dog’s whole body, the body language signals, and environment first before offering an interpretation. List all the body language you see in the order that it occurs; try to be as descriptive as possible without adding any emotional language. For instance, saying a dog looks happy is not descriptive and would be seen as an interpretation rather than an observation.

You could, however, list what you observe: ears to the side, eyes almond shaped, slight shortening of the eye, mouth open, long lips, tongue out, body moving loosely, body facing side-on, tail wagging at a slow even pace at body level.

From the observation, I could interpret that the dog seems relaxed or comfortable. I still prefer to say relaxed rather than happy, as I feel you will truly never know exactly what the dog may be feeling on the inside emotionally. It is quite likely the dog may be feeling happy, but I prefer to comment on how the dog is behaving in response to the situation rather than presuming internal emotional states.

The importance of viewing body language within context

Interpretations can vary depending on the context. It is possible for certain body language to be used in different contexts and have subtle differences in meaning within those contexts. Individual body language signals should not be observed in isolation; the wider picture should be considered. Take note of what the dog’s body as a whole is saying. Keep in mind each dog is an individual with varying skills and experiences. What may be typical for one individual may not be for another. In order to observe body language in context, consider the following: the situation, body language signals, the body language expressed by all parts of the dog’s body, environment, and individuals involved. It is worth noting how the body language changes with feedback from the environment or the other individuals interacting.

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.

Reasons for walking your dog on a longer leash

by Martha Knowles | Oct 27, 2021 | Thoughts & Reads

Reasons for walking your dog on a longer leash

The reason for a longer leash is to allow the dog to express his natural behaviour and communication. The dog is able to interact with the environment by moving authentically. Dogs use their bodies to communicate. The dog should be able to express natural behaviour when on leash, such as investigating, sniffing, marking, and making choices. Scent is one of the dog’s predominant senses; it is important for the dog to be able to navigate and interpret the environment through scent. Choice is essential for the dog; it is key for confidence building, learning and mental well-being.

There is complexity to long leash handling on both ends of the leash. Before considering leash handling, the dog’s stress levels and skill set are important factors to bear in mind. The dog guardian should choose a suitable environment that will be appropriate for the dog’s skill set. If the dog is allowed to make choices at a level they can manage, and the choice has a positive outcome for the dog, this provides valuable intrinsic learning, encouraging the dog to think for himself and problem solve.

From the dog guardian’s side of the leash, a longer leash provides the dog space to communicate and affords the dog guardian the opportunity to observe the dog – an opportunity lost if the dog is performing trained behaviours. Dogs have a space bubble when on leash; at times humans can interfere with the dog’s natural body language and also be unaware they are inadvertently pushing the dog into situations they might not be comfortable with. The handler/dog guardian can also block the dog’s option of avoiding the situation or choosing an escape route. This is why the guardian’s body language, position and space usage play a role in leash handling. At times it may also be appropriate for the guardian to move up the leash to shorten it and provide support in situations where the dog may need it.

This does not even begin to address actual leash handling techniques like how to loop up the leash, how to shorten the leash, how to stop gently, leash handling in tricky situations, and so on. If you are not aware of correct long leash handling mechanics, this can lead to injuries. You should always have both hands on the leash, which is continuously being readjusted by your guiding hand, as it slides down the leash and loops it up in your looping hand, then lets the leash slide through your guiding hand to release it at moments where it is safe to do so. Not to mention that the long leash should always be ‘smiling’ – not dragging on the ground – no matter how extended it is. (Visit the Smiling Leash Project @smilingleash).

Analysis of environment, and how to navigate and use it to the dog’s advantage, is an important consideration. All that has been discussed so far indicates how extensive and nuanced long leash handling can be. Many of these leash handling techniques will seem effortless and invisible to an untrained eye. It takes time on both ends of the leash to learn and find comfort. I certainly am still learning something new with every occasion I get to practice long leash handling.

I was very fortunate to have stumbled upon Turid Rugaas’ book, “On Talking Terms with dogs: Calming Signals”, at the right moment in time. Seeking to see Turid in person, I went to a Dog Reactivity seminar by her. Sheila Harper was hosting the seminar in the UK; this was round about 2011. In the process, I became familiar with Sheila and attended a few of her shorter courses. The level of observation in these courses convinced me to complete further comprehensive study with Sheila Harper. I immediately felt at home with the principles of Sheila’s courses, in which the dog’s perspective was valued when facilitating the learning process, and dogs could express their natural behaviours and communication, enabling them to make choices and have a say in outcomes. The priority was building the life skills of the dog, rather than performed behaviours.

I learnt long leash handling from Sheila, the shortest leash being about 3m*, with the dog wearing a comfortable Y-shaped harness (* 3m/9ft is good for a novice handler, while 5m/16ft or longer is good for someone who has started to hone their long leash handling skills). Sheila has been teaching long leash practical theory since approximately 1990s. This practice of long leash handling is not for special occasions it is for day to day use on all walks with the walks being chosen from the dogs point of view and skill set.

If you are new to long leash handling or would like to start learning more about it, I would encourage you to seek coaching. My recommendation would be learning from Sheila Harper, as I have had the most personal experience of Sheila’s coursework and can attest to the quality of her teaching. Sheila is also one of the founding organizational committee members of The International Companion Animal Network (@ICANwelfarefirst).

Turid Rugaas has taught long leash handling and advocated for longer leashes for a long time; she has just recently celebrated a 50-year anniversary of working with dogs. Turid is a founding member of the Pet Dog Trainers of Europe (PDTE) and most of her practicing students can be found via the PDTE website. The Smiling Leash members have all studied with Turid Rugaas.

Grisha Stewart’s recent BAT 2.0 leash handling seems to share some simularities with the principles of Turid’s leash handling with regards to long leashes, some of the long leash handling techniques, and the use of social walks (or “BAT set ups” as Grisha has called them). However, it is not completely the same, as BAT does mix in a few elements of classical training to it along with offering long leash handling techniques.

All three teachers/trainers may offer slightly different nuances when teaching long leash handling. I feel most comfortable recommending Sheila’s courses due to my personal experience as I have completed substantial study with Sheila, and have not completed any longer courses with Turid or Grisha, apart from shorter seminars. So I am unable to compare the differences entirely and may not be aware of some of the nuances of what is taught along with long leash handling, between the three.

Both Turid Rugaas and Sheila Harper students use social walks frequently when working on dogs’ confidence and social skills. Social walks can also be used to the benefit of reactive dogs. The name ‘Social walk’ can be a deceptive title, as some of the walks are not that “social”, depending on the dog and begin at great distances over multiple sessions. How to set up social walks is an extensive subject in of itself and has many variables, depending on the needs of individual dogs. The social walks are on harness and long leash, allowing the dog to communicate and make appropriate choices within a suitable environment and appropriate setup.

I hope I have managed to convey that long leash handling is a topic with extensive depth to it. It is not about picking up a long leash and a little bit of leash technique, there is far more to consider; both from the individual dogs needs and consideration from the dog guardians with regards to planning, observation and support offered to the dog.

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.

Curving – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Jul 30, 2019 | Dog Body Language

Curving – Dog Body Language

The deliberate dog body language of curving is used in polite greetings, negotiation, or as a calming signal. A head-on, frontal approach can be seen as confrontational. The curving could be the curving of the dog’s body (which makes a slight c-shape), or a directional curve in the path the dog walks on approach. Some have described it as a ‘banana walk’, an easy descriptive way to imagine the direction of walk, due to the shape of the path taken by the dog.

Curving of the body, however slight, results in the dog’s shoulders turning away from the other party in greeting. Keeping the shoulders square and front on could signify a bit of tension and may come across as confrontational or too direct. Turning the shoulder ever so slightly is polite. The curve, whether a curve in path or body, can be subtle and slight; on other occasions it can be exaggerated and there can also be a combination of curving of body and path.

When two dogs get close enough to greet and sniff each other’s rears, they will do so by curving their bodies and walking around each other in a curve. Normally they will take a quick sniff of each other’s rear ends and move on afterwards. Some dogs choose not to approach each other at all, but they will walk in a curve past each other as a negotiation signal, giving each other space and passing one another politely.

If a dog has a loose leash, enough leash to make choices, and the social skills, there are times when he may actually choose to curve when passing another party. It is worth bearing in mind how some equipment can interfere with the dog’s communication. There are times when we, as humans, do not realize the importance of curving in polite dog greetings and will walk directly with our dogs on a short leash towards another party. Unfortunately, the choice of curving may also not be considered when walking on a pavement where space is limited when approaching another party.

Humans can utilize acts of curving with dog interactions. To approach a dog politely, instead of walking straight towards the dog in our very human direct way, you could walk in a slight curve. On approach, turning your shoulder away ever so slightly can put a dog at ease and is polite.

To read further in more depth about curving, you could consult the following longer article reflecting on head-on and curved approaches: ‘Considering the effects of walking or running straight towards a dog’. At the end of the article there is a link to a video showing how subtly a dog may choose to curve.

For further information as to how to approach a dog politely, please read: ‘How do you greet a dog politely?’

Here are a few examples of situations where a dog may use curving as communication:

Two dogs spot each other across an open field. The one dog decides to stand still, and she faces the other dog. She looks slightly tall, with ears held up and forward, and her mouth is closed. The other dog decides to approach. He trots over towards her in a curve. As he gets closer, he slows down, still walking in a curve. He drops his head down and does a slight look away. As he gets near to her, she does a head turn and offers a lip lick. He then takes quite a sharp curve, both with body and direction of movement, in an attempt to go round her towards her rear end. She turns her head away in the opposite direction of his curve, effectively looking away from him. When he attempts to curve closer, she walks up towards him and cuts off his curve. They meet awkwardly nose to nose. His body is facing side-on to her, so his shoulder is facing her, his ears are slightly to the side, and his tail is body height. She faces him front on with a slightly lowered body, her back hunched over, her tail tucked, and her ears pressed to the side of the head. The weight of her body is balanced on her back legs, pushing her body in a slight backward direction. She drops her head and squints her eyes slightly as she sniffs his nose. His head raises slightly, ears to the side, and he gives slight head turns and fast tail wags. She does a paw lift, ducks her head, and moves away from him quickly. At this point, another dog runs up to the pair and splits the two by walking in-between them. The dog that first approached her has tried to be polite by curving, slowing his pace, and offering head turns on approach. Even with all the polite body language offered, she was already showing some discomfort at the beginning of the interaction by standing tall, facing him, and not approaching. Then, as he finally came near to her, she changed her body language drastically by lowering her body, hunching up (making herself smaller), with tail tucked, indicating her unease. She also cut off his attempt to sniff her rear end. The dog that intervened saw her discomfort, noticed she was struggling with the interaction, and came to split the pair.
Two people are walking their dogs in a wooded area; each is walking with their dog off lead. As they reach an open area, the people spot each other and approach to say hello. The dogs, unlike their guardians, choose not to stop, but both take a wider berth by curving around each other at distance and using the humans as a barrier between them. The Labrador walks next to his guardian with a loose body, tail wagging at a slow and steady pace. The German shepherd walks a little behind his guardian at a slower pace, his tail down, head slightly dipped, and ears to the side. As the two people stop to chat to one another, both dogs continue walking past each other slowly in a curve around the people. The shepherd takes a wider curve. The lab looks over to the shepherd, which avoids looking directly at the lab and gives a quick head turn. The lab then does a head turn and dips his head down to sniff the ground as he continues to slowly curve past the shepherd. Both guardians have now finished their quick greeting and carry on with their respective dogs in opposite directions from each other. Both dogs pick up pace again as they continue the walk with each of their guardians.
A person is walking his dog on a loose leash on a path in the park. As they walk down the path, another person walks towards them. The dog slows his pace and dips his head down (as if to sniff the ground) whilst keeping his eye on the approaching person. He crosses over behind his guardian as they near the person and uses his guardian as a slight barrier, walking slowly in a curve as he passes by.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice curving in different contexts. As discussed below, interpretations such as the above examples should not be attempted without careful observation and consideration of all aspects of the situation.

A few notes to consider when observing dog body language:

Observation before interpretation

Interpretations should be offered only once you have observed the complete interaction and taken note of the wider picture. To offer an unbiased interpretation of the body language, observe and take note of the situation, taking into account the dog’s whole body, the body language signals and environment first before offering an interpretation. List all the body language you see in the order that it occurs; try to be descriptive as possible without adding any emotional language. For instance, saying a dog looks happy is not descriptive and would be seen as an interpretation rather than an observation.

You could however list what you observe: ears to the side, eyes almond shaped, slight shortening of the eye, mouth open, long lips, tongue out, body moving loosely, body facing side-on, tail wagging at a slow, even pace at body level.

From the observation I could interpret that the dog seems relaxed or comfortable. I still prefer to say relaxed rather than happy, as I feel you will truly never know exactly what the dog may be feeling on the inside emotionally. It is quite likely the dog may be feeling happy, but I prefer to comment on how the dog is behaving in response to the situation rather than presuming internal emotional states.

The importance of viewing body language within context

Interpretations can vary depending on the context. It is possible for certain body language to be used in different contexts and have subtle differences in meaning within those contexts. Individual body language signals should not be observed in isolation; the wider picture should be considered. Take note of what the dog’s body as a whole is saying. Keep in mind each dog is an individual with varying skills and experiences. What may be typical for one individual may not be for another. In order to observe body language in context, consider the following: the situation, body language signals, the body language expressed by all parts of the dog’s body, the environment, and the individuals involved. It is worth noting how the body language changes with feedback from the environment or the other individuals interacting.

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.

Eyes – Whale Eye – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | May 10, 2019 | Dog Body Language, Eyes - Dog Body Language

Eyes – Whale Eye – Dog Body Language

‘Whale eye’ is a term used to describe dog body language referring to the dog’s eyes. This is when the whites of the eye (know as sclera) become pronounced. Whale eye is the most common term, but it can also be referred to as ‘half moon eye’.

Depending on the direction in which the dog’s eyes move, it is most likely to occur on either the inner corner or outer sides of the eye. In most cases, whale eye can be seen when the dog is experiencing some form of discomfort or anxiety.

The reason the whites of the eyes are visible is that the dog is most likely trying to avert his gaze, perhaps slightly turning his head away from what may be of concern to him, but he is also too cautious to take his eyes off the thing of concern. This action of slight head movement whilst trying to keep an eye on things causes the whites of the eyes to become evident. A fearful or aroused dog’s eyes become wider – another reason why the sclera becomes more pronounced. It is also likely in such cases that there will be muscle tension and ridges in areas of the face, pulling the eyes open wider.

If a dog is relaxed, the eyes appear slightly squinted or almond shaped. Certain dog breeds naturally have slightly bulging eyes, allowing the whites of the eyes to be visible at times, but, with such dogs, generally the amount of sclera visible is not as pronounced as true ‘whale eye’. This is why it is important not only to observe the eyes but the dog’s whole body and body language to correctly interpret what you have observed.

Whale eye should be treated with caution. Depending on the body language and context, it may mean the dog is feeling threatened, and there is a possibility the situation could escalate to a bite.

Here are a few examples of situations where ‘whale eye’ may be observed:

In an informal outdoor restaurant area, a few people are mingling and enjoying a drink. One person has brought her dog to the event. The dog is a sweet-looking poodle and attracts some attention from the people in the party. A person is keen to greet the dog and reaches over to pet him. The dog ducks down a bit and turns his head away from the person slightly. Whale eye is visible. He freezes ever so slightly and does a lip lick as the person pets his head. After the person stops petting, the dog does a quick shake off. From the body language observed, it seems the dog is not too comfortable with this stranger leaning over to pet him.
A dog is uncomfortable with a person approaching as she eats her food from her bowl. She perceives the approach as a threat to having her resource (the food) taken away. As the person approaches, the dog stops eating; her head dips down and turns ever so slightly in the direction of the bowl. Although her head is turned slightly towards the bowl, she keeps her eyes on the approaching person. The eyes are fixed, with a hard stare, and the whites of the eye (whale eye) are visible. Her body stiffens and freezes in place. Her ears are pushed forward and her mouth is closed. The stance of her body seems square, with a slight forward weight over her bowl and braced legs. A few seconds later, she is still frozen, and her lip starts curling, as she lets out a growl – giving a vocal warning as well as the body language to communicate her discomfort with the approach while she is eating.
A dog is being scolded by his guardian. The dog’s movements slow, and he pauses by standing with his body slightly curved away from his guardian. The dog’s body looks slightly lowered, with a rounded back, slightly dipped head, and tail tucked down. His mouth is closed, and his ears are pressed to the sides of his face. There seems to be a bit of tension and furrowing of the area around the eyes. His head is ever so slightly turned away from his guardian, and, as he looks up to his guardian, whale eye is visible.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice whale eye occurring in different contexts. As discussed below, interpretations such as the above examples should not be attempted without careful observation and consideration of all aspects of the situation.

A few notes to consider when observing dog body language:

Observation before interpretation

Interpretations should be offered only once you have observed the complete interaction and taken note of the wider picture. To offer an unbiased interpretation of the body language, observe and take note of the situation, taking into account the dog’s whole body, the body language signals and environment first before offering an interpretation. List all the body language you see in the order that it occurs; try to be descriptive as possible without adding any emotional language. For instance, saying a dog looks happy is not descriptive and would be seen as an interpretation rather than an observation.

You could however list what you observe: ears to the side, eyes almond shaped, slight shortening of the eye, mouth open, long lips, tongue out, body moving loosely, body facing side-on, tail wagging at a slow, even pace at body level.

From the observation I could interpret that the dog seems relaxed or comfortable. I still prefer to say relaxed rather than happy, as I feel you will truly never know exactly what the dog may be feeling on the inside emotionally. It is quite likely the dog may be feeling happy, but I prefer to comment on how the dog is behaving in response to the situation rather than presuming internal emotional states.

The importance of viewing body language within context

Interpretations can vary depending on the context. It is possible for certain body language to be used in different contexts and have subtle differences in meaning within those contexts. Individual body language signals should not be observed in isolation; the wider picture should be considered. Take note of what the dog’s body as a whole is saying. Keep in mind each dog is an individual with varying skills and experiences. What may be typical for one individual may not be for another. In order to observe body language in context, consider the following: the situation, body language signals, the body language expressed by all parts of the dog’s body, the environment, and the individuals involved. It is worth noting how the body language changes with feedback from the environment or the other individuals interacting.

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.

Eyes – Blinking – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Apr 14, 2019 | Dog Body Language, Eyes - Dog Body Language

Eyes – Blinking – Dog Body Language

The dog body language signal of blinking the eyes relies very much on the context in which it occurs and the dog’s whole body language in order to be interpreted correctly. Generally, blinking can be seen as a calming signal and may be used as part of other body language to negotiate with another individual. At times, blinking can occur due to stress or fear. In other situations, it may be offered as appeasement. Depending on the combination of body language, it may also be offered to show good will, whilst trying to calm an interaction down.

Direct eye contact in dog body language is impolite; it is used to warn or can be interpreted as confrontational. The purpose of a direct stare is to create space and encourage the other party to move away. A warning may be shown with direct eye contact (known as a hard stare or hard eye). The eyes will most probably be quite round, wide, fixed and still, without any blinking. So blinking is the opposite of that. As staring is impolite in dog body language, a blink may be used as a strategy when giving selected short bursts of polite eye contact. The blinks that are used as part of communication may be exaggerated by using slow deliberate blinks, or they may occur frequently in quick succession.

Here are a few examples of situations where a dog may offer blinking:

Two dogs are within close vicinity of one another in an open dog park. Suddenly, the one dog draws his attention towards the other dog. He does a three-quarter turn towards her and looks slightly tall, with his ears moving forwards and his tail up. He gazes over to the other dog and their eyes meet momentarily. Her reaction to the sudden eye contact is to turn her head marginally to the side, and, squinting her eyes slightly, she blinks a few times. He responds by blinking and turning his gaze away too. The other dog is trying to negotiate by blinking and turning her gaze away. She is saying she does not want to cause trouble and does not wish to interact.
A dog that is sitting on the ground is being scolded by his guardian. The dog’s mouth is closed, and his ears are back and flat to his head. He turns his head to the side, then he turns it back to face his guardian and does a lip lick. His eyes are squinted when facing his guardian and he yawns. He continues to face his guardian with ears back and eyes squinted; then he displays a succession of quick eye blinks, followed by further lip licks and more eye blinks. This is the typical body language that is misinterpreted as the ‘guilty look’. The dog is showing appeasement with his body language; he is responding to his guardian’s aggressive sounding voice and body postures. By using appeasing body language, he is trying to calm the situation down and communicating to his guardian he means no harm. Here is some further reading explaining the guilty look and a study conducted by Alexandra Horowitz, proving ‘the look’ does not correspond with the dog’s knowledge of the ‘bad’ behaviour.
This is an observation of a dog new to the shelter. She has only spent a couple of days in this unfamiliar environment and is fearful of the new surroundings and strangers at the shelter. A volunteer is trying to gain the dog’s trust and is sitting quietly across from her. The dog remains seated on the opposite side of the room and is keeping her distance from the person. The dog’s body is hunched over, with her head slightly down and her mouth closed. She seems very still, apart from occasionally turning her head slightly away from the person and giving a few blinks. On the previous occasion when the person spent time in the room, the dog’s eyes were wide and fixed on the person, and she displayed the same frozen looking body language. Although this dog is still frightened, the blinking is progress, as she is at least showing signs of communication and expressing herself. She is trying to communicate that she means no harm and does not want to be harmed. Taking into account the observations of the rest of her body language, it is apparent that the dog is still feeling fearful.
A dog is sitting in front of her guardian, who is filming her. There seems to be no tension in the dog’s body as she sits. Her tail is wagging in circles low to the ground. Her mouth is closed with no tension in the face muscles. Her ears are pointy, and they are in a neutral position, held up but ever so slightly positioned off to the side. As she looks up at her guardian, who is pointing the camera at her, the dog blinks at quite a rapid rate and does a subtle small movement of the head to the side. The tail wag and the relaxed body indicate that the dog seems comfortable with her guardian, but because the guardian is standing over her with a camera, and most probably facing front on to film the dog, she feels the need to blink as a calming signal. The pressure of having all the focus on her in such a direct manner may have gotten her to respond with blinking.
A person pets a dog, which sits in an enclosed cage. As the person leans into the cage area, the dog has no way of escaping and presses himself into the corner; he is sitting hunched over with his one paw lifted. His mouth is closed, and his movements are slow; he seems quite still. His ears are pulled back against his head, and he turns his head away and blinks as the person pets him on the shoulder. The dog does not feel comfortable and is slightly fearful of being petted. His discomfort is revealed by the combination of all his body language – the paw lift, the stillness of the dog, his hunched position (as he makes himself as small as possible), the blinking, and the way he backs himself to the rear of the cage.
A dog is sitting on the ground. His body is relaxed. His guardian asks him to do something. He responds by turning his head away and doing one slow blink. He may be feeling a bit of pressure at the guardian’s request and is indicating this by responding with the head turn and a slow blink.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice any blinking in different contexts. As discussed below, interpretations such as the above examples should not be attempted without careful observation and consideration of all aspects of the situation.

A few notes to consider when observing dog body language:

Observation before interpretation

Interpretations should be offered only once you have observed the complete interaction and taken note of the wider picture. To offer an unbiased interpretation of the body language, observe and take note of the situation, taking into account the dog’s whole body, the body language signals and environment first before offering an interpretation. List all the body language you see in the order that it occurs; try to be descriptive as possible without adding any emotional language. For instance, saying a dog looks happy is not descriptive and would be seen as an interpretation rather than an observation.

You could however list what you observe: ears to the side, eyes almond shaped, slight shortening of the eye, mouth open, long lips, tongue out, body moving loosely, body facing side-on, tail wagging at a slow, even pace at body level.

From the observation I could interpret that the dog seems relaxed or comfortable. I still prefer to say relaxed rather than happy, as I feel you will truly never know exactly what the dog may be feeling on the inside emotionally. It is quite likely the dog may be feeling happy, but I prefer to comment on how the dog is behaving in response to the situation rather than presuming internal emotional states.

The importance of viewing body language within context

Interpretations can vary depending on the context. It is possible for certain body language to be used in different contexts and have subtle differences in meaning within those contexts. Individual body language signals should not be observed in isolation; the wider picture should be considered. Take note of what the dog’s body as a whole is saying. Keep in mind each dog is an individual with varying skills and experiences. What may be typical for one individual may not be for another. In order to observe body language in context, consider the following: the situation, body language signals, the body language expressed by all parts of the dog’s body, the environment, and the individuals involved. It is worth noting how the body language changes with feedback from the environment or the other individuals interacting.

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.