Eyes – Pupils Dilated – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Dec 13, 2018 | Dog Body Language, Eyes - Dog Body Language

Eyes – Pupils Dilated – Dog Body Language

With regard to observing dog body language, pupil dilation can provide vital clues as to the dog’s emotional state. Dilation of pupils can occur in low light conditions to assist with vision by allowing more light into the eyes. In other instances it occurs as an involuntary response due to the sympathetic nervous system being activated. Dilated pupils can indicate the dog is feeling some form of stress*, fear or arousal.

Pupil dilation can be a subtle change in size, and at other times it is overt, with the pupils appearing so large that hardly any iris eye colour is visible. One cannot just observe one body part, such as dilated pupils in isolation; the whole body, including body language and signals, should be observed in their totality in order to offer a complete interpretation. Sometimes the body language signals, paired with dilated pupils, can be very subtle, so I like to pay attention to the dog’s body movements as part of the observation. The movement seems to be at two ends of the spectrum: At one end, the dog may appear frozen or still and not move much. At the other end, the dog may seem jittery and unable to be still, to the extent that he reveals noticeably tense muscles and muscle twitches, which may be caused by a build up of adrenaline in the system, activated by the sympathetic nervous system.

Caution is advised when trying to observe a dog’s eyes. It is worth paying attention to being polite by avoiding direct eye contact and any prolonged staring, especially if a dog is already experiencing some discomfort. Give the dog space, and use your peripheral vision to observe without giving direct eye contact. You can squint your eyes and blink if giving short amounts of eye contact. It is also advisable to turn your head away ever so slightly and keep your body turned side-on to the dog, so that you are not adding to the pressure the dog may be experiencing with your body language.

Here are a few examples of situations where a dog’s pupils may appear dilated:

This is an observation of a dog showing fear in a vet’s examination room. The dog is panting heavily, with the tongue starting to look spatulate. The eyes are wide, the pupils dilated, and he keeps scanning the environment. As he pants, his mouth is wide open, and there are quite a few deep creases forming around the corners of the mouth, under the eyes, and on the brow area. The ears are held to the side; on occasion they move from the side to the front to listen to sounds in the veterinary rooms. He seems restless and sits on the floor before pacing around the room with tail tucked and body slightly lowered. With his tail still tucked, he walks over to the door and sniffs underneath it. Then he paces back near to his guardian. After stopping for a while, he continues pacing around the room whilst panting.

On her blog, Eileen has shared informative examples of her dog, Clara’s, facial expressions when visiting a vet. The photos illustrate clearly how stress is displayed in the facial features. There is also a comparison of Clara’s facial expressions when relaxed, as opposed to stressed. In the photos that illustrate the stressed expressions, the pupils appear dilated. For excellent photographic examples of dilated pupils click here.

A dog is very excited to go out for a walk. When the guardian walks into the room with the leash in hand, the dog starts running around the room, wagging his tail very fast, and jumps up at the person. The dog is now panting and his pupils are heavily dilated. He jumps up some more, making it difficult for the guardian to clip the leash on. With his eyes wide, the dog briefly runs around the room again, and then he does a quick shake off. The dilated pupils, panting, fast movement, and inability to stay still indicate the dog is over aroused due to excitement.
At a shelter, a volunteer returns to the room with a dog. The dog starts panting the minute she is back in her room. Her pupils become heavily dilated, and her eyes appear wide. The areas under her eyes look puffy, and muscle tension causes deep furrows start to show on her face. She paces around the room for a few moments, then chooses to sit. Her ears are held to the side but move slightly forward, and her mouth closes for a moment as she listens to the sounds coming from the shelter corridors. She continues to pant and then gives a big yawn. This is an observation of a dog at a shelter becoming stressed when she returns to her room and is left there on her own.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice pupil dilation 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.

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 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 – Hard Eye – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Nov 11, 2018 | Dog Body Language, Eyes - Dog Body Language

Eyes – Hard Eye – Dog Body Language

The term ‘hard eye’ in dog body language refers to situations where a dog gives direct eye contact, characterized by an intense hardened, fixed, glassy stare. Eye contact is not polite in dog communication and is used for the purpose of a warning or as a direct threat to another party, with intent of further action should the party not heed the warning by moving away.

Hard eye can be difficult to describe; there is a lack of analytical language to convey precisely how the eyes appear. If you have been on the receiving end of ‘hard eye’, it is something that you will sense, however difficult it is to put in words. The eyes seem to glaze over and become colder, and there is a definite change in their appearance, as well as a lack of warmth.

Hard eye is normally displayed along with other body language: the eyes will appear large and wide, the dog’s mouth may close, or the dog may already be displaying an agonistic pucker (showing teeth). Tense areas may be apparent on the face, with the skin pulled back or deep furrows showing in areas. The ears may be positioned slightly to the side or moved forward with tension, while the whiskers may look flared or appear to be pushed forward. The dog’s body might orient towards the party receiving the stare, and the whole body could seem tense. Most commonly, the dog will appear still and frozen. A hard stare and freeze may be the last warning before further escalation or even a bite.

The hard stare and freeze can be prolonged in some instances, but in other situations it may occur so quickly that it is missed, with people not realizing a warning was given before a bite. There is a quick glaze, along with a freeze of the body, and, within seconds, a fracas breaks out between two dogs, with the human not realizing which dog instigated it with a stare.

This is why it is important to consider how you use eye contact when interacting with a dog, especially one that is unknown to you. If you wish to be polite, it is crucial to try to build trust by avoiding direct eye contact – especially in the first interactions. As well as being aware of your eye contact, make sure your body is positioned in a non-confrontational manner by turning your shoulder away, with your body facing side-on to the dog. It is polite to avoid staring by turning your head away slightly, using your peripheral vision to observe the dog. If you do give a little selected eye contact, do so for short periods with slightly squinted eyes, and you can also include some slow blinking. Most dogs have grown accustomed to receiving direct eye contact from humans, especially from family members with whom they may feel comfortable. Some dogs may not respond to direct eye contact favorably, especially from strangers, and may display their fear by barking or lunging at the person.

Here are a few examples of situations where a dog may display a hard eye:

An adult dog is lying down on the ground, chewing on a toy. An adolescent dog is playing around with another toy across from the older dog. He throws his toy around clumsily, dropping it near the adult dog’s feet. The adolescent dog playfully stumbles over towards his dropped toy. The adult dog is wary of the younger dog coming closer and possibly attempting to take his toy instead of the one dropped, so he keeps the toy in his mouth, quickly stops chewing, and freezes. His ears go ever so slightly forward, his eyes become wider, and he gives a direct stare towards the adolescent dog, whilst keeping very still. The adolescent playfully paws in the direction of the adult and lets out a playful huff. Remaining frozen, the adult continues to give eye contact. His nose creases and he shows some of his front teeth. The adolescent averts his head slightly, does a lip lick, and turns away to pick up another toy, which is on the floor a little further away.
A person is standing between a couple of dogs and giving each of them attention. Another dog approaches the group. One of the dogs receiving attention freezes for a second. Whilst orienting towards the approaching dog, he gives direct eye contact with a hard stare. This happens in an instant. The person giving attention to the dogs is standing behind the dog that is giving the stare, and she does not realize this is occurring. Unfortunately, by engaging with the approaching dog, she continues to encourage him to come closer. The dog that is giving the stare lunges and snaps at the approaching dog, which reacts and snaps back. All of this happens so quickly. The person shouts at the approaching dog, whereupon both dogs move away and do a shake off.
There are a few dogs hanging out in a dog park. One of the dogs, a small terrier mix, prefers to not interact with the dogs running around and chooses to lie down in the shade near where the people are sitting. After a few minutes, a poodle mix decides to walk towards the terrier, which is still lying in the shade. He approaches the terrier from behind and gently scents his rear end and back. Although the terrier remains lying down, his body stiffens, his head rises slightly, and his ears move a little to the side. He becomes very still and his eyes seem wide. The terrier does not turn to look at the dog sniffing him but remains still. The poodle now carefully walks in a slight curve to the front of the terrier. With eyes somewhat squinted, and ears a little back, he stretches out to carefully sniff the terrier around the face. The terrier turns his head away slightly; his eyes remain wide and have a hard appearance, and a bit of ‘whale eye’ is visible. The reason for the appearance of ‘whale eye’ (the sclera or whites of the eyes becoming pronounced) is that the dog is trying not to give direct eye contact but does not feel comfortable taking his eye off the subject that is causing him concern. The poodle continues to air sniff near the terrier’s face. The terrier still frozen, and revealing hard eyes, now lifts his lip, showing some teeth. The poodle does a head turn and lifts his paw, then decides to carefully turn and walk away from the terrier.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice ‘hard eye’ 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 – Almond shaped – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Sep 29, 2018 | Dog Body Language, Eyes - Dog Body Language

Eyes – Almond shaped – Dog Body Language

‘Almond-shaped eyes’ is a term used to describe the eyes of a dog in a relaxed and neutral position. The term ‘soft eyes’ may also be used and implies almond-shaped eyes. Both terms are quite self-explanatory. For instance, if a dog is alert, anxious or uncomfortable, the eyes will appear larger and rounder due to muscular tension in the face pulling the eyes open wider. If there is no tension in the face, the eyes naturally should appear slightly squinted and almond shaped. The gaze of the eyes should appear soft.

Along with soft/almond-shaped eyes, other parts of the dog’s body will indicate that the dog is relaxed. There should not be any tension around the eyes or on the face. The eyes may blink. The dog’s mouth may be slightly open, the ears could be slightly to the side and neutral, the body should be loose and moving fluidly.

Here are a few examples of situations where a dog eyes may appear almond shaped:

A dog is lying on the grass in the park. There is no tension in his body; he seems relaxed and his tail lies loosely on the ground, following the curve of his back. His eyes are neutral and almond shaped, and his mouth is slightly open at times. His ears are relaxed and to the side, and occasionally they move around to listen to the sounds in the park. He slowly dips down his head and sniffs some of the grass in front of him. As his guardian approaches, the dog looks up at him, slightly squinting his eyes. His ears move back slightly, and he thumps his tail on the ground in a slow, circular pattern.
A dog is walking around in the park, off leash. His body looks loose, and he moves easily as he strolls around. His eyes are almond shaped and his ears are to the side. His mouth is open, his lips look long, and his tongue is hanging out, as it is a warm day. Occasionally, he curves and dips his head down to sniff the grass, his mouth closing as he does so. He curves round to watch some dogs greeting each other in the distance. Stopping, he lifts his head a bit higher and closes his mouth. His ears go slightly forward, and his tail pauses and is held level with his back. The dogs in the distance greet curve around each other and go their separate ways. The dog curves away, moving in a loose flowing manner, with his tail wagging slightly from side to side. He continues to walk in the opposite direction and occasionally dips his head down to sniff.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice almond-shaped eyes 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.

Sitting – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Sep 22, 2017 | Dog Body Language

Sitting – Dog Body Language

In dog body language, sitting is a very clear body language signal that is unmistakably visible when offered. It may be used to communicate clearly to another dog that no harm is intended. It could be offered as a gesture of goodwill to a dog that may be feeling a bit uncomfortable within an interaction, or it may be used to calm an interaction down.

Here are a couple of examples of situations where a dog may offer a sit:

A young pup is interacting with a variety of passing adult dogs in an off lead area. She is keen to interact and greet each passing dog but finds herself a bit out of her depth at times, so I can see why she may have chosen to sit as a strategy of communication when greeting. Still honing her skills of polite greetings, she wavers between being slightly unsure and obviously nervous, which may come across in her bounding about in a playful puppy manner at times if a situation becomes a little awkward. With this particular interaction, an adult dog is rather pushy with his greeting. The adult dog approaches the puppy quickly, coming in quite close to her. His tail is wagging really fast, his ears are to the side and slightly raised, and his head is up. He tries to sniff the puppy’s face and back and keeps bumping into her while attempting to place his chin on her shoulder. His movements are jerky and quite fast. This behaviour could be interpreted as bullying. She immediately chooses to sit, crouching down slightly. Her ears are back, and with soft, blinking eyes, she attempts several head turns. Interestingly, at this point a third dog intervenes to split the pair, moving the adult dog on. Perhaps both the puppy and the adult dog are struggling and do not have the skills to cope with the interaction. Read more about splitting behaviour in this relating story.
Two dogs approach each other in a curve to greet. One dog pauses, whilst the other dog stops and sniffs the face of the first dog. As she gently sniffs around his face, he does a head turn. They both curve around, and she sniffs underneath him and then starts sniffing his rear end. He does quick head turns and keeps his eye on her. She sniffs his rear end for a while. He takes a few steps away and sniffs the ground, but she follows and continues sniffing. He does a lip lick, his ears are slightly back, and, with his body slightly crouched, he curves around to look back at her. He decides to sit, and then she curves away, walking on to sniff an area nearby. The message is clear: he sits to communicate his discomfort with the prolonged sniffing and wants to calm the situation. She listens to his clear message and decides to walk away and give him a bit more space.
There is a dog sitting quite still in the corner of the room, at the far end. He is avoiding eye contact with anyone in the room and is choosing to stay as far away as possible. He is not feeling comfortable and is trying to be as inconspicuous as he can because he does not wish to interact. Another dog tries to befriend him. She approaches slowly in a curve but tries to sniff his face. He snaps at her, giving her a warning to back off. Immediately afterwards, he turns his head away and remains still. She hops away from the snap, gives him space, and sits a distance away, avoiding any eye contact and keeping her body parallel and side-on to him. She sits for a while, hoping this will calm the situation and he will realize she means no harm. He continues to keep his head turned, so she decides to get up and walk away, as it is clear he does not wish to interact, even with her calming signal of sitting. In this situation, there are two different sits occurring: the one dog sits to show he is no threat but wishes to be left alone, and the other dog sits in the hope of facilitating interaction by offering a calming signal that communicates no threat.
A puppy is trying to play with an older dog and jumping around in front of her. The older dog is not interested and has given the puppy a few head turns to try to calm the situation and show she does not wish to interact in this manner. He continues and is not listening. She walks away and sits down with her back to him, communicating even more loudly that she is not willing to interact with him until he calms down.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice any sitting 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 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, 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.

Panting – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Aug 18, 2017 | Dog Body Language

Panting – Dog Body Language

When a dog exhibits panting out of context, such as on occasions when he is not cooling himself on a hot day or recovering from exercise, this is clear body language that shows the dog is stressed^* or showing some anxiety. Dogs may also start panting out of context due to pain or a variety of other medical issues. These observations only cover the topic of panting from a dog behaviour and body language point of view.

Here are a few examples of situations where a dog may show signs of stress by panting:

This observation concerns an elderly dog staying with his guardian at a bed and breakfast for the first time. The elderly dog is generally quite slow with his movement. He walks a short distance from the car to the living room of the bed and breakfast, so he does not have any strenuous exercise. Once in the bed and breakfast, his guardian settles in the living room to have a cup a tea. There is no real overt dog body language. The dog seems his usual still self, but he has started panting. The only other notable behaviour is that he occasionally walks up to his guardian and a nearby stool, and then he walks back to his bed. This subtle body language of panting shows the dog is struggling with this new environment and feeling a bit anxious.
A shelter dog returns to her room after a walk. It is a mild winter’s day and she is not panting during the calm, steady walk. However, as soon as she returns to the room with the volunteer, she starts panting. The room has sufficient airflow, and the temperature is at a comfortable level, so this would not cause the panting. The dog sits down in the room and is not active. Her commissures (corners of her mouth) are drawn back quite far as she pants, and her tongue starts protruding and looking spatulate at the end. The sides of her chest are moving in and out quite rapidly. Her pupils dilate, and the tension in her facial muscles is noticeable as the ridges on her face become very pronounced. Her ears are alert and up, moving to the side at times as she listens to the shelter noises. Her eyes are wide and she keeps scanning the environment. At times when she hears a noise, she freezes, her eyes wide and ears pinned to the side, as she tries to hone in on the sounds. Slowly she starts to drool. The volunteer has noticed the dog’s paws are wet most of the time and thinks that she may have been licking them constantly as a self-soothing act. By observing the dog in her room, the volunteer realizes that the wet paws are due to her excessive drooling (hyper salivation). Although this shelter has wonderful facilities, including individual comfy rooms with separate airflow, this environment is still too stressful for this particular dog. The smells and sounds of the shelter environment make her anxious. Going back to the room most probably signifies to the dog that the volunteer is going to leave, which adds to the anxiety. This dog is subsequently moved to a foster home to help her acclimatize and minimize her stress levels.
In a training class, the dog handler is becoming quite frustrated, as her dog seems unable to focus. The dog is moving fast; he can’t seem to stay still. He is panting, his commissures (corners of the mouth) are pulled back, and he is looking around and scanning. His pupils are dilated, and the furrows on his face seem exaggerated. He seems to do a lot of scratching of his neck with his hind leg. Excessive scratching, if there is no reason for the dog to be itchy, is classified as displacement behaviour. It is worth noting the frequency and observing when excessive scratching starts occurring. All the body language above show the dog is quite stressed. This class environment may be too stimulating for him, and he is finding it difficult to cope in this environment.
This is an observation of a dog experiencing fear due to fireworks. The dog’s eyes are wide. The pronounced furrows and ridges on her face create a puffy look under her eyes. The ears go forward and up, then are pinned to the side when a bang goes off. She is panting, her lips are pulled back, and the commissures (corners of the mouth) are pulled back, creating furrows on the cheeks. She is unable to keep still, scanning the environment and pacing around. Her tail is down and her back seems somewhat hunched and rounded. At times her body lowers. In-between bangs, there are times when her mouth closes, as she watches with wide eyes and ears forward and she freezes for a few seconds. She occasionally does a few lip licks and yawns then returns to pacing around the room.
A person walks into the room, holding a leash. The dog approaches and can’t sit still. He jumps up at the person multiple times, his pupils dilate, and he starts panting. In-between jumping up, he paces around a bit and does a shake off. The panting with a combination of body language in this instance is not due to anxiety or fear but due to the dog becoming hyped and overexcited.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice any panting 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.

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.

Spatulate tongue – Dog Body Language

by Martha Knowles | Aug 18, 2017 | Dog Body Language

Spatulate tongue – Dog Body Language

From a dog body language perspective, a spatulate tongue is indicative of a dog experiencing some form of stress^*. This particular shaping of the tongue occurs when the dog has been panting, most likely due to stress^*. The tongue becomes elongated and wider at the bottom and may curl up.

The widening and slight upward curl could be the result of muscular tension in the tongue. There is a distinct difference as to how the tongue appears after heavy panting due to exercise rather than stress. Instead of being held upwards, the tongue is likely to flop down when the panting is caused by exercise. This is a result of gravity rather than muscular effort.^[1]

To elaborate, the following is the description of the spatulate tongue offered in ‘Canine Behavior – A Photo Illustrated Handbook’ :

“Spatulate tongue occurs particularly when a dog is stressed, but may also occur if the dog is hyperthermic/overheated and panting heavily to cool down his whole body. To determine the cause, note others signs of stress. In this dog [referring to a picture in the book, not shown here], tension ridges in his face as well as whale eye and forward flared whiskers suggest that this spatulate tongue portrays stress.”^[2]

I was unsure if it is invariably the case that the tongue would be seen to flop down rather than curl up after heavy panting due to exercise. From my observations, in most cases the tongue does generally seem to flop down with panting relating to heavy exercise. However, I have seen exceptions where the tongue does curl upward. After further anecdotal observation, I noticed that there was a greater chance of the tongue curling up if the dog was panting at a rapid rate. It is worth considering that exercise could have an impact on stress^* levels, depending on the individual dog and the amount or type of exercise. It is important to view each dog as an individual and find what is most appropriate for the individual to keep them in homeostasis.

With all observations relating to dog body language, it is important to take note of the context when offering an interpretation. As mentioned in the panting article, if a dog is panting out of context, as in he is not cooling himself or recovering from exercise, it is likely that the dog may be experiencing some form of stress. Additionally, if the dog is panting out of context, and a spatulate tongue is visible, this adds further evidence to substantiate the interpretation. Further observation of the whole body and body language of the dog should be noted. Brenda Aloff offers a good comparison of the body language shown by two different dogs where one is panting due to stress and the other due to exercise. The photo comparison can be found on page 36 of her book, ‘Canine Body Language – A photographic Guide.’

Brenda notes that in observing the silhouette of the stressed dog, the top line of the body looks rounded (roached), and the legs seem to be in a braced position. Brenda adds further observations of the dog’s body, noting facial tension and deep ridges around the eyes and lips. The eyes seem wide, with pupils dilated. The head and neck are lowered. The dog is panting with a spatulate tongue that is curled up tensely. The tail is not tucked but is held down against the body.

In comparison, the body of the dog that is panting due to exercise is in a neutral position; the back is held with its natural curves. There are visible ridges in the dog’s face under the eyes and around the dog’s mouth. This again shows the importance of context: dogs that may be showing tiredness due to activity may also show ridges in the face. The eyes are squinted and relaxed. The dog is panting with an extended tongue, with the bottom of the tongue hanging down. The tail is at body level and seems to be wagging.

If you have not already read the article about panting, read about it here. It is worth reading as it relates to the spatulate tongue.

Reference:
^[1] Canine Body Language – A photographic Guide by Brenda Aloff: Page 36. For further reading, visit the resources section.
^[2] Canine Behavior – A Photo Illustrated Handbook by Barbara Handelman, M.ED, CDBC: Page 244.

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.