We all know how our pups say, “Yes, please!” with wiggles, yips and kisses but sometimes we don’t always know how our dogs are saying, “I don’t think so”, especially when we haven’t experienced that behavior with them ourselves.
Dogs rely on body language to communicate with us. As animal practitioners, we have to be aware of these signals to keep from being injured ourselves. So let’s go over a few “tail-tell” (see how I did that😉) signs when your dog is saying, “No, thank you!”.
Ears- If a dog’s ears are relaxed, they are comfortable and all is well. But if they are back, this is a warning sign that you need to back off. A bite is imminent. 😳
Tail- Usually when a pup’s tail is wagging, it’s a good thing, right? Not always. You have to watch how the tail is wagging. If it is measured, like a metronome, you need to watch out, as that is a sure signal of distrust and could trigger some bad behavior.
Tongue- Panting can be a sign of being hot, stress, or being in pain. If your dog is stressed or in pain, the appearance of the tongue is your guide. If the tongue is spatulated, i.e. looks like a spatula, that means beware, “I’m not happy”.
Finally, eyes: If the whites of the dog’s eyes are visible all around, this is a sign of stress and paired with the eye-to-eye “Bring it” look, you are about to become a meal or at the very least, a tasty snack, so pay attention.
Be aware of these “Tail-tell” signs and you will be safe and keep others around you safe , as well!🐶
Blessings,
Dr. Gena