Puppies are more than just babies in fur pajamas, and puppy talk isn’t the same as baby talk. Nonetheless, people seem naturally predisposed to understand much of what puppies are saying. But they’re also predisposed to misunderstand a lot. That’s because even simple puppy messages often have complex components.
If your puppy runs away, he may be scared. Then again, he may be playing. If he rolls on his back, he may be scared - or he may be feeling relaxed. You have to look at the context his behavior occurs in, as well as what else your puppy is doing, to get the whole message. Start by looking at how he holds his head and body.
• Body leaning forward: indicates confidence and interest
• Body leaning backward: indicates apprehension or submission
• Body lowered on ground and almost upside down, one rear leg raised: indicates submission or fear
• Body upside down and rolling, especially with front legs stretched out and head twisted: indicates pleasure
• Body lowered on front end only: indicates playfulness
• Body or head lowered: indicates fear, anxiety, or submission
• Body or head lowered and twisted: indicates submission
• Head, neck, or paw placed on another’s back: indicates dominance or playfulness
• Shoulder or hip slam into a person or another dog: indicates dominance or playfulness
• Head turned away: indicates submission or a truce
• Head held high, arched neck: indicates confidence or playful challenge
• "Wet dog shake" when he’s not wet: response to leaving a stressful situation, sort of like shaking it off, as in "Whew! Glad that’s over!"
Now check out his tail:
• Tail held horizontal or naturally: indicates interest
• Tail wagging: indicates a willingness to interact
• Tail wagging slowly but broadly: indicates relaxation, playfulness, or anticipation
• Tail wagging quickly and broadly: indicates submission or pleasure
• Tail tucked: indicates fear, anxiety, or submission
• Tail tucked but wagging: indicates submission
As with human babies, your puppy also uses facial movements to express himself:
• Ears forward: indicates interest, dominance, playfulness, or aggression
• Ears back: indicates fear
• Ears down: indicates submission
• Eyes opened wide and staring: indicates playfulness
• Eyes turned away and squinting: indicates submission
• Eyes blinking rapidly: indicates stress
• Eyes with dilated pupils: indicates arousal, often from fear, aggression, or play
• Mouth licking the air or toward you or another dog rapidly: indicates submission
• Mouth licking lips: may indicate stress or anticipation of eating
• Mouth agape with lip corner forward: indicates aggression
• Mouth slightly open with lip corner pulled back, all teeth showing: indicates fear
• Mouth open with lip corner pulled upward, often with tongue showing: indicates relaxation or playfulness
• Face, nose, or lips wrinkled, teeth showing: indicates aggression or playful aggression
• Front teeth showing but no signs of aggression: indicates submission (the "canine grin")
• Mouth yawning: indicates nervousness or serves to reduce tension in aggressive situations
• Muzzle push: indicates submission, affection
• Panting: if not hot or tired, may indicate anxiety or pain
Your puppy’s doing his best to learn your human language. As the supposedly smarter member of the pair, you need to at least meet him half way. Don’t confuse a big yawn for boredom when he’s in a stressful situation; it really is an indication he’s stressed, not bored. Don’t confuse some teeth showing for a snarl; it may be a canine grin of submission (a.k.a. submissive grin). The more you understand what your puppy is trying to tell you, the better you can step in and shield him from stress or correct any wrong notions he might have about proper social behavior. He’ll keep this same basic body language throughout his life, adding a few more to his repertoire as he matures.
