A dog will move its ears to express what it is feeling. There are so many different shapes and types of ears on our canine friends. And let’s not forget: Man seems to think that ears should be altered for breeds, making it harder to tell what the dog is saying. Here are a few basic ear positions to consider when watching a dog.
Ears that are back and pulled back against the head. This is usually a dog that is frightened or worried. Watching the rest of the dog’s body, you may see bared teeth. This is a dog that is telling you it will protect itself. If the ears are back and there are no visible teeth, going back to the relaxed mouth, this is a dog that is giving submissive signals.
Ears that are flicking and forward. The ear position may move, and they may move back or downward. This dog is assessing a situation and has not made a decision. “I am not a threat and give me a moment, please.”
Ears that are back and off to the side a bit. The ears are not flat, and they are not forward and flicking, but it is something the dog is uncomfortable with. This situation can change quickly, and it could be fight or flight.
Again, all of these ear positions must be taken in context with what the rest of the body is doing and exactly what situation the dog is in.
All-Seeing Eyes
The shape of a dog’s eye can change with each emotion. The pupil can and will change sizes. If the pupil is large, think big emotion – happy, excited, joyful, or angry. A soft eye with a smaller pupil – relaxed, ready for a nap.
Dogs use blinking in different situations. Blinking can avert a confrontation with a dominant, aggressive dog – the old who-blinked-first game. But this blink and turn of the head will and has stopped many dog fights.
My heart melts when the dog is showing me a soft eye with a soft blink. This blink shows a sign of friendship, trust, and true attraction to a human friend.
In dog language, it is rude to stare directly at another dog, and, in the worst-case scenario, it is a challenge to another dog. Never stare a strange dog directly in the face. Dogs meet side-to-side, not face-to-face, and appropriate, nonthreatening meeting is not to stare. To a dog, staring is like pointing your finger in someone’s face.
We could spend hours just studying a dog’s head in different situations and settings. Dogs are far quicker that we are at learning this language from another dog. They must be – for safety and their well-being. Your dog will have your body language down – your every movement and what pair of shoes you wear when you are going for a walk – before you have figured out its favorite treat. When you are working with dogs, or doing behavior work with dogs, the first thing you need to study is the marvelous body language of a dog. It is clear and concise, and they will never say a word and tell you everything you need to know.
We started with the tail of the dog and the simple wag – which is not simple at all – and then moved to the mouth. The dog is the master of body language, and it includes all of its parts working together in each situation to let everyone know exactly what it is thinking. This is just the beginning and covers a few of the basics of dog body language; I hope you find it as interesting as I find it fascinating.
Jean Regenwether has worked with animals in shelters and rescues since 1970, specializes in basic and intermediate dog training, and offers home-based training. She can be reached at greyhnd@iowatelecom.net.
