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Happy Dog Body Language
Learn to recognize the look of a happy and comfortable dog.
Introduction - Read This First!
Most people have a good idea of what a happy dog or scared dog looks like. But what exactly is it about your dogs body that says “I’m happy to see you human!”?
Well there are two main things that are a clear sign of a happy dog:
Energetic and Wiggly!
Overview of Happy Body Language
You probably have a good idea of what a happy dog looks like. Their butt is wagging as hard as their tail and they are acting “loose”, which means they’re not tense or watching you too hard (this would mean they weren’t sure about you).
Just keep in mind, that context is everything. You want to look at a dog’s whole body to see if they’re happy or scared
Happy Dog Sign 1: Wagging Tail
Everyone knows this one! A happy dog wags their tail! Why do we even have to include this?? Well it also matters HOW they’re wagging their tails. The easiest thing to remember is that happy dogs wag their tails:
Wide and Fast
Happy Dog Sign 2: Relaxed Breathing and Eyes
For HAPPY dogs, look for:
- "Soft" eyes
- Not trying to hide or run away
- Mouth relaxed and panting
Here are some examples, but remember that you have to look at the WHOLE DOG to be able to tell how they feel:
Happy Dog Sign 3: Soft and Wiggly Body
Now the last thing to look at with a dog is their whole body. You can tell a lot about how they feel by how “loose” their body is. This part is tough to get good at, because all dogs are different. But just look at a few of these dogs to see how some of them seem to be more tense and some are more “loose”.
Final: Compare Happy And Fearful Dogs
For SCARED dogs, look for:
- Side Eyes
- Staring at something
- Looking away
- Tense face
So then the opposite of these signs must mean that a dog is happy, right??
For HAPPY dogs, look for:
- "Soft" eyes
- Not trying to hide or run away
- Mouth relaxed and panting
Still Have Questions?