![\"Doggy](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/dog-love-700x525.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThat makes it important to understand YOUR particular dog\u2019s needs and wants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why in this blog post, we\u2019ll first give you a breakdown of how to read dog body language<\/a> in general. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, we\u2019ll feature different categories of doggie love languages you can pick and choose from to customize love messages for your particular dog(s). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Last but not least, I\u2019ll share examples of how I tell my three dogs Missy, Buzz and Wally I love them in their very own dog language!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coming up, we\u2019re going to dive into the different body parts of a dog and look at their respective meanings when they\u2019re in different positions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, it\u2019s really important not to focus on just one body part, but on the dog\u2019s body as a whole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, just because a dog is wagging their tail doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they\u2019re happy! <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also have to interpret the rest of their body, including how relaxed or stiff it is along with their facial expressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s start with the body as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A dog\u2019s posture tells you a lot!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If their body is relaxed, they\u2019re happy and are having a good time. <\/p>\n\n\n If their entire body is wiggling, that\u2019s a sure sign of a joyous dog who couldn\u2019t be any happier. This happens a lot when dogs are excited their owners are home, especially after a longer absence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Think vacation, business trip or military deployment\u2026or just an hour after a grocery run! <\/p>\n\n\n\n If their paws are on the ground, their butt\u2019s in the air and their tail is wagging, your dog is doing what\u2019s called a \u201cplay bow\u201d and is playful and in a silly mood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The same applies if they\u2019re rolling around on their back and are exposing their belly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s actually a huge compliment to their owner or handler because exposing the belly makes them vulnerable – and they only do that around people they trust.<\/p>\n\n\n But if a dog\u2019s body is stiff or barely moving and leaning forward, potentially with raised hackles and all paws on the ground, that\u2019s a different story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This posture means that they\u2019re alert and:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the dog is trembling, they\u2019re scared (and potentially cold). <\/p>\n\n\n\n If they\u2019re lifting a front paw, they\u2019re unsure of the situation (unless they\u2019re a gun dog who\u2019s pointing their prey). <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your dog makes eye contact with you and exchanges a long, loving gaze with soft eyes, he\u2019s happy and content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But if he fixates you and stares you down along with a stiff body, he\u2019s not happy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If the dog\u2019s eyes are bugging out and you see the whites of their eyes, this means that the dog is stressed and anxious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Generally speaking, your own dog will probably not stare you down, at least not if you\u2019ve bonded with your pup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, never stare into the eyes of a dog you don\u2019t know! Dogs interpret that as aggression on your part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I remember my mom staring into the eyes of my dog Buzz the first time she met him. He was around a year and a half at the time and started fixating her in turn while growling and snarling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back then, my mom was not a dog person and was super shocked by his reaction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Obviously, she didn\u2019t mean any harm at all, but she just didn\u2019t know any better. Suffice to say she learned her lesson and never did that again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ever since, she\u2019s come around and actually enjoys being a doggie grandma these days.<\/p>\n\n\n The situation in which your dog uses their lips, teeth, tongue and mouth should make it easy to analyze their behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If he\u2019s licking and\/or smacking his lips and drooling prior to mealtime or getting a food reward, he\u2019s probably anticipating the food or treat.<\/p>\n\n\n If the pup is happily handing out kisses, they\u2019re in a good mood and enjoy being around you.<\/p>\n\n\n But if they exhibit that behavior without the presence of any food or treats, they\u2019re likely nervous or scared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your dog\u2019s mouth is open while they\u2019re calmly sitting, lying down or wiggling their body, they\u2019re happy and relaxed.<\/p>\n\n\n When they\u2019re yawning while lounging on their bed or the couch, they\u2019re probably tired or bored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But if they\u2019re yawning excessively combined with licking their lips and drooling, they\u2019re either frustrated, nervous or stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the dog is growling, snarling and showing his teeth, it\u2019s obvious that he\u2019s not having a good time. As a matter of fact, he\u2019s sending a warning message that he\u2019s about to attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also tell if a dog is happy, alert or aggressive by their type of bark and its intensity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If it\u2019s soft and playful, they\u2019re having a good time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If it\u2019s a repetitive, quick bark, the dog\u2019s alert. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But if it\u2019s a deep, lower sounding bark or even a growl, you\u2019re likely dealing with an aggressive dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dog ears without any tension in their natural position suggest a relaxed, happy dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This can look different depending on whether or not your dog has cropped ears or naturally floppy ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ears pinned to the side or the back of a dog\u2019s head in combination with a lowered, cowering posture means they\u2019re nervous, shy or sad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But an aggressive dog whose head is lowered can also have their ears pinned back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ears pointed forward means the dog is alert and curious.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n A dog\u2019s tail can tell many stories, especially in dogs who have an actual tail and not just a nub. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s start with a bent, tucked tail. That means your dog is anxious or nervous, and is not having a good time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other end of the spectrum is a stiff tail held high. This means the dog is alert. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, when he has a strong prey drive and spots a squirrel, rabbit, cat, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Or if he\u2019s reactive and spots another dog, pet, human or specific object like a bike or a car, depending on his reactivity trigger(s). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another position is a wagging tail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This can mean several things depending on the speed of the wag and of its direction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that we\u2019ve looked at dog body language in general, let\u2019s shift over to different categories of love messages for YOUR dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They all include your dog\u2019s body one way or another, and your dog\u2019s respective body language will tell you if he\u2019s having a good time or not, i.e. if he\u2019s picking up on your attempts at telling him you love him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is particularly helpful when you\u2019ve just brought a new dog home to live with you and don\u2019t know them quite yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best way to tell your dog you love him is to spend quality time together doing things your dog enjoys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a matter of fact, sharing quality time is going to strengthen the bond between yourself and your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, quality time can mean different things for your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For some dogs, this can be playtime, going for a car ride, walking, hiking, jogging or any other activities such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026you get the idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your dog is a working dog, one of the best ways to tell your dog that you love them is giving them a breed-specific job to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Because nothing is worse to a high energy dog than boredom and being under exercised!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This could be as simple as having them carry a dog backpack<\/a> on your daily walks and weekend hikes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other jobs are hunting, herding, protection work like Schutzhund or nosework<\/a> related activities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For other dogs, quality time can also be physical touch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s the equivalent of a massage and most dogs really enjoy this type of physical touch from their owners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course there are some pups who aren\u2019t crazy about getting brushed, but your dog will let you know. If their body turns stiff as you brush them, you\u2019ll know not to overdo it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some dogs also really enjoy getting a bath while others will put up a fight anytime you mention the b word. <\/p>\n\n\n\n By the way, most dogs don\u2019t enjoy getting hugs or kisses on the face. You can tell if they\u2019re trying to escape, lean away from you or growl. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why you shouldn\u2019t encourage kids to hug dogs, especially strange dogs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, a few pups don\u2019t only like hugs and kisses, they\u2019ll actively ask for them – again, in their very own way! <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of my former pet sitting clients, Great Dane<\/a> Shaun, LOVED getting kisses on his neck and would always nudge you for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It was the sweetest thing ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, know your dog and their preferences as far as touch is concerned! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many dogs enjoy verbal praise in a cheerful, happy and upbeat tone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, for listening as you ask them to \u201cleave it\u201d, \u201csit\u201d or \u201cgo to their place\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some dogs even enjoy \u201cbaby talk\u201d while others don\u2019t care for that kind of high pitched sound at all and prefer calmer, lower sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For food-motivated dogs, their feeding routine<\/a> is a big deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That makes the person who feeds them regularly one of their best friends ever! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Those types of dogs are also eager and happy to work in return for food rewards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then again, this approach won\u2019t work as well for dogs who respond better to a favorite toy or TLC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll notice by how enthusiastic they are about either option.<\/p>\n\n\n Ok, now it\u2019s time for some concrete examples of how I tell my dogs Missy, Buzz and Wally I love them in dog language!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Missy and Buzz were from the same litter of Boxer mixes. They looked very similar but couldn\u2019t have been more different! <\/p>\n\n\n\n And my current pup Wally shares some of Missy\u2019s preferences but certainly not all of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s start with Buzz. <\/p>\n\n\n\n My ball-crazy dog Buzz absolutely LOVED playing fetch. He also jumped into the water to retrieve his favorite chuck-it ball<\/a>, but he preferred playing fetch on dry land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I could make him happiest whenever I tossed his ball for him!<\/p>\n\n\n He would cuddle for about 5 minutes on the couch, then he\u2019d get up and reposition himself a few feet away from the rest of us (humans and Missy).<\/p>\n\n\n He accepted being brushed but loved a good butt scratch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since I knew that, I didn\u2019t \u201cforce\u201d cuddles on him and didn\u2019t brush him longer than necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When he had the choice between a toy reward and a food reward, he chose his toy most of the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n UNLESS it was something extra stinky like a green tripe treat<\/a> or a fish dog treat<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Buzz loved playing fetch, his sister Missy couldn’t have cared less! <\/p>\n\n\n\n She actually didn\u2019t care too much for most dog toys and whenever she picked one up, she lost interest very quickly – UNLESS someone tossed it into the water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Missy would tirelessly retrieve any toy from any body of water because her favorite activity was swimming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So it always made her day when I booked a swim session at a local doggie pool!<\/p>\n\n\n\n She also loved getting brushed, snuggling on the couch, leaning into people for TLC and eating! <\/p>\n\n\n\n It didn\u2019t matter whether it was kibble, canned dog food or raw dog food that made it into her bowl, she inhaled everything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She always reminded me of a food-crazy Lab!<\/p>\n\n\n My current dog Wally is the same way – he LOVES to eat and is not big into playing fetch either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Occasionally, he\u2019ll bring back a new dog toy that I throw for him, but it\u2019s rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like Missy, he\u2019s not crazy about toys in general – unless they\u2019re stuffed animals he hijacks from store shelves!! <\/p>\n\n\n\n He surprised me with that \u201cactivity\u201d when I fostered him and took him to a pet retail store to socialize him. He was super quick at grabbing the stuffy and would not let go of it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019s made some progress in the \u201cleave it\u201d department, but I still have to watch him like crazy and keep him on a short leash<\/a> when we walk past the stuffed animal aisles in pet stores. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When we\u2019re back in the car or at home, he shreds the stuffie and loses complete interest once he\u2019s \u201ckilled\u201d it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So one of the biggest joys for Wally is when I give him a stuffie<\/a> he can shake and shred!<\/p>\n\n\nHow To Read Dog Body Language<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Body <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Dogs](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/dogs-play.png\")
![\"My](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/missy-bow.png\")
![\"Missy](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/happy-missy.png\")
![\"Happy](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/happy-wally.png\")
\n
Your Dog\u2019s Eyes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"My](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/mom-cuddles.png\")
The Lips, Teeth, Tongue & Mouth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Wally](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/dog-chomping-pig-ear.png\")
![\"Former](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/barbara-bailey.png\")
![\"From](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/shade-missy-buzz.png\")
The Ears<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Former](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/former-pet-sitting.png\")
![\"Missy](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/missy-buzz.png\")
The Tail<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
How To Say I Love You In Your Dog\u2019s Language<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Spending Quality Time Together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Physical Touch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Your Tone of Voice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Feeding & Treating<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Missy](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/missy-buzz-mia-dalia.png\")
How I Tell My 3 Dogs I Love Them<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Buzz\u2019s Love Language<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Dog](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/dog-chuckit-ball.png\")
![\"Buzz](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/buzz-hanging.png\")
Missy\u2019s Love Language<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Missy](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/missy-swimming.png\")
Wally\u2019s Love Language<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Wally](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/wally-stolen-plush-700x658.png\")
![\"Wally](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/wally-backpack.png\")
![\"Wally](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/wally-barb.png\")
![\"How](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/tell-dog-i-love-him-700x1050.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"