Understanding animals guide
How to read a dog's body language
A relaxed dog has soft eyes, a loose open mouth and a loose, wiggly body. A dog that turns its head away, licks its lips, yawns, lowers its body or shows the whites of its eyes is unsure and asking you to slow down. A wagging tail on its own does not mean a dog is friendly: read the whole dog and give it space when in doubt.
Read the whole dog
Look at the face, ears, tail and body together, and at what is happening around the dog. Signals change quickly, so watch for a few seconds before you decide what a dog is telling you.
Relaxed and comfortable
- Soft eyes and a loose, slightly open mouth.
- Ears in their natural position for that dog.
- A loose body, weight evenly spread; a wag that moves the whole back end.
Unsure: the quiet signals
- Turning the head or body away, or avoiding eye contact.
- Lip licking, yawning or sniffing the ground when nothing is there.
- Ears pulled back, body lowered, tail low or tucked.
- Freezing, or the whites of the eyes showing (often called whale eye).
- These come before a growl or a snap. Stop, give space and let the dog move away.
How to greet a dog
- Ask the person with the dog first, and ask children to do the same.
- Stand or crouch side-on, keep your hands low and let the dog come to you.
- Pet the chest or the side of the neck briefly, then pause: if the dog leans in, it wants more; if it moves away, let it.
- Never hug, lean over or corner a dog you do not know well.
What to avoid
- Assuming a wagging tail means a dog wants to be touched.
- Punishing a growl: it is a warning, and a dog that learns not to warn can bite without one.
- Letting children hug dogs or put their faces close to a dog's face.
Do this next on WhiskerMatch
- Try Read the signals in Whisker World →Drawn cats and dogs, what each signal often means, and a four-picture check.
- The first week with an adopted dog →Decompression, routines and reading a new dog.
- How fostering works →Fosters read body language every day.
Common questions
- Does a wagging tail mean a dog is happy?
- Not always. A loose wag that moves the whole back end usually goes with a relaxed dog, but a stiff, high or fast wag can come with tension. Read the rest of the dog too.
- What is whale eye in dogs?
- Whale eye is when you can see the whites of a dog's eyes, often because it is looking at something without turning its head. It usually means the dog is uncomfortable; give it space.
- Why does my dog yawn or lick its lips when nothing is happening?
- Outside of tiredness or food, yawning and lip licking are often small signs of stress. Notice what just happened and make the situation easier for the dog.
Words in this guide
- Decompression
- The settling-in time an animal needs after a move to a new home or a shelter: quiet, routine and few new experiences while it learns that the new place is safe.