Transcription
An Owner’s Manual for:CA NINE BODYL ANGUAGEYO U R D O G I S T RYI N G TOT E L L YO U S O M E T H I N Gby theA M E R I CAN K E N N E L C LU B
ABOUT THIS SERIESAt the AKC, we know better thananyone that your dog can’t be treatedlike a car or an appliance, but we’venamed this series “An Owner’s Manual”because sometimes you probably wishyour lovable companions came withone.These concise guides give you the tools,tips, and direction to be a responsibleand confident dog owner who bringsout the best in your dog.Give them a test drive!AKC OWNE R’ S MANUA LCanine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 2
With the possible exception ofDr. Doolittle, no one is havinga conversation with a dog. Youprobably talk to your dog. Buthe doesn’t reply.Still, dogs communicate theirwants and needs, their happiness and fear, and quiteeffectively, their aggression.Their messages are conveyedprimarily through body language (though barks, growlsand whimpers have distinctmeanings). So it’s important torecognize what these signalsmean. william87/ThinkstockAKC OWNE R’ S MANUA LCanine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 3
HAPPINESSA happy dog is relaxed in posture, perhapslying with one paw tucked under his body.If he’s in a playful mood, he’s panting,enthusiastically wagging his tail and couldcrouch into a “play bow.” His ears mightbe perked up and he could be bouncing orjumping with excitement.A dog will lick another dog’s face whenthey greet each other to indicate friendliness. A dog will lick a person’s hand aftersniffing it as a form of greeting. GlobalP/ThinkstockAKC OWNE R’ S MANUA LCanine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 4
INTEREST/CURIOSITYA dog tilting his head to either sideindicates curiosity. Ears pointed forward, neck craned and eyes intenseare signs that a dog’s interest has beenpeaked. His body tenses, his tail is highor slowly wagging. A dog focused on asquirrel would exhibit this body language, for example. Diego Cervo/ThinkstockAKC OWNE R’ S MANUA LCanine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 5
PERSUASIONA dog might stamp itsfeet, alternating its leftand right front legs,when he wants something, or wants its owner’s attention. A longstare also could be a signthat a dog wants something. fotyma/ThinkstockAKC OWNE R’ S MANUA LCanine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 6
ANXIETY/FEARAn anxious dog might exhibit such avoidance behaviors asturning head away, hiding behinda person or object, or rollingonto his back to be submissive.Fear prompts a dog to put his tailbetween his legs, to flatten andlay back his ears, to crouch andpossibly tremble. Carlo Nicora/ThinkstockAKC OWNE R’ S MANUA LCanine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 7
AGGRESSIONAn aggressive dog will expose his teeth,narrow his eyes and tense his body. The dogis growling, snarling, aggressively barkingand possibly snapping his jaw. A dog ispreparing to attack when he freezes hisposition, standing with legs splayed and headlow. Andrzej Mielcarek/ThinkstockAKC OWNE R’ S MANUA LCanine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 8
SUBMISSIONA submissive dog bows his head and flattens his ears.His tail might be tucked between his legs or he mightraise a front paw. Of course, a submissive dogwill lie on his back,belly up. A form ofteeth baring bysome dogs is seenas a submissive grin. adogslifephoto/ThinkstockAKC OWNE R’ S MANUA LCanine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 9
A FINAL POINTKeep in mind that your dog’s body language is bestunderstood in the context of the situation.If your dog feels the stranger you’ve encounteredon the street is threatening, he just might bare histeeth and growl to protect you. If he bares his teethwhen your cool brother visits, it’s probably one ofthose rare submissive grins.AKC OWNE R’ S MANUA LCanine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 10
Eventually, you’ll even learn thesubtleties of your dog’s bodylanguage. You’ll know that whenhe sits and stares at you, he isn’tmesmerized by your stunning goodlooks -- he’s inviting you to takehim outside.AKC OWNE R’ S MANUA LCanine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 11
TH E AM ER ICAN KE NNE L C LUBWHO AND WHAT WE ARE:The AKC is a not-for-profit organization and the largestpurebred dog registry in the world. We are thesports-governing body for over 22,000 dog events a year,including conformation (dog shows) and exciting sports likeagility, obedience, rally, tracking, lure coursing, earthdog,herding trials, among others.
TH E AM ER ICAN KE NNE L C LUBBut the AKC is so much more! Here are just some of the ways we support and enrich the lives of dogs—purebreds andmixed-breeds alike—and their families. We:nCreated the AKC Humane Fund, which supports breeddonated over 24 million to the CHF. (The AKC is the onlyrescue activities, assists shelters that permit domestic-abuseregistry that incorporates health-screening results into its per-victims to bring their pets, and educates dog lovers about re-manent dog records.)sponsible dog ownership.nnOffer the Canine Good Citizen program: A 10-step testthat certifies dogs who have good manners at home and inConduct thousands of kennel inspections annually to mon-itor care and conditions at kennels across the country andensure the integrity of the AKC registry.their community. Over 725,000 dogs across the United StatesOffer the largest, most comprehensive set of DNA programshave become Canine Good Citizens , and 42 states have passednresolutions recognizing the program’s merit and importance.for parentage verification and genetic identity to ensure reliable registration records.nFounded AKC Reunite, which has brought more than 400,000lost pets back together with their owners.nSupport one of the world’s largest collections of dog-relatedfine art and artifacts at the AKC Museum of the Dog, and wenCreated the AKC Canine Health Foundation, which fundsresearch projects and clinical studies. Since 1995 the AKC hashave the world’s largest dog library at AKC headquarters inNew York, both of which are open to the public.
TH E AM ER ICAN KE NNE L C LUBTHANK YOU FOR READING!We hope this information was valuable to you in helping your puppy live a long, healthy, happy life. Below, find additionalbooks in our Owner’s Manual series designed to strengthen the bond between you and your furry family member.5 TRICKS TOSHOW OFFCANINE BODYLANGUAGECANINE GOODCITIZENAGILITY FORBEGINNERSPUPPY NUTRITIONHOW TO CRATETRAIN YOUR DOGFIRST AIDFOR DOGSSELECTING A PUPPY5 BASIC COMMANDSLIFE WITH ASENIOR DOGWHY DOES MY DOGDO THAT?RESPONSIBLE DOGOWNER TIPSWHAT’S HE THINKING?PUPPYSOCIALIZATION
AK WNER’ AL Canine Body Language: Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You Something 3 With the possible exception of Dr. Doolittle, no one is having a conversation with a dog. You probably talk to your dog. But he doesn’t reply. Still, dogs communicate their wants and needs, their hap-
