What's Your Dog Trying to Tell You?

You don’t have to be a dog to know what a tail’s position says. If it’s tucked under her body, she’s probably scared; if it’s pointing straight up, she’s showing aggression.

If a dog’s tail wags more to the right, the dogs around him can relax and could even go see if he wants to make a new friend. If his tail wags more to the left, other dogs may get anxious. They’re being told to keep their distance.

Your dog really does get you. A study showed that dogs pay close attention to the eyes when they’re trying to figure out what their humans are feeling. So you may think you sound stern, but Fido knows you’re really a softie.

Your pup has a sad face and his ears are back, his head is down, and his tail is between his legs. He’s ashamed of himself, right? Not so much. Dogs don’t live in regret. It’s more likely to mean he’s scared of what you might do to punish him.

But he also might be playing you. One study found that owners who think their dogs feel guilty don’t scold them as much.

She thinks she’s doing the right thing, so don’t be too upset with her. It’s likely she’s also scared. She barks to let you know a stranger is near and to frighten the person she thinks shouldn’t be there.

Every dog has his own personality, regardless of breed, so his behavior is the best way to know if he’s feeling friendly or not. But if he’s not your dog, don’t assume you can read his behavior. Always ask the owner before you get too close to a dog you don’t know.

Check for signs that he’s scared before you get too friendly. If he’s looking away and has his tail tucked under his body, he may feel threatened and be telling you he doesn’t want to fight. But he probably doesn’t want you to get too close, either.

Other signs that you shouldn’t try to make friends at that moment are if she turns or walks away or if she looks tense or nervous.