Read the whole dog, not one part
A single signal means little on its own. A high tail with a wiggly body is a greeting. A high tail with a stiff body and a still stare is a warning. Same tail, opposite meaning, and the rest of the body tells you which one you are looking at.
The five places to look
| Body part | Relaxed | Worried | Alert or braced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ears | Neutral, moving normally | Pinned back, flattened | Pricked forward, still |
| Eyes | Soft, blinking | Whale eye, whites showing | Hard stare, pupils wide |
| Mouth | Soft, may be open | Lip licking, yawning | Closed, lip curled |
| Tail | Mid height, loose sweep | Tucked, low | High and stiff, fast tick |
| Body | Loose, wiggly | Lowered, weight back | Stiff, weight forward |
The calming signals
Dogs use small movements to defuse situations. When you see several together, the dog is asking for less pressure, not more enthusiasm.
- Lip licking or nose licking with no food present.
- Yawning when not tired.
- Turning the head away, or slow blinking.
- Sniffing the ground mid-walk, apparently randomly.
- Shaking off, as though wet, when not wet.
- Moving in a curve rather than straight at another dog.
- Lifting one paw, or standing very still.
Signs that need you to act now
- Stiffening. A dog that goes rigid and still is closer to a reaction than a barking dog is.
- Whale eye combined with a tucked tail. Give space immediately.
- A growl. A growl is a warning, and removing it (by punishing) leaves a dog with no warning left to give.
- Freezing over food, a toy or a bed. Resource guarding, and it needs management, not confrontation.
- Snapping at the air. The next step is a bite. Move away and get advice.
Play, and how it differs
Play is loose. Look for a play bow, bouncy exaggerated movement, open mouths, role swapping and pauses where both dogs shake off and reset. If one dog is trying to leave and the other will not let it, or if play becomes silent and fast, step in and separate them for a minute.
Why this matters for a sitter
When you leave your dog with someone else, you are asking them to read these signals in an unfamiliar dog. Tell your sitter the specifics for your dog: how your dog shows stress, what sets it off, and what helps. Mary E. asks every owner for this at the meet and greet, and uses it to adjust the day rather than push through.
Need a Deerfield Beach pet sitter?
Mary E. boards dogs in her home in Deerfield Beach, takes doggy day care, and does drop-in visits for cats. She has 10 years of experience, a 5.0 rating across 34 Rover reviews and 8 repeat clients. New Rover customers get $20 off through her link.
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