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Behaviour

Reading your dog's body language

Your dog talks to you all day long – with their eyes, ears, tail and whole body. Here's how to learn their language.

Your dog can't speak, but they're still talking to you all the time: with their eyes, their ears, their tail and their whole posture. Once you learn to read this language a little, you'll understand your dog better and notice sooner when something is getting too much for them.

Always look at the whole dog

A single signal doesn't tell you much. A yawn can mean tiredness or tension, and a wagging tail doesn't automatically mean joy – first of all, it means excitement. So always look at the whole dog and at the situation: where are you right now, what just happened? Only together does it all add up to a reliable picture.

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This article is no substitute for veterinary advice. Source: DOGSY editorial team.