Doggy Body Language

With years of experience our Bruce’s Expert Dog Coaches are fluent in dog and know what it takes to make every tail wag.

They’ve shared some great canine body language tips that help us understand doggy communication.

We can all spot a happy dog when we see one, you can’t miss a wagging tail. However, there are lots of little ways our dogs communicate their feelings that may go unnoticed.

The stretch
Of course sometimes dogs just need a good stretch. However, it can also mean “hello human”.

The shake
Dogs literally shake it off, shaking can be a great destress and release.

The bow
The most polite way to invite your human or doggy friend to play!

Ears midway down
Ears half down and not flat communicates to other dogs “I am a friendly easy going dog”.

Scratching
Sometimes dogs just enjoy a good scratch, but sometimes this can also be a sign that your dog is feeling a little stressed. Look out for some other indicators such as lowered tail and ears.

Back up
When your dog sits with his back to you it may feel as though he’s having a puppy strop. However this is usually a sign of respect.

Plan ahead
Ensure you know exactly what you want your dog to do and the command you intend to use. It can be confusing for your dog if the process changes during training.

Environment
Learning new things is exciting! Make sure to pick a calm and quiet place for training to help your dog concentrate.

Reward
Using rewards is key for helping dogs understand when they’re doing what you want, and it makes it even more fun, remember, lots of praise when they get it right!

Timing
While dogs love learning, we need to consider their attention span, so keep sessions short to ensure your dog remains interested.

Consistency
Keep your communication consistent, using the same words and gestures everytime you train so as not to confuse your dog.