How Dogs Show Different Emotions
Since I was little I have always had a dog; more than one to be exact. When I was younger, my family used to breed Labrador Retrievers. We always had this joke in my house that all of the dogs and puppies were my brothers and sisters since I didn’t have any siblings. Looking back, I’d say that was a pretty swell childhood!
Dogs are very special animals. They are so in tune to everything about you, they bond with you in a way that many animals don’t, and once you find the one, they’ll be your best friend forever. Every breed of dog and just every dog in general has a different personality and way of connecting and showing affection to the ones they love. Today’s blog post details how dogs show affection and other emotions.
1. Happiness: Tail Wagging and Kisses
This is probably the most well known trait in the book. A wagging tail that’s pointed up is a happy dog! In that moment, the dog is trusting, unafraid, and filled with absolute joy. Dogs also like to show their happiness by licking, or giving kisses. Some dogs do this more than others. This can depend on the dog’s personality and the owner’s response to receiving kisses. If you don’t like getting kisses, the dog will see this and possibly seek out other people to lick or not do it in general.
Loving this post so far? Be sure to read my post about What My Dog Has Taught Me.
2. Nervousness/Fear: Crouched Position and Tail Between Legs
When dogs are afraid or are in trouble for doing something wrong (like eating the cat’s food for the umpteenth time haha), many dogs tend to tuck their hindquarters down, put their tail between their legs, lower their head, and walk away from the situation.
Whenever we’ve caught Diesel doing something naughty he usually tucks his butt a bit and goes and puts himself either in his crate or under the dining room table. If taught proper discipline (for both good and bad behavior), your dog will know how to react.
3. Anger: Ears Pinned Back, Teeth Shown, Vocalization
Dogs can show anger for multiple reasons:
- To show any potential intruders or anyone who is deemed “not welcome” to leave immediately.
- To show their unhappiness with a current situation.
- Pent up fear from many previous situations
Similar to how obvious it is when a dog is happy, it is just as obvious when they are mad. In this situation, the dog will appear very unapproachable and aggressive. When you encounter a dog in this state, it is best to do exactly what it is telling you to do, which is to stay away.
4. Boredom: Destructive and Vocal
When dogs are bored, they tend to be destructive. This behavior doesn’t mean that they’re destructive dogs or enjoy tearing things up, but that they don’t know what to do with themselves. We learned early on that Diesel can get bored pretty easily. He was never a destructive puppy but he expressed his boredom very vocally ha! Some ways that we have been able to combat his boredom are:
- Tons of dog park play time.
- Different bones for him to chew on (he loves his buffalo horn, filled bone, and antler)
- Toys (they don’t last long but they make him happy haha)
You can find more bones and chews online or at your local Petsupermarket and PetSmart.
Thank you so much for reading today’s blog post about dog emotions and behaviors. I hope this blog post helped explain and answer some questions you may have had about dog behavior. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Photography: Nikki B Photography