Through years of working with dogs and their owners, I’ve often encountered clients who believe their dogs show no warning signs before becoming aggressive. While it may appear that way, in most cases, there are indeed very subtle signs indicating the dog is uncomfortable or stressed in the situation. The majority of dogs naturally display appropriate "early warning signals" of discomfort—such as avoiding eye contact, stiffening, lip licking, or moving away. 

Unfortunately, these signals are not always recognized or may be misunderstood by owners. Learning to observe and interpret these subtle cues is essential in preventing escalation and ensuring both the dog’s well-being and a safer interaction for everyone involved. 

Recognizing Body Language in Dogs:
Understand What Your Dog Is Telling You Dogs communicate primarily through body language and subtle signals. As an owner or dog lover, it is important to learn to recognize these signals in order to spot stress, insecurity, or proper relaxation in your dog in time.

Why this is important:
By recognizing these cues in time, you can prevent stress in your dog and better respond to his needs. This strengthens the bond between dog and owner and ensures safer situations, for example, during walks or meeting other dogs. Important.

Signals to watch for:

• Alertness or tension: Ears forward, tail and body high on the legs. Body stiff or frozen.
• Calm and confident: Ears, eyes, body and tail relaxed paws directly under the body. Loose, fluid movements.
• Submission, anxious or insecurity: Ears back, body low and depressed, slightly through the hind legs, tail low and mostly pinched through the hind legs. Lowered body posture.
• Rolling on the back showing belly: Submissive gesture or play invitation, depending on context.

More subtle signals

• Looking Away:
  A calming signal and conflict-avoidance behavior. Avoiding eye contact indicates that a dog feels uncertain or even fearful about a situation. It is their way of signaling that they pose no threat and wish to avoid conflict. If your dog suddenly starts looking away more frequently, especially combined with other stress signals such as yawning, tongue flicking, or lip licking, it is likely an attempt to reduce tension.
  Looking away can also be a sign of respect or submissive behavior towards another dog or person.
  When too much is happening around them, some dogs choose to look away or focus their attention elsewhere to create a moment of calm for themselves. Sometimes it is simply a sign of disinterest.
• Tongue Flicking and Lip Licking:
  This may serve as a way to regulate body temperature. By panting and sticking out the tongue, saliva evaporates and helps cool the dog down.
  However, tongue flicking and lip licking can also signal insecurity and are often an expression of stress and tension. These are subconscious behaviors that belong to what are called calming signals.
  There may also be medical or neurological causes, or something stuck in the mouth. Certain breeds or mixes with shorter snouts may naturally have longer tongues or tend to leave their tongue hanging out more often.
• Yawning when the dog is not tired:
  It is a calming signal. Also, it is indicated that he is not secure in a situation or person. This also indicates a desire to avoid conflict. 
• Avoidance Behavior:
  Dogs may physically avoid people, other animals, or objects when they feel uncomfortable, stressed, or threatened.
• Exaggerated Blinking:
  A dog may blink excessively to avoid direct eye contact and to signal that it poses no threat.
• Paw lifting:
  Raising a front paw can indicate an internal conflict. For example, the dog may want to flee or walk away from a situation but knows it is expected to stay by its owner.
• Panting without physical effort or heat:
  If a dog starts panting without having exerted itself or in the absence of high temperatures, it may be a sign that the dog is entering a state of panic. At this point, it is important to intervene.
• Piloerection (Raised Hackles):
  This is an automatic reaction the dog cannot control. It happens subconsciously and is a sign of heightened arousal or stress.
• Shaking Off After a Stressful Experience:
  Dogs often shake themselves after experiencing something stressful as a way to release built-up tension in their bodies. (not to confused with he just waking up)
• Eye white showing:
  Sometimes dogs stiffen. We see many other subtle signals and showing the eye white. This is a form of stress and insecure.
• Stiff Tail Wagging:
  Wagging does not always mean a dog is happy. A stiff wagging tail is often a sign of tension. Pay attention to the other body signals as well.
• Chasing Their Own Tail:
  This behavior is often linked to stress or tension. While it can sometimes be playful, frequent tail-chasing may indicate an underlying problem. Dogs engaged in this behavior are usually difficult to distract or calm down.
• Sneezing:
  Dogs sometimes sneeze as a calming signal to release tension, not just because of irritants.
• Smiling (Submissive Grin):
  Some dogs show their front teeth in a relaxed, submissive smile. This is not aggression but a social signal.
• Mounting (Humping) People, Dogs, or Objects:
  This behavior is often not related to sexual activity. Dogs may experience certain situations as overwhelming or stressful and do not know how to handle it. Mounting becomes a way to release built-up tension.
• Sniffing:
  Dogs explore their world primarily through scent. Sniffing helps them gather information about their environment, other animals, and people. It can also serve as a calming strategy when they feel unsure. Further on in our blog, you’ll find a more detailed explanation about why dogs sniff, what information they gather through this behavior, and how it plays an essential role in their emotional well-being and communication.
• Chewing or Nibbling:
  Dogs chew or nibble to relieve stress, soothe themselves, or deal with boredom. For puppies, it also helps with teething. Observing when and how often this happens can help address underlying needs.
• Shivering or Trembling:
  Trembling may be caused by cold, but often it’s linked to emotions like fear, stress, or high excitement. Understanding the context is key to responding appropriately.
• Barking:
  Barking is a natural form of communication. Dogs bark to alert, express excitement, fear, frustration, or even as a learned behavior when it gets a reaction.
• Sneezing:
  Besides clearing the nose, dogs sometimes sneeze as a calming signal, especially in social situations with people or other dogs. It’s often seen during play to show they mean no harm.
• Closing the Mouth:
  A dog that suddenly closes its mouth may be signaling alertness, stress, or hesitation. It can be an early sign of discomfort before more obvious signals appear.
• Freezing:
  Freezing is a serious stress or fear signal. The dog feels threatened or overwhelmed and doesn’t know how to respond. It’s essential to respect this behavior and give the dog space.
• Growling:
  Growling is a clear warning. The dog is communicating a boundary. Ignoring this signal can escalate to more serious reactions like snapping or biting.
• Avoiding:
  Avoidance shows a dog feels uncomfortable and prefers not to engage. Forcing interaction can increase stress and erode trust.
• Marking/Urinating:
  Dogs mark to establish territory or communicate with other dogs. Increased marking can also be linked to stress, insecurity, or changes in the environment.

To accurately understand how a dog is feeling, it is essential to observe its posture, signals, and the context of the situation. Not every signal or posture is necessarily alarming.