We all either have a pet dog, had a pet dog, or are wishing to have a pet dog in the future. Some of you may not wish to have a dog at all down the road, and that’s just fine. However, no matter what, we all come into contact with a dog at some point in our lives (or many points in our lives). For those of us who absolutely love dogs, no questions asked, we see a dog and we just have this instant desire to go up and greet the dog with pets and soft baby voices.

While we may think what we’re doing is very nice and loving, depending on the dog, this is a huge no-no. Many dog attacks on humans are a lack of acknowledged communication, meaning that the dog’s behavior was not properly read by the person who was attacked. With proper communication between dogs and humans, aggression between dogs and humans would decrease significantly.

I admit, I always want to interact with every dog I see: giving it pets and getting licks on the face, but I have to restrain myself and take a step back. I need to see how the dog is feeling and how its body is postured, as well as its facial expression. Is it friendly? Welcoming? Nervous? Scared? Territorial? Yes, dogs can be very territorial over their owners, to the point where they are possessive of their owners.

If the dog displays an open invitation for receiving physical contact, then it is safe to approach (common courtesy to ask owner’s permission of course). If the dog is displaying signs of discomfort or clear agitation, do not approach or even reach out your hand for it to sniff. If there were a moment where you didn’t wish for social contact, you wouldn’t want someone to shove their hand in your face for a handshake, would you?

You may be asking, how do you know what the dog is feeling? What signs do you look for? How do you read their body language and facial expressions? The rest of this article will go over the many signs and signals canines will display when they’re feeling a certain way.

Friendly/Welcoming

This one is pretty straight forward. If the dog has its mouth wide open, is panting, ears relaxed, eyes not fully widened, tail wagging, and is taking the initiative to approach you (if it can/if it’s not on a leash), then it’s safe to say that this dog is open to interaction. It’s common knowledge that dogs sniff each other's behinds to greet each other (collecting the pheromones the other dog gives off to see how they are feeling), but they also do this with their mouths. A dog that is willing to greet you while it’s panting is a sign that it’s letting you read it like an open book. This is also why they will go to lick your mouth! While it sounds gross, opening your mouth when a dog is licking your face is a sign of trust and acceptance. I should stress that panting is not an automatic sign of acceptance. Dogs will also pant when they are nervous, but this is when you look at the rest of the dog’s body and what posture and facial expression it is giving off.

Uncomfortable/Unsure/Nervous

This one is harder to pick up on, but can be very obvious if you know what to look out for. Going back to the panting, a dog will also pant when it is nervous. Look at how far the tongue is protruding from the dog’s mouth. Is it barely sticking out? If so, look at the rest of the face. If the dog is not making eye contact, and/or keeps shifting its gaze up at you, it’s a sure-fire sign the dog is not completely comfortable. A dog that is not panting and keeps shifting its gaze up at you, or gives you the side-eye (where you can see a crescent shape of the whites of their eyes), the dog is not comfortable at all. You should not approach a dog on your own that is not panting. A dog that is not panting is a closed book. They can still approach you, but they will typically keep their distance while they are sniffing the air around you. Never make eye contact with a dog that is doing this or displaying any nervous behaviors, and never reach your hand out for them to sniff. I’ve had first-hand experiences where I’ve seen people do this to a dog that was checking them out, and the dog growled before barking at them. Let the dog sniff you and check you out, but do not pay attention to them while they do this. A dog can also yawn and lick their nose when they are uncomfortable or stressed. Again, look for other signs of discomfort.

Note the closed mouth and "side-eye".

Again note the "side-eye", as well as ears pulled back. This is also a good example of nervous panting and licking. Never place a child near or on a dog like this; let the dog approach the child. Children are attacked more often by dogs than adults due to a lack of human-dog communication. It is important to teach kids on how to communicate with dogs and how to read their body language.

Aggressive

This one is also pretty straight forward. Right away when we see an aggressive dog, we notice the eyes and muzzle. The eyes are staring intensely and unblinkingly up at us, the whites of the eyes showing around the edges. The muzzle is curled back, and if the level of intensity increases, will inevitably reveal the gums and teeth. Barking is the last resort before an attack. This is what each and every one of us hopes we don’t see aimed at us. If this does happen, back away slowly from the dog, and do not make eye contact. Intense, prolonged eye contact is a challenge in the canine world. Lower your gaze to the ground as you back away, acknowledging the dog’s dislike toward your proximity to them. There are warning signs beforehand. Raised hackles (fur on top of the shoulders), intense body posture (straight and possibly leaning forward slightly), as well as intense facial expressions. These expressions include wide, focused eyes, ears fully erect and pointing forward, and the mouth will be either closed or open and more forward on the muzzle (see diagram at the very bottom of the article). Low growls will be emitted from the throat, and by this time it is already an obvious sign to back away. Some dogs are more aggressive than others, and may not take as much time to show you that they are uncomfortable. They may get right to the point and start growling or barking.

Of course, it’s easier to learn through visualizations as opposed to descriptions, so below are a couple more diagrams to show you the differences between the behavioral signals that dogs display. It is important to know these signals and how to communicate with dogs, as they are a part of our everyday lives. It is especially important for dog owners and those who wish to own a dog to know how to communicate effectively with dogs. It will help give the dog and their owner(s) a stronger bond, and will really help with training. And, there’s no need to be afraid of dogs. We just need to speak their language!

Universal canine facial expressions. Note the difference in the mouth, ears, and eyes between "Serious Self-Assured Threat" (aggression) and "Increasing Fear and Increasing Threat" (fear).