Alot of times people find themselves in situations with dogs they don’t know very well. Paying attention to fido’s body language is the key to understanding how comfortable they feel around you, other people, and the environment they are in. Acknowledging when things might be spiraling into aggression is a great way to stop it in it’s tracks. Look for these tell tale signs and if you see them give the dog plenty of personal space and time to calm down.
Yawning, eye staring, and lip licking…
People think every time a dog yawns when they are tired but in actuality dogs yawn when uncomfortable too. Excessive lip licking and not dropping eye contact are all signs a pup is unsettled by something or someone.
Growling and Snapping…
Taking it up a step is actual growling and snapping. Again, though, these are the warning signs of a dog telling you they are getting close to doing something to solve their issue.
Rigid body fur…
Fur standing up along the spine of a dog is a definite sign of aggression. It is easy to spot a dog with it’s hackles raised as it is unusual to see hair suspend like it does. You want to give a dog at this stage some serious room to calm down before approaching.
Whale eye…
Whale eye is referring to when you see the whites of a dog’s eyes when they move their head but not their eye. Similar to humans, dog’s do this when they fear or are anxious about something. A fearful dog is very likely to bite or use aggressive techniques to get out of the situation.