Interpreting Your Puppy's Body Language

It's pretty obvious what a puppy with a wagging tail, wiggling body and licking tongue is saying when he comes to greet you, but not all puppy language is that unambiguous. If he's making low "grrrr" sounds when you're playing tug, is he becoming aggressive? If he rolls on his back, is he scared? It all depends on the context in which he's doing these behaviors, and the other signals his body language is putting out.

Let's start with that "grrrr" sound. Many owners misinterpret it as a growl, and even punish their puppy in the belief they must put a stop to this aggressive threat. But more often, it's not a growl at all. Puppies and adult dogs both make a low throaty sound when they are playing. It's called the canine laugh because it is only used when having fun, particularly when playing competitive games such as tugging or wrestling. Punishing a puppy for making this sound is as unfair to him as punishing a child for laughing would be.

Similarly, don’t confuse some teeth showing for a snarl; it may be a canine grin of submission.

Every puppy owner should recognize the "play-bow" in which the dog pounces so that his front legs are flush with the floor, but his rear end is still up in the air. The tail may or may not be wagging, and the dog often looks at you expectantly. It's an invitation to play!

Because play is often mock scenarios of fighting, chasing, and being chased, it's sometimes hard to know when the line has been crossed from playing scared, for example, to really being scared. If your puppy runs away from you, he may want you to chase him so he can play keep-away. If it's all in play, he'll keep looping around, enticing you to try again. His posture will be erect, his ears forward and up, and his tail high and wagging slowly. His mouth will often be open and panting, and his tongue may even loll to one side. But sometimes it passes beyond play and he gets scared. In this case he'll try to stay farther away or hide. His posture will be lower, his ears back and down, and his movement slinkier. His tail will be tucked, or down, and if he wags it, it will be quick short wags. His lips may be drawn back in a "worried" expression, and he will lick his lips often.

What about the puppy who rolls on his back? He could just be relaxed and inviting you to pet his belly. If he's rolling around as if scratching his back, or if his head is lolled to one side, mouth open, rear legs flopped to either side, and tail wagging slowing, then he's relaxed. But if he's lying partly on one side, with one front and one rear leg raised, head twisted but held off the ground, mouth closed, tail either still, tucked or wagging quickly, and especially if he urinates on himself---he's scared and submissive.

Don’t confuse a big yawn for boredom when he’s in a stressful situation; it really is an indication he’s stressed, not bored.

Many owners misinterpret their puppy's mounting behavior. Mounting one another is normal for puppies at play, and occurs in both male and females, and to both same and opposite sexes. It is not a sexual behavior, but is more a declaration of who is temporarily the winner of the game. Puppies may also mount people, especially when playing or when simply excited about something. While the behavior should be discouraged, it doesn't mean your puppy is abnormal. It's part of normal puppy play. Simply detach him and give him something more acceptable to play with.

Understanding your puppy's body language will help you know when he has to urinate or defecate, which in turn will help with housetraining. Puppies don't give much warning before urinating. If your puppy is playing and suddenly stops, you may have about a second to take him outside before he urinates. If he is playing then stops, then trots away, that is another sign he may be urinating right away. If he starts to circle and sniff, chances are he is going to defecate. Young puppies will usually whine before they defecate, and you will often see the anus begin to bulge outward. Get him outside!

The more you understand what your puppy is trying to tell you, the better you can work to create a happy household for both of you. And you might as well learn it now; he’ll keep this same basic body language throughout his life, just adding a few more messages to his repertoire as he matures.