Your dog spots someone he knows across the yard. His head comes up, his tail rises above his back, and he trots over with a loose stride. The tail stays high as it sweeps broadly from side to side.…
You walk into a busy park and notice a dog near the entrance showing his teeth. For half a second, the picture seems simple enough. Teeth mean warning. Give him room.…
You find your dog in the bedroom closet with her back against a row of shoes and her nose pointed toward the doorway. Down the hall, the family gathering is still going strong.…
A quiet dog isn’t necessarily a calm dog.
That distinction matters most after a lot has just happened. Maybe visitors have been in the house for two hours. Your dog greeted everyone, followed people between rooms, investigated bags and shoes, reacted to the doorbell, and eventually disappeared to the edge of the room.…
Sudden fear from a dog who already knows you is a before-and-after problem.
If your dog has always been wary of handling or cautious around people, that history gives you somewhere to start.…
A house can be completely familiar to a dog and still contain one room she treats as if it belongs somewhere else.
She follows you through the kitchen, hallway, and bedroom without a second thought.…
Dogs constantly interpret the signals around them. Changes in tone, unfamiliar situations, social interactions, or sudden activity in the environment can all influence how they respond in a given moment.…
The car hasn’t even left the driveway, and your dog’s chin is already wet. A few minutes later, strings of saliva are hanging from his mouth. He’s licking his lips, swallowing more than usual, and shifting around in the seat.…
Panting is first and foremost a cooling system. Dogs rely heavily on rapid breathing and evaporation from the respiratory tract to shed excess heat, so panting after exercise or on a warm day usually needs no emotional explanation.…
It’s breakfast time, and the bowl goes down the same way it always does. But this morning, the dog who has never once left food behind sniffs it, looks up at you, and walks away.…