Read the following and it may explain some of the inexplicable behavior your dog is displaying. Or, if not, it could confirm some behaviors you’ve been wondering about!

Standing Still
Standing still may only last for a split second, so you have to watch carefully to see what is happening. When a dog is standing still, he bears his weight in one of three ways:

• Feet four-square and balanced. This dog is calm and confident.
• Balanced on his hindquarters. This dog is ready to spring forward, and is confident and willing to interact.
• Balanced in such a way that he can bolt away from you (or what he is looking at). This dog is fearful and likely to flee.

Dogs may stand in a variety of off- balanced ways that show you which way they would like to dart away. Darting away indicates fear, so if your dog is standing off balance, try and determine what is frightening him.

Wither Do You Wander?
The path of approach tells us a lot about someone’s intent. If you are approaching the customer service desk to return a damaged item, you will most likely walk assertively and directly to the person at the counter. If you approach a friend this way, he or she will likely be intimidated and fearful. The same is true of the dogs you meet. Dogs traveling in straight lines are more likely to be aggressive, while curved lines of travel indicate a friendly encounter.

A Tail to Tell
As with tongues, tail talk is different than human body language communication. Dogs use their tails the way that people use smiles. The idea that a wagging tail indicates happiness is similar to thinking that every smile means only one thing. A low, fast-wagging tail is like a nervous laugh.

A high tail wagging slowly is the confident smile of someone who is going to make you do something you don’t want to do. And the middle-level, fast, wide wag where the tail hits or almost hits the body is comparable to the excited grin of a child waiting at the airport for Grandma to come out of the luggage area.

We certainly hope the above helped you to diagnose a few inexplicable doggy deeds. However, if you would like to know more please go to Modern Dog Magazine for additional information!

While this may not necessarily be the definitive guide to pooch behavior it certainly will make you look a little closer at Spot. Maybe, next time he stamps his feet eagerly, you will consider something more than: “I wanna play! Do you wanna play?!” LOL.