What Does Your Dog Say With The Expressions On His Face?

Body language forms an important part of communication, whether between people or between humans and animals. However, although your dog uses its tail to say many things, it also says a lot with the expressions on its “face”.

Although some say that animals don’t have facial expressions, it doesn’t seem to be true. Different studies have shown that our dogs not only have them, but also want to communicate something with each one of them.

So, and because we know you love your dog and want to understand him better, let’s look at his expressions and what each one means.

your dog speaks through his face

Let’s see what our dog wants to tell us with each part of its face, according to its position.

Eyes

If these are open wide, it is that he is thrilled or playful. It will be your expression when you go out into the street or when you get home. Food can also make your eyes wide open.

If he’s staring, there’s something that catches his eye, usually something he doesn’t like. It’s the posture your eyes will take before attacking. So pay attention to where your dog is looking, as he may pounce on something or someone.

If he avoids eye contact, he’s showing respect or submission. This will happen when you reprimand him, especially, or if you are in the presence of a lead dog.

Ears

If these are upright, you can show concentration on what you are doing or curiosity about some sounds he is listening to and doesn’t know what they are or where they are coming from. Usually, they will be like this when he plays with you, with other dogs or while chasing an object.

If they’re leaning forward, it’s because there’s something he doesn’t like that’s challenging him. The next step will be to attack. This will be more obvious if he also wrinkles his muzzle and shows his teeth.

If you keep your ears tucked in, he’s scared, there’s something that makes him feel helpless and he’ll probably seek your protection. Just like when he looks away, it can be a sign of submission and you’ll see him that way when you repress him.

If your ears, however, are back but not shrunken, this indicates stress, nervousness, and tension. There is something that bothers him, like the arrival of another family member or a new pet.

Another gesture of his ears might be to move them back and forth, and this he does when he feels comfortable where he is or doing what he is doing. For example, you can use this gesture while taking care of your needs or while walking down the street.

Mouth

Have you ever managed to identify a smile in your dog? Dogs smile, though many don’t believe it. If the movement of your mouth is accompanied by a movement of the tail, there is no doubt that what your dog wants to tell you is that he is happy.

If he yawns, it could be for several reasons. You already know that yawning is contagious, so maybe he does it because he saw you doing it, or simply because he’s sleepy. Although on some occasions it can also show stress as a result.

Another sign of stress would be a closed mouth but stretched back, which can also indicate fear if it is accompanied by wheezing or even signal pain.

If he licks his lips, he is possibly trying to clean himself up after eating or trying to get you to give him what he is eating. However, on occasion, this can show that he senses a threat or is stressed.

If he shows his teeth, we already know what that means. He is willing to attack. Beware !

As we’ve seen in this article, there are many signs that your dog can do with his face, ears and mouth that indicate how he is and what he wants at any given time. Be observant and you will be able to understand your pet better.