Body Language

Lip Licking—When a dog is anxious, she will often quickly stick out her tongue and lick her lips. It’s usually just a fast, little flick. Watch your dog; this is one of the most common signals.

Yawning—This is often mistaken for contentment. The dog is surrounded by kids, and she lets out a big yawn. Isn’t that sweet? Nope, it’s a sign that she’s in over her head and would appreciate your help.

Turning Away—Often owners think a dog turning away is “blowing them off” and they intensify their demands on her, which is exactly what the dog was trying to avoid.

Moving slowly—Basically the dog is trying to model the behavior she’d like to see. She’s trying to slow down and calm down in the hopes that everyone else will too.

Half-Moon Eye—When a dog is calm and relaxed, you don’t usually see much white around her eyes. The “half-moon” refers to the white arc that is often seen when a dog is stressed and trying to hold it in.

Freezing—Watch out! Dogs typically freeze right before they snap or bite. That may sound obvious, but one of the scariest things I ever saw was when an owner told me, “Lucy loves to have kids hug her. Look how still she is.” It was a heart-stopping moment for me. Lucy, thank goodness, did not bite, but she was definitely not enjoying the experience.