Just like mastering any spoken language, learning to read dog language takes experience, time and practice. To understand body language it must be interpreted in context and read in conjunction with other signals the dog is giving at the time. Subtle details must also be noted, for example a wagging tail can indicate several things, depending upon the way in which it is wagging. A slowly wagging tail can indicate uncertainty while a wildly wagging tail can indicate excitement rather than pleasure.

This article explains common calming signals such as:

• Play Bows
• Greeting Bows
• Yawning
• Freezing
• Curving
• Paw Lifts
• Tongue Flicks
• Grins
• Head Turns