Even though dogs don’t really put words together to compose sentences the same way us humans do, it doesn’t mean they don’t communicate. Dogs actually use a number of different means to display their intended messages to you. You just need to learn how to recognize and decipher them.
If you see your little pooch staring at you with a relaxed expression on his cute face, it most often means he’s feeling rather friendly and happy.
If he wants to play, try to take notice of other useful hints, including a wagging tail, ears pointed upward and visible tongue.
Some dogs use barking to draw attention.
If your doggie is constantly barking and you can’t quite figure out why, he’s probably doing it to get you to play with him, go outside for a walk or it is time for food.
When the little guy wants something, he surely knows how to get it.
If your little pooch is in pain, he may be communicating with you by howling, whining and whimpering. On the other hand, territorial communication is always present. Your dog may communicate to someone invading his space by a lot of loud and persistent barking.
If you have a house guest who gets a little too close to your pet’s bed, prepare for a lot of noisy barking. He also may claim his turf by urine spraying, which is a classic territorial action in many animals.
They can sometimes be pretty aggressive. The usual warning signs of pure aggression are widened eyes, sharp and extended staring, bared teeth, standing upright, high tail, snarling, growling and curled lips. Leave a dog alone if he is in this mode, as he may physically attack.
But the communication we all like the most is through the signs of affection. If your dog decides to let you know he loves you and appreciates you, he will probably lick and kiss your face and hands.
He will roll over onto his back for a session of tummy rubbing or he may simply put his head over your lap and gaze at your eyes. Signs are numerous but the message stays the same – I love you.