Mythbusting: What a dog's body language is really saying
Experts say raised hackles and a wagging tail can signal many emotions, and reading posture and facial cues helps prevent unsafe assumptions.
- Myth #1 suggests raised hackles mean a dog is aggressive, but this involuntary physical response, known as piloerection, does not indicate a specific emotion. Hackles can rise when dogs feel excited, nervous, or are preparing for confrontation.
- Dogs wag their tails for many reasons, including excitement, uncertainty, frustration, and high arousal, yet Myth #2 falsely claims a wagging tail means a friendly dog. This misconception can lead to dangerous encounters with unfamiliar animals.
- We often think we can understand a dog by looking at one body part, but dogs communicate through their entire body. Learning to evaluate posture, facial expressions, and movement together provides a much better understanding of what they are communicating.
- A loose body with a soft, sweeping tail may indicate a relaxed dog, but a stiff tail combined with a rigid body and hard stare tells a very different story. Context matters more than any single signal.
- Think of hackles and tail wags as clues, not diagnoses. Most importantly, learning to evaluate the environment, movement, and posture alongside these signals helps us make safer decisions when approaching or interacting with dogs.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Mythbusting: What a dog's body language is really saying - Creston Valley Advance
We often think we can tell exactly what a dog is feeling by looking at one part of their body. Hackles up? They must be aggressive. Tail wagging? They must be friendly. Not so fast! Dogs communicate through their entire body, and understanding their behaviour means looking at the whole picture—not just one signal. Myth #1: Raised hackles means a dog is aggressive When the hair along a dog’s back and neck stands up, it’s easy to assume the dog is…
Mythbusting: What a dog's body language is really saying - Fort St. James Caledonia Courier
We often think we can tell exactly what a dog is feeling by looking at one part of their body. Hackles up? They must be aggressive. Tail wagging? They must be friendly. Not so fast! Dogs communicate through their entire body, and understanding their behaviour means looking at the whole picture—not just one signal. Myth #1: Raised hackles means a dog is aggressive When the hair along a dog’s back and neck stands up, it’s easy to assume the dog is…
Mythbusting: What a dog's body language is really saying - Grand Forks Gazette
We often think we can tell exactly what a dog is feeling by looking at one part of their body. Hackles up? They must be aggressive. Tail wagging? They must be friendly. Not so fast! Dogs communicate through their entire body, and understanding their behaviour means looking at the whole picture—not just one signal. Myth #1: Raised hackles means a dog is aggressive When the hair along a dog’s back and neck stands up, it’s easy to assume the dog is…
Mythbusting: What a dog's body language is really saying - Vanderhoof Omineca Express
We often think we can tell exactly what a dog is feeling by looking at one part of their body. Hackles up? They must be aggressive. Tail wagging? They must be friendly. Not so fast! Dogs communicate through their entire body, and understanding their behaviour means looking at the whole picture—not just one signal. Myth #1: Raised hackles means a dog is aggressive When the hair along a dog’s back and neck stands up, it’s easy to assume the dog is…
The Free Press
Mythbusting: What a dog's body language is really saying
We often think we can tell exactly what a dog is feeling by looking at one part of their body. Hackles up? They must be aggressive. Tail wagging? They must be friendly. Not so fast! Dogs communicate through their entire body, and understanding their behaviour means looking at the whole picture—not just one signal. Myth #1: Raised hackles means a dog is aggressive When the hair along a dog’s back and neck stands up, it’s easy to assume the dog is…
Mythbusting: What a dog's body language is really saying - Northern Sentinel
We often think we can tell exactly what a dog is feeling by looking at one part of their body. Hackles up? They must be aggressive. Tail wagging? They must be friendly. Not so fast! Dogs communicate through their entire body, and understanding their behaviour means looking at the whole picture—not just one signal. Myth #1: Raised hackles means a dog is aggressive When the hair along a dog’s back and neck stands up, it’s easy to assume the dog is…
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