9 Keys To Understanding A Dog’s Emotions

Dogs are very sensitive and emotional animals. They too need the same attention and care as we do. Just like human’s dogs also need a buddy to understand their emotions. Dogs are friendly and share a good bond with humans.

Humans have the verbal language to express their emotions like fear, anger, and love. But dogs do not have any verbal language. They can only express their emotions through different signs like wagging their tail, roaming around you in excitement, or showing aggression by continuously barking. Dogs do assume that you understand their emotions. But do you actually understand? If you own a pet for the first time, try to understand the basic body language of your dog. Some of them can be wagging their tail, shaking their head or body. These basics signs will help you as a pet owner to understand what your pet is trying to communicate.

In this article, we will focus on the ways of understanding your dog’s emotions and how to make him feel that you are his real soul mate.         

Understanding the non-verbal emotions

Dogs can understand nearly 200 words. But to express these words and feelings they use body signs such as growling for aggression, licking or wagging tail for excitement, and putting his tail between legs for nervousness. Regular pet parents don’t face such issues as they are habitual to their body movements. But if you have recently owned a pet, then it will be slightly typical for you to understand such communications. But trust me there is no rocket science in this, you can easily get your dog’s emotion by just following a few simple steps.

Appended below are the emotions that any dog possesses. By following certain simple steps, you can very easily understand your dog’s emotions. This will help keep your bond happy and healthy with your pet.

1. When your dog requires love

Dogs are known as human’s best companions and they love their owners unconditionally. When a dog is around the person whom he loves the most, he becomes naturally very happy and expresses his love towards you by jumping around, or by wagging his tail in a quick circular motion. Another way that dogs use to show their love is eye contact, strong and continuous eye contact shows that your dog loves you very much.

2. Dog’s fear

Fear emotions in dogs are just similar to any other species. When they are afraid they can put their tail between their legs. Dogs also tend to shake their body continuously and try to hide. There can be several reasons for your dog being afraid such as confrontation with other dogs, humans, or any loud and disturbing sounds.

If you see any of the stated body signs in your dog, try to build his confidence by rubbing your palm on his upper coat and taking him into your lap. The best way to handle such situations is to train your dog well and follow exposure therapy to reduce his fear.

3. Frustration for things

Dogs get frustrated when they don’t get what they want. Moving at a fast pace or getting aggressive on something are signs of frustration in them. For instance, if your dog goes for a regular walk and you are late one day, then your dog will continuously roam around you and may also bark to show his frustration towards you.

Good training and healthy bonding can reduce your dog’s frustration. If they are adamant about certain things which are not good for them, try to distract them with something good. The best way to deal with their frustration is to keep them happy and engaged without leaving them alone for a longer period.

4. Aggression and destructive mode

When your dog is aggressive he will start to growl, chase the counterpart, and try to bite aggressively. Your dog can get aggressive on other dogs or humans for various reasons. The most common reasons can be someone disturbing them while having their food or chewing their calcium bones etc. Strangers at your place can also make them aggressive.

Being a pet owner you should always try to understand his reason for aggression and work accordingly on the management of the same. Once you can handle his aggression, it will become easier for you to leave him unsupervised, or else he can harm anyone.

5. Joyful and Excited

Dogs happily roam around and seem relaxed when they are joyful or excited. They will constantly try to be around their owner and wag tail to show their joy and excitement. The joy and excitement in your dog can be noticed when they are with their owners or having their tasty treat, diet, or bones.

6. Anticipating about things

When we follow a proper routine for our dog they try to anticipate what will happen next. Dogs can’t understand the time but they remember the scent of every hour of a day. They very well understand what they are supposed to do at a particular time. You can notice your dog’s anticipation when he knows that you are about to take him for a walk. You will see your dog roaming around you happily trying to convince you to take him for a walk soon. Anticipation is inculcated in your dog when you follow a routine for a longer time. By doing this, the dog can anticipate what he will be doing in the next couple of hours.

7. Stress and Anxiety

When your dog is stressed or anxious he will try to escape from his surroundings. Your dog will be seen hiding in the corners of the house or under the table. You might see your dog is digging and harming himself and this is the sign of anxiety. If your dog is anxious and stressed try to devote some extra time to him. Engage him in regular walks and playful activities. This will ease down his mental pressure and will help you both stay happy.

8. Signs of unwell pet

When your dog is unwell he will be the least excited member of your house. He will sleep more than the usual period of time and you can also observe a change in his behavior. When your furry pal is not well he will show symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, or panting. In such a situation, you should take him to the veterinarian doctor immediately. Noticing such changes in your dog on time will help him heal faster.

9. Complex emotions

Complex emotions are the ones that your dog may or may not express. Emotions such as confidence, guilt, or shame are few of them. Some people say they have seen them doing so while others deny of observing any such emotions in their dog. This might be because complex emotions are more or less similar to other emotions.

When your dog tries to express guilt or shame, he may not make eye contact with you and shy away, on the other hand, confidence can be similar to excitement or joy. Hence, if you are monitoring the situations and signs closely you will get to know what your dog is trying to convey.

Wrap up

As we have already discussed earlier in this blog, a dog needs a partner to express their feelings and emotions. As a pet owner, you are the only one who can understand their feelings. All you need to do is master the way of understanding their emotions. This will eventually help in growing your bond with your furry pal.

When you accomplish a strong bond with your dog, he will put all his faith in you, he will follow all your instructions and this way it will be easier for you to monitor his every emotion accordingly. So, get ready to dive into the emotional experience of your furry pal.