Stanley Coren - Animal Communication: How to Speak Dog

Main ideas & lessons (animal communication—especially dog body language)

• Dogs aren’t humans: Even though people humanize dogs, dog communication is fundamentally different from human language. Dogs communicate less via speech and more via meaningful body language.
• Dogs mainly “speak” with body language (sign language): Key information comes from posture, eyes, ears, mouth shape, tail position, and movement patterns.
• Communication maps onto a “social/emotional thermometer”:
  • Dominant/confident signals tend to look “high” and forward (e.g., tail carried higher, upright rigid posture).
  • Relaxed/content signals look neutral and calm.
  • Insecure/fearful signals tend to look lowered, tucked, drooped, or withdrawn (e.g., tail tucked, drooping ears, curved “crescent moon” body shape).
• Aggression isn’t one thing—two main types:
  • Dominance-based aggression (clear threat):
    • Staring
    • Upright rigid posture
    • Ears forward
    • C-shaped wide mouth
    • Teeth visible with relatively less gum showing
    • “I’m the boss—give me space.”
  • Fear-based aggression (defensive threat):
    • Lower posture
    • Ears down
    • Body weight shifted back
    • More “elongated” mouth with gums visible
    • “I’m afraid and may react to protect myself.”

Core methodology for interpreting what a dog is saying (detailed checklist)

1) Start with baseline: relaxed vs attentive

Relaxed/attentive dog signs:

• Eyebrows not furrowed
• Eyes not fixed/staring and not sliding; not half-open
• Mouth closed

2) Identify threat/anger signals by face, eyes, and mouth

Dominant threat / anger progression:

• Eyes open wider; wide-eyed stare
• Mouth opens to show weapons (teeth)
• Brow/forehead furrowing
• Body becomes upright and rigid
• Neck/shoulder/hindhair may rise (described as “neck hair” standing on end)

Dominance threat mouth pattern (high importance):

• Wide-open, C-shaped mouth
• Teeth visible; typically gums not as visible

When a bite is close:

• Ears stay erect until shortly before attack; then ears may tilt downward slightly.

3) Identify fear-based aggression signals

Fear-based aggression signs:

• Ears drooping (not forward/up like dominance)
• Body lowered; weight off front paws
• Mouth appears more elongated/elongated shape, not the C-shaped dominance mouth
• Eyes may become more almond/teardrop-shaped; sometimes gums become visible
• A dog may growl while still staying down (posture change can read as dominance)

4) Use tail position as a major “status/emotion thermometer”

Tail height and meaning (modified by breed norms):

• Dominant/confident: tail carried high
• Relaxed/content: neutral tail position (neither high nor low)
• Insecure/fearful: tail tucked

Breed caveat:

• Tail carriage depends on breed type (some naturally carry tails higher/lower), so interpret tail relative to typical breed posture.

Tail wagging is not automatically “friendly”:

• Fast wag rate = arousal (excited/lively)
• Tail wagging can occur whenever the dog thinks something alive is present (dog, butterfly, etc.)
• If context changes (no “new information”), tail wag may reduce—even if the dog still acts normally (e.g., still eats).

5) Recognize stress/anxiety patterns (physiology + posture)

Stress signals described:

• Eyes half-closed
• Dilated pupils
• Panting
• Ears fall back
• Body lowers and tail lowers
• “Crescent moon pose”: curved body with front and rear bent toward the threat so the dog can align for running
• Rapid/shallow breathing; possible drooling
• Wet paw “footprints” (sweating through paws) in overheated/stressed dogs
• Raised paw and yawning as insecurity/stress signals

6) Recognize submission and appeasement signals

General submission:

• Lower body posture than the other animal
• Lower buttocks than shoulders = clearer submission
• Head lower than rear also indicates submission
• If already very low, the dog may hold position (breaking it may be seen as challenge)

Additional posture notes:

• Hunching while sitting can represent “lowering” in a seated version.
• Ears back / smooth forehead / wrinkles absent are indicators of timid/submissive states.

Licking behaviors (calming):

• Licking can be appeasement: lower-status dog may lick higher-status dog’s face/ears or lick the air if it can’t reach.

7) Understand “smiling” and mouth closure

• Dog “smile”: Tongue sticking out over the front teeth is described as the closest equivalent to a human smile.
• Humans use smiles with nuance; the speaker claims dogs’ version is more “black/white” (i.e., it’s simply a “smile” signal in the dog system).
• Attentive/alert state: Mouth closes; ears/eyes change; relaxed smile disappears.

8) Use “calming signals” to reduce escalation

Examples:

• Avoid direct gaze: look away rather than stare
• Close eyes and/or half-close eyes while turning away
• Nose-licking and yawning to reduce perceived threat
• “Sit” command: often interpreted as not threatening (neither backing down fearfully nor escalating dominance)

9) Critical safety rule: don’t force dominance by physical submission

The speaker strongly criticizes:

• “Alpha rolling”
• Forced dominance maneuvers (turning the dog onto its back, standing over it, eye contact dominance, growling at the dog)

Reasoning provided:

• It can create fear and physical risk
• It forces the dog into a position without real internal agreement
• It can escalate conflict, potentially increasing aggression toward people (especially children)
• Physical dominance dynamics can make the dog learn that “force is allowed”

Additional concepts explained

• Pack/status thinking: Dogs track social status (compared to a “teenager”-level social awareness), including who is rising in the pack and who controls resources.
• Mounting is not sexual: Mounting is presented as dominance/social signaling.
• Play fighting vs real aggression:
  • Play includes signals like play bow (front end down, mouth open, ears up) and play “smiles.”
  • Dogs may redirect from intense play/aggression back to play bows to regulate escalation.
• “Passive-looking” animals can still trigger conflict: Dogs may interpret threatening contexts differently; examples highlight mismatched interpretations.
• Tail docking limits communication: Less tail visibility reduces clarity of signals; this can increase misunderstandings in dog-dog interactions.
• Let dogs resolve dominance conflicts sometimes—don’t constantly intervene early:
  • The speaker argues that constant prevention of conflict resolution can make aggression worse later.
  • He claims dominance-related confrontations often resolve quickly when allowed (and that interrupting can be dangerous, especially with females).

Instructional takeaway (how to apply it with your dog)

• Observe eyes + ears + mouth shape + posture + tail position first.
• Decide whether the situation is likely dominance threat or fear-based aggression.
• Respond by giving the dog space rather than forcing physical control.
• Use calming gestures/commands (look away, yawn, sit) to lower perceived threat.
• Do not assume friendliness based only on tail wagging or “smiling.”

Speakers / sources featured (as mentioned)

Speakers

• Professor Emeritus Stanley Coren (main speaker)
• Blake Hannah (UBC alumni event host/introducer)

Named sources / referenced authorities and media

• Dr. Conrad Lorenz (ethologist; observed submissive signals and rolling-over)
• Caesar Millan (called out as a “dog whisperer” TV figure)
• Border Collies (as an example species/behavior)
• Lassie (cultural reference; specifically “Lassie number eight” mentioned)
• Oprah (TV appearance referenced)
• Good Morning America, NBC Today Show, Canada AM, CBC National News, CBS National News, CBC Fifth Estate, NBC/Dline (media outlets referenced)
• Life Network (where “Good Dog” is said to air)
• CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) (mentioned for recognizing 160+ breeds)
• Egyptian 18th Dynasty (referenced for dog “smiling toy” imagery)
• BC SPCA (mentioned in Q&A about adopting cats)
• UBC (University of British Columbia) (event context; alumni association referenced)
• Professor Coren’s lab: Human Neuropsychology and Perception Laboratory (mentioned)