There is so much we can learn from our dog’s body language. Pets are incredibly expressive animals, and the way they communicate when they are happy, sad, nervous, scared, or angry can tell us a lot about their emotions.
Speaking of expressions, have you ever noticed that your furry friend likes to close their eyes when you pet them and enjoy them? And have you ever paid attention to their body posture at this moment? It seems like the animal is enjoying your caresses so much that it could literally fall asleep at any moment. Let’s find out more about why dogs close their eyes when we pet them and what they are trying to tell us with this behavior.
The root of the behavior
It happens every time: you start petting your dog on the head, and almost instantly, their eyelids start to droop. And it looks like they are about to doze off. And you might be thinking: “Does he actually enjoy what I’m doing or is he just impatient to let me rest?”
A dog’s body language is a complex and sophisticated system of nonverbal communication that can tell you when an animal is happy, sad, or upset about something. Fortunately, it’s not that difficult to learn to recognize and interpret this form of communication.
The most important thing is to take into account all the different components that make up a given behavior. Or in other words, to look at each part of the animal’s body before deciding how it really feels.
So – when it comes to petting…
There is hardly a dog that doesn’t like to be paid attention to and petted. Well, it all depends on the way you do it, of course. There are some things that are good to be aware of, especially if you have decided to enjoy an animal you are meeting for the first time. You can tell by the dog’s body movements and overall reactions. A friendly dog will approach you with their ears slightly folded, their tail held at medium height, and they may even be wagging it slightly. Of course, all of these body signals vary depending on the context. Besides, when you pet and enjoy your pet, it’s different than showing friendly behavior to an unfamiliar dog, right? Think about it – does your furry friend close their eyes when you start petting them? And then – does they open them again the moment you stop?
Does your dog enjoy being petted?
Imagine this: you’re on a calm, sunny beach, relaxing and listening to your favorite music. You close your eyes so that you can increase the intensity of the pleasant emotions you’re experiencing, to give yourself over to the moment. Well, the same thing happens to our pets when we pet them. They also show it through other signs of friendly behavior such as: putting their head under your arm, nudging their nose, relaxing their facial muscles, their eyes drooping slightly at the corners… And these are all signs that the animal is happy and feels good, rest assured!
It’s not just what we do, but how we do it
Just like with humans, you can learn a lot by simply looking into your pet’s eyes. One way you can encourage your furry friend to relax as much as possible while petting them is to think about how you are doing it. Most four-legged friends feel good and like to have attention paid to their chest, shoulders (and between them) and the base of their neck, rather than just running your hand over the top of the animal’s head.
In general, dogs are not particularly fond of being touched on the head and muzzle, legs, paws and tail. If you want your pet to enjoy the attention you show them and to give them a moment to themselves, consider calming them down with slow stroking, similar to a gentle massage or a very light scratching. You will easily notice that they like this approach – your dog will most likely lean towards you or actively seek contact. Respectively – if the animal tries to move away or shows signs of discomfort such as licking its lips, for example, it is better to give it some personal space.
As we mentioned earlier, think of stroking as a therapeutic way to help your animal calm down and relax. We must not forget that each dog has its own personality and you, as the leader of its pack, should be able to decipher it best.
An old English proverb says that the eyes are the window to the soul. And when it comes to our pets, it is absolutely true. Therefore, pay attention and pay attention to what your pet is trying to tell you, observing its behavior and reactions in every aspect of your daily life.
Illustrative Photo by Arijit Dey: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-dogs-sharing-affection-in-close-up-portrait-28992146/
