His ears will point forward and the tail will be pointing up. This is the opposite of the submissive dog in that the confident dog is not concerned about being injured in a fight and not afraid to let its identity known. If the other dog does not act submissively, then the approaching dog will now attempt to scare the other dog into submission. Snarling, wrinkling of the nose and teeth-baring display to the other dog what harm could be done if provoked. If the dog does launch into a fight, its ears will be drawn in at the last minute to prevent injury. Confusing Body Language When dogs misunderstand each other, trouble can occur. The breeds who most distinctly look like wolves are those with the clearest body language (such German Shepherd Dogs). Those with peculiar anatomical features are most far-removed from the wolverine shape and so may be misunderstood. For example, spaniels have floppy ears which don't erect when acting confidently. Other dogs can't display their teeth because of the hair on their face. Dogs with very long hair can not raise their hackles and dogs like the pug can not raise, wag or lower their tails. Black dogs may appear featureless to the eyes of other dogs and so subtle facial expressions are not understood. |
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