How To Read Your Dog's Body Language

How do I interpret my dog's body language?

Contrary to popular belief, a wagging tail is not always a sign of a dog who's happy – they can be wagging their tail and biting somebody – so you have to read the whole dog. Basically you look at the dog and you say, "OK, is the dog leaning forward or is the dog leaning backward?" If he's leaning forward, he's more aggressive, more aroused, and more confident. If the dog is leaning backward, meaning the ears are back, then the whole demeanour is backward, and that's a more fearful dog. That's a really good tip on how to read a dog in general: forward or backward.