Sometimes dogs roll onto their backs when interacting with their owners. Why do they do it and what can this body position mean?
⠀
When interpreting canine body language, we should look beyond the one-time signal: the context of the situation, and the general mimics and poses that are characteristic for the dog.
⠀
There are 3 most common situations in which dogs lie of their backs:
⠀
1️⃣While sleeping or resting. If your dog prefers to sleep on their back, it means your pet feels safe and comfortable.
⠀
2️⃣When asking for attention. In this case, your dog’s body and ears are relaxed, the eyes are calm, and the tail is not pressed to the tummy. Some owners even introduce a command in this situation: for example, “Tummy”.🐶
⠀
3️⃣When demonstrating obedience and blocking their human’s aggression. This is when the dog’s body is tense, mouth closed, lips stretched (some owners think their dog is smiling in this situation, but that’s wrong), tail pressed to the body or wagging humbly, the dog is avoiding eye contact, and the whites of the eyes might be visible.
⠀
Some dogs also urinate slightly in this moment. All of this means that you are putting too much pressure on your dog, and he/she is afraid of you. In this case, you should really rethink the way you interact with your dog.
