What Your Dog Is Telling You

What Your Dog Is Telling You

(Before the Barking Starts)

If dogs could talk, many of them would be saying things like: “Excuse me, this is a bit much,” “I’m not sure about that,” or “Please stop walking me directly towards the thing I’m worried about.”

Instead, they communicate in ways that are quieter, subtler and far easier to miss — until the barking, lunging or snapping turns up and everyone feels stressed.

The good news? Dogs almost always tell us how they’re feeling long before behaviour escalates. We just haven’t been taught how to listen.

Let’s fix that.

Dogs Don’t Skip Straight to Barking

Barking, growling or lunging are not a dog’s first choice. They’re usually the final line of communication when earlier signals haven’t worked.

Think of behaviour like a volume dial:

• Early signals are whispers

• Escalation is talking louder

• Barking is shouting

Most dogs would prefer to whisper.

The Early Signals Most People Miss

1. Turning the Head Away

This is one of the most common and misunderstood signals.

When a dog turns their head away, they’re often saying: “I’m uncomfortable,” “I need a bit of space,” or “This interaction feels too intense.”

It’s not rudeness. It’s polite dog language.

If a human did this, we’d call it de-escalation. When a dog does it, we often lean closer and say, “Oh go on, they’re fine.”

They were. Until that moment.

2. Lip Licking (When There’s No Food Involved)

A quick flick of the tongue can look harmless — or even cute — but in context, it often signals stress.

Common situations where you’ll see this:

• A stranger leaning over your dog

• A child hugging them

• A camera phone suddenly appearing in their face

• Another dog approaching head-on

Your dog isn’t thinking about snacks. They’re thinking about how to cope.

3. Yawning at Inconvenient Times

A dog yawning during a quiet evening nap is normal. A dog yawning repeatedly during training, handling or social interactions is communicating stress.

It’s the canine equivalent of:“I’m trying to regulate myself right now.”

If your dog yawns every time the harness comes out, they’re giving you feedback — not being dramatic.

4. Freezing (The One People Really Miss)

Freezing is a big one. And a worrying one.

A dog who suddenly stops moving, stiffens their body, or goes very still is not “being calm”. They are processing something they find difficult.

This moment often comes right before a growl or snap — and because it’s quiet, it’s frequently missed.

Freezing is not compliance. It’s conflict.

What Happens When These Signals Are Ignored

When subtle communication doesn’t work, dogs learn to escalate.

If turning away doesn’t stop the interaction, they may:

• Stiffen

• Growl

• Bark

• Snap or lunge

Then we label the dog as “reactive”, “naughty” or “aggressive”, when in reality they were communicating clearly — just not in a language we were taught to understand.

Dogs don’t “go from zero to barking”. They go from ignored to overwhelmed.

How to Start Listening (And Responding Differently)

Step 1: Notice the Pattern

Ask yourself:

• When does my dog show these signals?

• Is it around people, dogs, handling, certain environments?

• What happens immediately before they escalate?

Behaviour always makes sense in context.

Step 2: Create Space Early

If your dog turns away, slows down, yawns or lip-licks:

• Increase distance

• Reduce intensity

• Pause the interaction

You’re not rewarding fear. You’re preventing overwhelm.

Step 3: Stop Waiting for the Bark

If you only respond once barking starts, your dog learns that shouting is the only thing that works.

Responding earlier teaches them: “I’m heard. I don’t need to escalate.”

This is how you build trust — and quieter behaviour.

A Quick Reality Check (With Kindness)

Many dogs labelled “reactive” are actually:

• Communicative

• Sensitive

• Trying very hard to cope

They’re not failing. They’re responding to situations that feel too much, too fast, or too close.

And often, they’ve been giving polite feedback for a long time.

What Your Dog Is Really Saying

Before the barking starts, your dog is often saying:

• “I’m not ready.”

• “I need space.”

• “Please slow this down.”

• “This feels unsafe to me.”

Listening doesn’t mean avoiding life forever. It means helping your dog feel safe enough to handle it.

Final Thought

Behaviour doesn’t come out of nowhere. It builds quietly, one missed signal at a time.

When you learn to hear your dog before the barking starts, you don’t just change behaviour — you change the relationship.

And that’s where the real progress lives.

I’m Tori, and I’ve built my life around dogs – walking them, training them, advocating for them, and occasionally negotiating with them like tiny furry lawyers.

Roaming Rovers is my space to share what I’ve learned from years in the field: what works, what doesn’t, and why your dog is absolutely not broken. These blogs are written for real dog owners living real lives – busy, imperfect, and full of love.

Pull up a seat, grab a brew, and let’s talk dogs.