Nervous

Brandi, the dog in the picture to the right, is nervous and fearful! You can tell by her ears folded back, the licking of the snout, and the hidden tail. Her back is arched. She is looking for safety from her handler, as you can tell by her leaning into the person who is holding her.

Unsure

Axel, on the left, looks up to his handler for guidance. He is not quite sure what is expected of him, as you can tell by the dropped back ears, and the hunched back.

Aggression
(not shown)

An aggressive dog shows ears that are folded flat against the head, almost “tucked under”. This comes from their readiness to fight: They fold the ears flat against the head, so the opponent cannot bite them off.

Alert

Smokey (right) is interested in something in front of him. His body leans forward, his ears are a bit open to hear better, and his mouth is slightly opened. His legs are spread apart a bit. He is ready to get in the action if there should be any.

Fear

Hardy (above) is very afraid of the camera flash. He is making a mad dash to exit, his ears are folded back in apprehension and his eyes are wide open, like a kid’s when he gets caught doing something wrong.

Dominance
TC (left) is letting other dogs know that he will not be messed with. His mouth is open, his teeth can be seen, his ears are tight (not relaxed), his tail is stiff and pointing upward. TC is ready to show anyone who’s the boss.

Curious

Skeeter (above) wants to know what’s going on behind the fence. His whole body is relaxed and the mouth is wide open in a playful mood.
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