an owner’s guide to

DOG & CAT

About Me

Former Girl Scout Aaliyah Cooper (Troop #30518) created this educational site as a part of earning her Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve. Raised in Sterling, MA, she gained a passion for pet behavior and animal welfare after studying veterinary science at her trade high school. Currently, Aaliyah is an undergraduate at Brown University majoring in environmental studies. She likes to think she's missed by her childhood cat, Thomas.

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So you just brought home your new pet. Congratulations!

Just as it is important to know what food to give your pet, or how much exercise they need, it is important to understand their behavior. Animals have emotions just like people do, but they show them differently than us.

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Read inside to learn about a few dog behaviors, or scan the QR code below to access even more info—including essentials on cat behavior!

Welcome!

BEHAVIOR

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Aggressive

A scared dog has a firm muscle tone, which tightens as the dog becomes more fearful. Their eyes are open wide, and their ears are held down and to the back of their head. They keep their mouth closed shut. Their posture is backward-leaning or crouched, with their head held low and their haunches held high. Their tail is either held close to their body or tucked between their legs, possibly wagging. They may tremble, lick their lips and nose, or yawn. As the dog becomes more fearful, you

may be able to see the white of

their eyes—this is called whale eye. At high levels of fear, dogs open their mouth wide, showing all of their teeth. They may scream.

Fearful

When a dog feels friendly, they have a soft muscle tone and hold their head neutrally—not very high nor low near their chest. Their tail sticks straight out or is held high, and may wag quickly. Their eyes and ears will be more active than in a relaxed

dog.

An angry dog also has a firm muscle tone, which tightens as the dog becomes more aggressive. Their eyes are also open wide, glaring at what they are aggressive toward, but their ears are held up and forward. Their eyebrows furrow and become prominent, and their muzzle wrinkles as it tightens. They keep their mouth closed shut. Their posture leans forward, with their head and tail held high. They may wag their tail slowly. As the dog becomes more aggressive, they open their mouth just enough for you to view their incisors and canines. They often growl simultaneously. Only at the highest levels of aggression will a dog open their mouth fully.

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