How Context and Environment Affect Behaviour

Dogs have rich and complex emotional lives. Just like us, they experience joy, love, excitement, fear, anxiety, grief, and more. They don’t hide how they feel—but they do speak a different language. Their emotions are expressed through a combination of behaviours, body language, facial expressions, and vocalisations. When we learn to recognise and interpret these signals, it becomes easier to understand what our dogs are feeling and trying to communicate.

That said, it can be very easy to misread these signals. A wagging tail doesn’t always mean a dog is happy. A growl isn’t always aggression. And sometimes, what looks like stubbornness might actually be fear, confusion, or pain.

That’s why it’s so important to consider the whole picture—to slow down, observe, and gather information about what we’re seeing. As Sarah Fisher (2022) puts it, “We cannot know what a dog is thinking or feeling, but we can make observations about what we are seeing.” This means that while we can’t ask our dog directly how they feel, we can observe what they are communicating. Without this information, we run the risk of misinterpreting what we are seeing, potentially leading to a misunderstanding of the emotion we are observing.

Here are three key areas to consider when trying to determine your dog’s emotional state:

1. The Whole Body

It’s easy to focus on a single part—like the tail, ears, or face—but canine communication is a full-body affair. For example, a dog may appear relaxed at first glance because their tail is wagging, but a closer look might reveal tension in the body, weight shifted back, or pupils dilated—all signs that they may be feeling uncertain or anxious. That’s why is important to look at your dog’s whole body, including their posture and movement.

2. The Context

Behaviour doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The same signal can mean very different things depending on the situation. A dog who yawns while waking up is probably just sleepy, but a dog who yawns repeatedly in a busy environment may be feeling anxious. A tail wag in the middle of a joyful game is very different to a stiff, low wag when a stranger approaches. Always ask yourself: What’s happening in the environment?

3. The Individual Dog

Every dog is unique, shaped by their own learning history, experiences, health, and age. Some dogs might freeze when anxious, others might bark or pace. Some enjoy body contact, while others find close physical contact uncomfortable.

It’s also important to remember that not all communication signals are under voluntary control. For example, dogs in a fearful or anxious state will communicate involuntary (Siniscalchi et al, 2018).

Why It Matters

By learning to notice the small details—how our dogs move, their body language, what vocalisations they make, and the situations they’re in—we can start to piece together the puzzle of how they’re feeling. Each piece of information helps us understand more about their emotional state. This deeper awareness helps us respond in ways that support their emotional wellbeing and build deeper trust.

Deepening our understanding of our dogs doesn’t happen all at once. It grows through everyday observations, shared experiences, and a commitment to truly seeing the individual dog in front of us.

Understanding and meeting your dog’s emotional needs can have a big impact on their overall wellbeing. Dogs who feel seen and understood are more likely to feel secure, confident, and less anxious in everyday situations.