Mythbusting: What a dog’s body language is really saying

We often think we can tell exactly what a dog is feeling by looking at one part of their body. Hackles up? They must be aggressive. Tail wagging? They must be friendly.
Not so fast!
Dogs communicate through their entire body, and understanding their behaviour means looking at the whole picture—not just one signal.
Myth #1: Raised hackles means a dog is aggressive
When the hair along a dog’s back and neck stands up, it’s easy to assume the dog is aggressive, or ready to fight. B