If at home your dog is one of the family, surely you are not only concerned that he is healthy and well fed, but also that he is comfortable in his environment. Even if he does not speak, your pet has a thousand ways to express his mood with signs that it is important to know how to recognize. The behavior and body language of a happy dog has nothing to do with that of a sad, stressed or even depressed animal and if you pay attention to some very specific signs, you will know how your faithful friend feels. Discover in this article the keys to answer your question “how to know if my dog is happy?“, because if your pet is abnormally sad, you may need to consult with a veterinarian or an ethologist.

Wag the tail

It is one of the signs, which we all know, with which a dog expresses its joy. When a dog wags its tail, it means that it is happy. You can do it slowly and leisurely, like ‘waving’, or with surprising speed and energy when you’re ‘crazy happy’. In any case, it is always a good sign of tranquility and happiness.

We encourage you to read about Why Dogs Wag Their Tails.

Has a relaxed expression

Although it is not as obvious a sign as wagging his tail, your dog’s body language clearly expresses his mood, you just need to be a little observant. A happy dog presents a relaxed look with soft blinking, his mouth is slightly open, and his ears show no tension. Details such as the wrinkled muzzle showing teeth, the tense or trembling body and the well-raised ears can indicate that you are defensive, discomfort or sadness.

Eat well

It is another of the basic signs to which we must pay special attention, because the loss of appetite in pets should always put us on alert. If your dog has been listless for a few days and leaving practically all the food, he may have some illness that needs to be treated and it may also be that he is simply sad for some reason. Do you spend all day alone at home and when you arrive you haven’t eaten? Maybe it’s his way of expressing his disgust at feeling abandoned. Therefore, if you see that he is eating well, it is a sign that your dog is happy.

Sleep at ease

Just as with people, sleep is, along with good appetite, another obvious sign of health and well-being. If your dog rests great at night and throughout the day, he is happy and without ‘worries’.

Here you can discover the meaning of the positions of dogs when sleeping.

Enjoy playing

If you’re wondering if your dog is happy, just brush up on his daily activity. If it does not lack fun play times, then it is full of vitality and very happy. A happy dog has a great time throwing a ball or other toys into the air with his muzzle and catching it again. In addition, he loves to take it with you and offer it to you to play with. The game is a fundamental physical activity for the animal and if it participates in each one that you propose, it is that it is happy with you and in its environment.

You don’t want to be alone

Dogs are very sociable animals and when they feel good, they like to be in the company of the rest of the family. If he refuses to be with you and stays for long periods of time curled up in a corner, his behavior is abnormal and again he may be sick, feel sad or have some socialization problems.

Look for caresses

They love the cuddles and caresses and do not tire of receiving them when they are calm and cheerful. If your dog, when he sees you, first wags his tail and then lies belly up or approaches you headbutting you and asking for caresses, trust you and is happy.

Here you can know some details and tips on how to pet a dog.

Barks and vocalizes

It is the closest thing dogs have to human speech and you have to know how to listen to them. Of course, all dogs bark but a happy dog bark sparingly, that is, he does not spend all day barking (maybe he does it when he spends many hours alone and locked up, something they do not like). In addition, when he is happy, he has a lively and cheerful bark, without serious grunts, which express aggressiveness or fear, and without pitiful howls that indicate, clearly, sorrow and sadness.

He wants to walk whenever you propose it

Does your dog already know the schedule of your walks and when the time approaches, he waits impatiently? They can become so smart as to recognize that moment that they love so much and wait at the door impatiently jumping for joy. Surely, even if you propose it at any other time, you will want to run to the street. If your pet is looking forward to going out with you for a walk and when you get to the park, which he likes so much, he jumps and runs without stopping, there is no doubt that he is a happy dog.

You’re curious

Dogs also love to browse, to discover and learn new things. Sniffing during the walk, approaching other dogs by wagging their tails as a sign of friendship, being willing to train new exercises with you (for example, letting you teach them to ‘paw’) are canine signs of well-being and happiness. If a dog is down, he has no interest in his surroundings or what you can tell him… Something happens to him and maybe he is not happy because his basic needs are not met.

Now that you know the signs to know if your dog is happy, we also encourage you to know these 10 signs that my dog loves me.

If you want to read similar articles to How to know if your dog is happy, we recommend that you enter our pet’s category.