Are you literate in canine body language?

According to the CDC, there are 4.5 million dog bites annually and children are at highest risk for being bitten. Studies have shown that the majority of adults cannot accurately read dogs' body language when the dogs are exhibiting signs of being fearful or anxious. For instance, dogs wag their tails when they are happy and confident, but a tail wag can also be a sign of anxiety or nervousness for a dog. Additionally, experience with dogs does not necessarily improve our dog behavior IQ.

If we were better at reading dogs' emotional states, we might be able to prevent some of the dog bites that happen.

Here are some resources for learning more about canine body language:

Ladder of aggression

CDC: Preventing dog bites

Dr. Sophia Yin