Animals communicate with each other primarily through body language. Thus you can read your dog better if you know what his different body positions mean. Your dog may seem to act guilty when he tries to shrink away with his tail between his legs. However, this behavior is often misinterpretedand your dog is actually afraid. That perceived guilt is more often a reaction of fear to how you act when you see him doing something bad. If your dog bows with a toy or a stick, he is indicating that he wants to play. A confident dog holds his head high and his tail up. He may puff up his fur and act aggressively to show dominance over you or other animals. Of course, any gnashing of teeth can lead to a bite so you should wait till he calms down before approaching your dog. For more information, click here to contact your Lafayette, LA veterinarian.