Client handout: Canine body language

When Ariel loses her voice in Disney's The Little Mermaid, Ursula the Sea Witch reminds her that she still has the power to influence Prince Eric without it. Ursula could easily have been talking to us about one of our patients when she said [insert smarmy tone here], “Don't underestimate the importance of body language.”

Companion animals “speak” mostly with their bodies, often relaying very little with their vocal cords. When we miss-or worse, misinterpret-our patients' nonverbal warning signals indicating that they're uncomfortable or worried, we can set ourselves and our staff up for a potential bite. If those of us in the veterinary profession are unable to interpret body language appropriately, how can we expect our clients to be able to understand their pets? We merely need to open our eyes and be good observers of our patients to understand what they're trying to tell us.

Now, you can share the veterinarian and veterinary team member advice I shared in a 2018 American Veterinarian article on dog body language with your veterinary clients. Click here or on the image below to download this handout.