Doggie Language: A Dog Lover's Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend

by Lili Chin

Dogs communicate with so much more than barks and tail wags.
Misreading doggie body language makes life challenging for dogs and their humans. This small but mighty book is your perfect illustrated guide to seeing and understanding the subtle visual cues and interpreting the behaviours used by your beloved pup to express how they’re feeling. The more we notice and listen to what our dogs are trying to tell us, the more we can improve our relationship with our best friends, helping them to feel safe and happy.
Original illustrations help you compare similar facial expressions, body language and gestures Interpret your dog's cues and learn how your dog uses his ears, eyes, mouth, tail and posture to communicate with you Spot the signals your dog is trying to give you to tell you they're stressed or conflicted

Genres: Nonfiction, Dogs, Animals, Graphic Novels, Science, Biology

128 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2020

Reviews

[Plateresca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent little book! I think I understand dogs well, but I have learnt something new from it. Among the behaviours discussed here are the stress yawn, nervous licks, dismissing kisses, various kinds of paw lifts... So you see it goes beyond the basics. But the artwork is so lovely I enjoyed looking at the basics, too :)

(I've just had a look at other reviews and the fact that so many people see the importance of this subject makes me happy).

[Emily Larlham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was brought to tears when talking about this book because I know that this book is going to change the lives of so many dogs and their people for the better. Learning how to read your dog’s body language is such an important skill for a two-sided relationship with your dog.

Lili has an exceptionally advanced understanding of reading dog body language yet she has found a way to translate the information into easy to understand pictures and texts that will help not only those with little to no dog experience but also professionals in the dog world. Thank you Lili for putting so much time, skill and love into this book! It’s greatly appreciated by all of us whose life work is to better the lives and relationships of people and their dogs.
-Emily Larlham

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simpatico libricino illustrato per capire meglio il linguaggio dei nostri amici animali.

[Bradley Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short and effective guide to understanding what your dog is feeling and how your dog expresses emotions.

[Estelle Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, LOVED it! A must have for any dog parent. Great info & Lili Chin’s illustrations are fantastic I could not wait to put my paws on his little gem since I pre-ordered the book more than 8 months ago! I ❤️ Lili Chin’s work and. Booggie, her rescue pooch who inspired her to educate fellow dog lovers!
.

[Rhys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of dog body language with wonderful illustrations! I've been around dogs my whole life and I felt like I knew a lot of this but I did still learn some things. I also really appreciated the variety of dogs shown and the emphasis on looking at the whole body and the context of the situation! Great resource.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone who cares for/ about dogs. I wish that people were better at interpreting dog body language, and this book is a compact, good reference of the basics with cute and useful cartoon drawings.

[Ганна Кузьо · Rating 5 out of 5]

Дуже класна книжечка. Пояснення собачої міміки та жестів для чайників - багато ілюстрацій з короткими поясненнями. Це справді добра ідея, не лише тому, що люди не люблять текст і люблять картинки, а просто значно легше зрозуміти різницю між "напруженою посмішкою" і "радісною посмішкою" собаки, коли бачиш це на рисунку.

[Ashleigh Forristall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an adorable accurate representation of doggie body language and communication! The illustrations are such a helpful way for people to see it explained - and it’s also a very attractive addition to your coffee table for all dog lovers!

[Dixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, simple, accurate, clear, family-friendly. If everyone read this book there would be far fewer dog bites, and many more harmonious human/dog families.

[Boolia Bart · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute and helpful

[LG (A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is primarily illustrations of dog body language, accompanied by short paragraphs or bulleted lists highlighting the important aspects of what you'll see a dog doing and what their body language likely indicates, along with additional details to note (context, what's going on with the rest of their body, etc.).

I'm pretty sure my first exposure to Chin's work was her dog and cat body language posters, both of which are freely available to download and print on her website (along with lots of other really helpful graphics, many but not all of which animal-related). You can probably get a lot of the same information found in this book via Chin's free downloads, but this book has it all in one place, in a format small enough to be tucked away in a bag. I'd have appreciated something like this back when my parents got their first dog. I'd grown up around cats but not dogs - dogs seemed loud and aggressive in comparison, and while I ended up loving my parents' dog, I'm still not always comfortable around dogs in general.

As Chin notes, dogs can have very different body types (curly tails, stubby tails, floppy ears, etc.), which can affect what certain body language details look like. Where possible, she illustrates what certain behaviors might look like in different dogs - for example, relaxed vs. alert ears in a Boston Terrier (upright ears) vs. a Dachshund (floppy ears).

All in all, this is a nice little book, and the illustrations are, as expected, great.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

[Charty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like her book on cat body language (which I recommend for all cat people!) Chin takes you through various dog postures, specific body parts (tails, tongues, eyebrows, etc) to touch on what the dog's body language is communicating to other dogs as well as ourselves) about how they are feeling.

It’s very easy as a human to overlook subtle changes in positioning of a tail, for example, that held one way might mean on alert, another way as fear, and yet another as joyful. With clear but cute illustrations, this book walks you through the differences and emphasizes that you should always be looking at a dog’s whole body for context to help interpret postural clues regarding their feelings.

This book will hopefully help increase people’s awareness and hopefully help them alter their own behavior and help them be more empathetic to their four legged friends, which will in turn make life easier for their pets - or even dogs they may encounter on a walk, a visit to a friend’s, etc.

I wish the author would tackle horses next! Horses have a whole host of body language that sadly many horse people are either oblivious to, or misinterpret. A concise, easy to understand book like this would be a valuable tool.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a book that is education and super easy to understand about dog body language, then this is the book for you! I read this in about half an hour and there are beautiful illustrations showing many different signals dogs give. Highly recommend for lovers of dogs!

[Katherine Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise and easy-to-understand guide to dog body language. The illustrations are so helpful and really add to the book. This would be so great for every new dog owner to get a quick overview of what dogs are trying to communicate.

[bella]

doggie language is the most adorable little guide to gaining a better understanding of what dogs are trying to tell to us and each other. the book is divided into sections such as ‘greetings,’ ‘posture,’ and ‘play!’. it even includes a ‘know the difference’ section to aid in discerning similar-looking behaviors. the book may be small, but it is packed with knowledge on reading dogs’ body language, how they say hello, recognizing stress signals, and more!

each page is accompanied by delightfully colorful and amusing illustrations that are extra helpful for the visual learners among us. doggie language is a quick read that also serves as a wonderful reference for dog lovers/parents and its small size makes it perfectly portable. highly recommend to anyone who has a dog they love in their life, or is interested in animal behavior.

[Gitty Mandel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing visuals and explanations of dog body language. Be warned, once you learn what a stressed dog looks like, you’ll see them everywhere.

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every dog owner needs this book.

[Meredith Kauffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for cuteness

[Savannah Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book for kids and teens to help illustrate a better understanding of the family dog(s) and what they might be feeling.

[jolative · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute!!!

[Maria Nevoisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute illustrations, easy-to-digest information. I would recommend reading it before getting a dog, as it provides quite basic information.

[Małgorzata Morawa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warta głębszego lub ponownego odczytu książka, którą mogłabym nazwać psio-ludzkim słownikiem. Zdecydowanie świetny wybór dla miłośników psów, którzy chcą lepiej zrozumieć swojego pupila!❤️

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the Swedish translation.
Helt okej bok. Fanns inte mycket ny info för min del, men funkar nog bra för personer som inte är så hundvana. Tror den är perfekt för att lära barn läsa hundar bättre.

[Zsófia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an adorable book with clear descriptions and wonderful illustrations! I think it's perfect if you want to teach children how dogs communicate, but even as an adult there's a lot to learn, depending on your level of experience. I've had my dog for 4 years and there were still a couple of things that were new to me!

[Claudia Almeida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was honestly expecting more from this book. It's useful and so important to help owners understand their doggos but I wish it was more in depth. The drawings are adorable but some real life pictures would have been more helpful to identifying the nunces.

[Miruna Direa · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Oamenii diferă de câini prin faptul că nouă ne place să comunicăm prin atingere fizică (îmbrățișări, strânsul mâinii) si să facem contact direct cu ochii.
Pentru multi oameni poate fi surprinzator să afle că și câinii comunică vizual în permanență. Nu trebuie să latre sau să se atingă fizic pentru a comunica altora - și nouă - ce le displace, cu ce se simt confortabil si ce le place foarte mult.
Atunci când un câine ne transmite că ceva este prea intens pentru el (prea aproape, prea tare, prea direct, prea multă mișcare sau prea ciudat), e posibil ca accidental, să înrăutățim situația, dacă interpretăm greșit limbajul corporal si agravăm stresul resimțit.
Un câine care mârâie, mușcă sau începe o bătaie, procedează astfel ca o ultimă soluție, atunci când semnalele de comunicare mai mici n-au avut niciun efect.”

“Joaca este un „conflict ritualizat" lipsit de gravitate și limbajul corpului în joacă poate indica stres sau agresiune, cu paralizare bruscă si scurtă, priviri lungi.”

“Multe semnale similare sunt interpretate deseori greșit. Observarea întregului corp al cainelui și contextul sunt esențiale pentru interpretare.”

Datul din coadă:
Înțelepciunea populară spune că un câine care dă din coadă e fericit. Acest lucru nu este întotdeauna adevărat. Ce se întâmplà cu restul corpului?

Dă din coadă, cu ea ridicată
• Dacă fața și corpul sunt încordate, câinele este agitat. Dacă dă din coadă scurt si țeapăn, NU este prietenos.

Mișcări ample comparativ cu cele restrânse
• Dacă dă din coadă cu mișcări ample, denotă fericire.
• Dacă dă din coadă cu mișcări scurte si indică si alte semne de stres, nu e fericit deloc!

Mișcarea circulară sau “coada elicopter”
• Dacă și corpul se mișcă si câinele dă din coadă cu mișcări rapide, e semnalul cel mai fericit posibil!

“Sfat: Cei mai mulți câini preferă să fie mângâiați pe partea superioară a corpului, nu pe burtă!”

Gâfâitul de stres:
• Dacă fața și corpul sunt încordate, este un semn de anxietate. Gâfâitul de stres este uscat și
răgușit.

"Râsul"
• Dacă are limba în gură, iar gâfâitul începe si se termină ca răspuns la interacțiunile de joacă, câinele se distrează copios!

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've searched for information about dog body language on Pinterest, then you've probably seen Lili Chin's artwork featured on posters and in blog posts that get saved all the time.

Her illustrations make recognizing dog body language accessible to anyone. When she announced that she published a book of her dog body language images, I knew I would love it.

She breaks her illustrations into 9 chapters:
•Greetings
•Eyes
•Posture
•Mouths
•Conflicted or Stressed
•Ears
•Play!
•Tails
•Know the Difference

Every two-page spread follows the same format.

On the left, is one large colorful word/phrase to describe what a dog may be communicating. Then there's a bullet list of the visual signs to look for, and an interpretation of what your dog may be feeling.

On the right is the illustration that's annotated to point out specific aspects of body language like how the mouth may be formed, how ears may look, or what the tail be doing.

Chin features many many different breeds of dogs throughout the book. In her introduction she states, "Even if your dog doesn't look like any of the dogs I have drawn (there are, after all, over 400 different dog breeds and physical types in the world), the drawings should still help you recognize these signals in your own dog."

If you're a dog owner looking to learn more about dog body language, or you want a resource to help children better understand dog body language, I highly recommend this book.

One thing to be prepared for, though, is the smaller size of the book. It's slightly larger than a 4x6" photo. The pages are sturdy and my binding has held up nicely. And I've been referring to this book quite a lot.

[Marika Dubiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5⭐️

Moim największym zarzutem do tej książki jest to jak "sucha" jest. Nazwałabym ją ATLASEM PSICH SYGNAŁÓW. Ogranicza się do totalnego minimum, ale czy to jest tak w 100% złe lub dobre?

Myślę, że jest to całkiem dobra książka jako taka podstawa i punkt wyjścia, mimo opisania bardzo wielu sygnałów, są one opisane krótko i zwięźle. Wiadomości nie przytłaczają w tak znacznym stopniu. Ale z drugiej strony są opisane takie totalne podstawy.

Brakuje mi przykładów, rozwinięcia myśli, a nie zamykania się na streszczenie myśli do absolutnego minimum.

I brakowało mi w tym wszystkim bardziej rozbudowanej perspektywy psa. Takiego holistycznego podejścia. "A po co pies to robi?", "Jak to wpływa na psa, jego emocje?". Chociaż wiem, że książka ma swoje lata i może to nie być kwestia pominięcia tego tematu, a tego, że w tamtych czasach absolutnie nikt o tym by nie pomyślał...

"Z psiego na nasze" Lili Chin to kultowa książka, wrecz mam już wrażenia trochę taka "klasyka gatunku" w odniesieniu do popularno-naukowej literatury skupiającej się na komunikacji psów. Nie mogę jej ocenić gorzej, bo jest to dobra książka i cała zawartość jest poprawna i conajmniej nieszkodliwa. Ale mimo to sporo mi w niej brakuje.

P.S. przeczytałam ją w nieco ponad godzinę - to tylko pokazuje jak mało treści zawiera (mogłaby mieć równie dobrze 20 stron tekstu + obrazki).

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to change my review and increase it to 4 stars for the simple reason that I've been paying closer attention to my dog's reactions to things I'm doing. And I believe that is likely the entire point. Plus there are cute dog illustrations!

I imagine there's no way to write a book where everyone with any dog knowledge and experience is going to agree. There are resources on the doggie language book dot com website, but I think I would prefer a bit more in the book about what qualifications the author has, what research was used to make these determinations, and more on the why of the actions. But maybe that's for another book.
The things that caused me to feel "conflicted or stressed" were the implication of zoomies as negative and the ambiguity of things like scratching being conflicted/stressed UNLESS they're itchy (am I supposed to ask my dog if she's itchy?) or yawning if they're tired (again, I can't ask her). Assumptions seem to be the things we're trying to overcome with a book like this but it seems unavoidable.
Would be a great gift for a dog lover or new dog guardian!