Well usually if my dogs are standing real close to each other, and wagging their tails kind of slowly, looking identical, somebody gets called away. Some dogs get stiff, some go on their tippy toes, my bitches like to stand over other dogs or put their heads over other dogs shoulders, that's rude as hell. Sounds you really have to know your dog, I can tell when things are getting iffy, but most people think my dogs playing nicely is pretty vicious. Also some dogs are just socially dumb, like my Ripley who thinks throwing 60 pounds of herself straight into another is great fun, or jumping on/over them so I do a lot of interference so nobody eats her face, she doesn't take a dog correction very well.

 

I think with time you learn to recognize your own dog's body language. At the park I can tell when Louis starts to get tense. I can tell when he starts to become uneasy because he will sort of raise his shoulders, tuck his tail (which is usually curled over his back), pin his ears, and start backing away. Usually it becomes very obvious that he suddenly is trying to avoid eye contact with the other dog and avert its gaze. Once in awhile he will let out a short and higher-pitched yelp. For me it's easy to tell...because he's usually a super relaxed and easy going dog...when things start to make him unhappy he usually does a quick 180. And maybe it's the human in me trying to project human characteristics, but I swear his face turns into a worry face, like this -> ":frown:"

 

Read through this thread:

http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/dog-training/4584-language-dogs.html

 

Exactly what schtuffy said. With time, you can easily read your own dogs' body language. I have, kind of, a hard time reading other dogs' body language. But my own dog, no problem. They are all different...

 

The key is knowing your own dog's triggers and seeing them before they happen. If you can predict what will happen you can prevent scuffles from happening. Always stop play BEFORE it gets to the point of over arousal.

Its a GREAT thing to naturally break up play at LEAST once every couple minutes or so when at the dog park. Either go and get your dog and "split" the play or call him/her to you for a brief break, less than a minute. Then release them back to play. This will help teach your dog to take natural breaks from play. As prolonged, intense play without breaks can easily take things over the edge.

 

As prolonged, intense play without breaks can easily take things over the edge.

Have seen this one too many times.

 

It may be just that we have herding breeds but way before the body language becomes an alarm they eyes harden. I have seen my girl go from soft doe eyes to a narrow eyed prey animal. It scares me that so many people miss all the obvious signals let alone the more subtle. The minute her eyes change the body morphs into something kinda scary.:LOL My boys never fight but both have issues with at least one dog and it will almost always be another unneutered, larger than they are dominant male they make eye contact with. My older boys nemesis is a gigantic BYB newfoundland. Other Newfs are fine - it is just this one. My young boys is a rottie who runs the neighborhood and is very pushy. Anyway with us it all starts with the eyes.

 

Another thing to keep in mind to watch for is "breed directed" behavior signals. With my 2, I got to see them "drop" into hunt mode. Ears folded back, eyes focused, body lowering, and don't know how to describe it but the stride kinda lengthen became more fluid. Most people (Hades, I thought this, up til I experienced it) just see it as them getting into the chase game.

 

I agree with Liz. Mollie being mainly herding breed, it's the eyes. If I see Mol holding a gaze with a dog she does not know, even if its just for a few seconds and either dog doesn't avert it's gaze, I know there is going to be trouble unless I can break the eye contact immediately. With dogs she does know, its fine, they can stare at each other and then launch into playing, but the eyes are different, rounder and softer.
Another thing with Mol is that she is very vocal with her hackles, more so than most other dogs I've met. She will show anything from anger to fear to anxiety with the degree she raises her hackles.
I find the whole body language thing with dogs to be fascinating!

 

The fine details are different for each dog but it's overall very similar throughout the species. For Buck, I can go by sound. I know a dog is pushing him too far when the pitch of his howl changes. That's when I wade in and remove him from the situation before it goes any farther.

With Dude, because he doesn't like to play with any kind of contact, all I have to do is make sure he stays near the dogs who are like him. Mostly I just have to keep the younger dogs away from him. When he gets irritated he will get all stiff and completely stop moving. Sometimes he will bare his teeth. More often than not, the other dog gets the hint and moves on. If they don't, he will snap in their direction but he doesn't make contact.

I have seen dogs give every kind of warning sign imaginable multiple times before snapping at someone and I have seen dogs snap with no warning signs. You just have to know your dog like the back of your hand.

Before letting my dogs interact with any dog I am unfamiliar with, I will watch that dog interact with others. If they are rough players I will let Dude sniff them then remove him from the situation. If they aren't, then he can mingle with that dog. It's the same with Buck. If the dog irritates other dogs we will just stay away from them all together.

Our dog park is frequented by the same people at the same time on the same days with pretty predictable patterns so it is easy for me to know who will be there.

 

if you need visuals go to youtube and type in "dog fight" or things like that and watch videos watch the dogs just before the fight happens. i know many people do not like watching the dog whisperer but even if you dont like Cesar millans advice turn the sound off and observe the dogs yourself thats really how i learned alot of dog behavior is jsut observing them in videos,at local parks,in other peoples homes,in training videos ect. its really hard to discribe unless youve already got a mental image in your mind.

and sometimes its a little harder to identify a bully breed dog when they are too intense with say a collie bully breeds are generally more well bully and pushy its jsut in there nature to be so theres more subtle signs there thats why they can get into trouble more easily becuase many of them are jsut naturally outgoing and use there eyes to stare whereas hunting dogs are more likly to use there noses to greet another dog its more natural to them watching the way Cesar appraoches another dog and the way my sisters poodle appraoches are two entierly differant ways! while Cesar will puff up and wag his tail quickly and stiffly and walk right up to the other dog head on and my sisters poodle will circle with her nose on the ground and appraoch more from the side or the rear to sniff.