You can tell a lot about your dog simply by its body language, whether it is from their sleeping position or waggling their tail. Little things like this can reveal a lot.
However, sometimes, we can misread these signs and understand them completely differently from what they actually mean.
A common one is when our furry friend will lay on their stomach. Often, we just assume the dog wants a little belly scratch, but that isn’t actually always the case.
Una McEvoy is a qualified and insured dog trainer and the founder of Walkies with Una, a team of qualified dog trainers and walkers who offer dog walking and online or in-person training services.
With her years of expert knowledge, she revealed what it means exactly when a dog shows humans its belly, and there isn’t only one.
She told Express.co.uk: « When a dog shows their belly in a really friendly, ‘can you stroke my belly’ type of way, they roll right onto their back or they will lay completely flat on their side, and that’s when they want a belly scratch. »
So, while a dog lying on their back can mean they’re happy to receive a belly scratch, that’s not the only reason, and it’s important that we keep that in mind.
Ms McEvoy added: « There are two different ways of them rolling over. One means ‘I want my belly scratched’, and one means ‘Please don’t push it any further.' »
Where a dog showing a human its belly can also be a sign of trust, she also emphasised that it is important to note that every dog is different. She used the example of her German Shephard explaining that even on the first meeting, she could show her belly due to having « no reason not to trust » humans.
However, she revealed that, in owning an international rescue, you could have to wait up to five or six years for it to do the same because not all dogs have « a good history with humans. »
She continued: « But it is generally spoken that if a dog does let you touch their tummy, then it is a sign that they are happy, confident and they’re trusting you. It all comes down to confidence. »
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