1. The yawn
At the vet, with guests, when you lean over them: often a displacement signal. They are overloaded, not sleepy. Give air. Don’t add a hug.
Five dog signs people get wrong.
A yawn is often stress, not bedtime. Whale eye and a freeze mean “I need space”. Read the whole body, not the cute part.
2. The freeze
Not stubborn. Still body, closed mouth, eyes locked: they are stuck. Back up. Let them move first.
3. Whale eye
The white of the eye showing, head turned away. Discomfort. A child hugging, a bowl being taken, a stranger too close. Stop the thing that is happening.
4. Brings a toy, walks off
Invitation, or “I don’t know what to do with this feeling”. Look at the rest: loose body vs stiff. Same toy, two different asks.
5. Comes close, then turns away
Polite contact. A sniff, a lean, then they reset. Not “he doesn’t love you”. They chose the length of the hello.
How to use this
Film 10 seconds of the actual moment. Guests, the lead, the doorbell. Mimo reads that clip against their profile, so the next question is about your dog, not “dogs in general”.
Growling, a bite, or a sudden change in eating or walking: that is a vet or a behaviorist, not an app.
