Emotions Control Behavior
When their emotions change, their behavior changes. A dog’s emotional response and behavior are dictated by its interpretation of the world, not by your interpretation of the world. A dog that views the world as safe will respond to any stimulus with confidence and calmness. A dog that sees the world as unsafe will react anxiously and fearfully when exposed to a stimulus.
Your dog cannot hide its emotional state (unlike humans). Its emotions are seen instantly, through behavior and body language. It’s our job to learn this unspoken language so that we can better evaluate our dog’s emotional state. Be observant. And consistent. Like with any other language, it takes a lot of practice to understand your dog’s language and to be able to communicate dominance while establishing trust.