Is my Cockapoo happy?
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In the wonderful world of humans, there are countless studies detailing the importance of body language in everything we do. It is a primitive thing. We can choose our words carefully, but our body language will give us away every time. The same goes for your Cockapoo. Let’s have a look at 8 ways your precious pooch will let you know he or she is happy.
Look at the mouth and tongue.
Your Cockapoo probably smiles at you most of the day. It is one of the reasons we love the breed. Happy, affectionate dogs who want to spend every possible minute with you. A happy dog has it’s mouth slightly open in a relaxed way. A mouth firmly shut, or lips pulled back shows that something is bothering your best friend. When happy, the tongue can often hang or loll out of the side of the mouth. Life is good!
Eye contact.
In the wild, direct eye contact can often lead to contact. It is a bold gesture. In our loving homes, your Cockapoo will figure out quickly that direct eye contact with it’s wonderful owner will usually lead to a rub, a pat, a walk or a treat. If you were your Cockapoo, wouldn’t you stare? Direct eye contact from your dog shows comfort and contentment. It is a sign of your bond.
Happy eyes.
A happy, comfortable dog will look at you with relaxed eyes. Not too much white showing. Again, life is good. If your pooch shows exaggerated amounts of the whites of his eyes, or looks at you sideways, from different angles there is something up. It is worth noting simply because your dog is not as happy as usual.
Ear position.
Your Cockapoo will generally have a floppy or relaxed ear position. In fact, it is probably nearly always like that. When it does change, it does mean something. Slightly raised means alert, waiting, listening. If your dog attempts to flatten his ears or move them sideways, he is a bit stressed. Probably showing you submission or slightly scared. Give him a tickle!
Head held high.
Think of how you hold your own head. High and forward looking means confident and happy. No problems there. Tilted, looking down, trying to make yourself look a bit smaller – something is wrong. You (and your dog) are uncomfortable and on edge. I bet you also bow your head when you are worried or depressed. Like owner, like dog!
The downward dog.
A lovely gesture. Like a kind of bow. Your dog is playful and wanting a response when they bend their forepaws and dip their front end down. That is an engaged, happy animal. Impossible to ignore.
Bounce, bounce, bounce.
When a dog runs, it does so to get somewhere. A purposeful stride, smooth and regular. Sometimes, seemingly just for the fun of it, your dog will bounce. It’s run will look joyful. It bounces, almost springing along. The Poodle legs let your Cockapoo bounce with the best. It’s so great to see and so contagious that you might want to chase and bounce along with your furry bundle of energy. Make sure you stretch first.
That tail.
A smooth wagging motion, firm and regular is a sign of happiness and contentment. Worth noting though that a slow, stiff wag is often a sign of stress and feeling threatened. If the tail wags but low, that can be a sign they are nervous. Check other signs if this is the case. Just because there is no tail wag, it doesn’t mean a dog is unhappy.
Mike is the proud owner of a 7-year-old Cockapoo named Luna. He loves to share stories, tips and information about owning a Cockapoo. With over7 years of experience as an owner, Mike is passionate about helping others own and care for their dog.
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