Any true dog owner will willingly admit that their dog is a part of the family and in the same way as any human member; the dog is as capable of showing feelings and emotions just like people.

These emotions are present from the first day you bring your new puppy home. At first you laugh as you watch how happy and excited they are, their never ending tail wagging, wet noses and long tongues wanting to lick and past their scent to you. Then the human to animal bonding starts, suddenly in their new home the puppy shows signs of nervousness and all of your protective nurturing surfaces, as you watch them lower their heads and cower into the nearest corner.

All through a dog's life they display their emotions to you from happiness to sadness to illness. The range of a dog's body language is so similar to humans. Everyone can see a truly happy dog, the tail wags so fast and their bodies become quite bouncy. Eager to please anyone and always looking for praise and a game, but it takes the owner to recognise the varied forms of their animal's emotions.

During the course of a dog's life they often have to experience many changes to their family, they see children leaving home, sometimes the loss of an older pet, maybe a divorce and quite frequently a house move. At these stressful periods the dog may become quiet and withdrawn; their tail can be hung down between their legs and may be quite lethargic. Owners know immediately that things are not quite right, all it often requires is a little reassurance, some extra attention and letting the dog know you are there for them.

People often say that a dog has a sixth sense, sometimes you wonder how your pet can possibly know that a family member is about to walk through the door? There are strange times however when your dog will exhibit signs of nervousness and tension. The hairs on the back of the neck will rise, the body stiffens and you are aware that your dog is telling you something is wrong. Many people have been alerted to the possibilities of danger by reading these actions from your dog, an intruder outside or a fire downstairs. In some ways by understanding your animal's emotions, any strange body language should never be ignored.

A dog will use his voice to try and let you know what he wants to say. Over time you will understand what all the different levels of barking can possibly mean. Some pets bark excitedly when going for a walk, another bark for visitors to the door. Howling or whimpering is hard to decipher, until you really get to know your dog these noises can vary between attention seeking or illness.

Obviously your dog cannot talk to you with words, but incredibly once you begin to read and understand the animal's emotions, you will know everyday the state of mind of your pet. This will help you to provide him with a happy healthy lifestyle for the many years you will share together.