Most dogs use their tail, ears, or bark to "talk" to us. Many people mistake all tail wagging as friendly, but it is not! When the tail is high and wagging stiffly, a dog is telling you that he is making a judgment about you and the situation, and could be getting angry. The tail low to the ground and rapid wagging is one of the signs by which they signal their friendly intentions. An aggressive dog will stare at you squarely, snarl and wag a stiff tail. A fearful dog will go on the defensive by shifting his body weight backward and lowering his tail. A dog that want to show complete submission will curl up with ears flattened against his head and remain cowering or completely still on the ground.
Some dogs express their personality by the way they carry their body. You will see some dogs seem to be walking in a stiff, pompous manner, full of life and confidence with tails and ears erect. On the other hand, you may also see others who are kind of slinking around, with a droppy and dragging walk. According to Dr. Randy Lockwood, a behavior specialist for the American Humane Society, how a dog walk are learned in their home environment, and they are often pretty good mirrors of their owner!