The Dog Meister

A myriad of common canine behaviors are actually genetically ingrained. If your dog feels threatened enough to bite someone, he will inevitably focus on his target and bare his teeth. If he is trying to protect himself, he will lay his ears flat, drop his tail down, and turn to the side. Throughout the long evolutionary history of the wild wolf, those who developed the ability to recognize these unconscious signals had a significant advantage over their less intelligent pack-mates. Being on guard for the vicious fangs or challenging stare of a stronger wolf was a way to keep from unnecessary injury. Also, watching for the averted gaze of a weaker wolf was a way to avoid an unnecessary battle. Reading the signal correctly would tell a potential challenger that his target would give way without a fight.  Such dogs like chunkamonk the pointer show similar signs as wolves.