Wolfgang and Reudi are both members of the same pack. Wolfgang is older and usually commands a dominant status in relation to Reudi. Neither Wolfgang nor Reudi are Alpha or Omega pack members. They are members of the middle of the pack in which dominance status is fluid and often determined by the circumstances of a particular situation and its participants..

Wolfgang is the dominant wolf in this interaction, he is standing over Reudi who has voluntarily assumed a submissive roll over posture.

Wolfgang:
1 - Piloerection
2 - Ears turned to the side, conveys some ambivalence or uncertainty
3 - Head forward and poised over the body of the other wolf: a dominant posture
4 - Direct stare

Reudi:
5 - Defensive use of paw
6 - Submissive grin
7 - Eyes looking away from dominant wolf (probably looking at the camera)
8 - Inguinal twist, a submissive display.
9 - Tail partially tucked
10 - Defensive use of raised foreleg (partially hidden)
11 - Submissive roll over position

©Kelley Kasey

The lab has his ball and intends to keep it. His posture and expressions all say “keep your distance”.

1) Agonistic pucker with ball in his mouth.
2) Ears forward
3) Body angle and movement are directed toward the Shepherd

The Shepherd has clearly come to a sudden stop. The intent of his approach was most likely friendly, but he is reading the lab’s distance increasing signals and has responded with some alarm apparent in his total body pilorerector reflex response. His overall postural intent is to avoid conflict.

4) Ears are angled outward suggesting some emotional conflict
5) Shoulders are angled back, shifting his weight backwards.
6) Piloerector reflex, and rounded back, partly a response to alarm, partly a function of his sudden stop
7) Tailed raised high may have begun as playful excitement and been exaggerated when he stopped suddenly.
Back legs gathered under him in the effort to stop all forward momentum.