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Or, the “I am preparing my escape at any desperate moment” body language cue.

If you happen to be the owner of a small dog yourself (cough cough, Chihuahua! Cough cough), you will probably immediately recognize this body language cue. That’s right, the “paw up.” This behavior most commonly represents a dog that is tentative or in a state of indecision or discomfort. The paw is typically held up in relation to the primal fight-or-flight reaction system that’s built into all animals. If you see this—even if your pup model doesn’t quite act on it—they are reacting to stress by preemptively preparing themselves for flight. This little paw up is a good sign that should remind you as the photographer running the show to take it just a bit easier and slower with your dog model, and to pay attention to the overall energy of the shoot. I find that doing something as simple as taking a five-minute break for a little jog and a drink of water gives the dog a chance to relax and reset, and then the little paw up suddenly meets the ground and all is right in the world again. As a note, don’t confuse this behavior with the one that is done by certain hunting breeds like English Setters, when they deliberately lift a paw up as part of their point toward game birds they might discover in the wild.

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