dog froze, ears up, tail wagging fast—am i in danger?

Had a weird moment today—a dog I don’t know suddenly locked eyes with me, ears up, tail wagging like crazy... but not in a friendly way. I froze. Then it growled, super low. 😬 I backed off slowly, didn’t make eye contact, and thankfully nothing happened. But it got me thinking—how do you tell the difference between a playful dog and one that’s about to snap? The signs feel subtle but serious: stiff body, forward lean, tight mouth, low growl. Even that “happy” tail wag can mean nerves or warning. I’ve had dogs all my life, but this was a reminder that reading their body language isn’t optional. Ever had a close call with a dog like this? #dogbehavior #dogsafety #bodylanguage