[AnAmericanMother]

Pretty much the same with Labs (although you'll almost never see one in a 'combat' position).

My experience is that when a dog is rigid - walking stiff-legged on tip-toe, hackles up, tail fluffed, eyes locked - the S is about to HTF.

I have one that is silent as a fish -- you don't see her until she leaps up (without touching you) to examine your tonsils and look up your nose. Friend has threatened to get her a white coat and a stethoscope. The other two bark like maniacs whenever anybody sets foot on our property, but if there was trouble the first one is the one to worry about. She's quite funny and playful until she perceives a threat, then she's all business.

[Salamander]

You have an ~excellent~ grasp of your dogs’ “language”.

I applaud you!

:)