Indications for Dog Tail Movements
2009-01-06

When a dog wag his tail, does it always mean he is happy and excited. New investigations shows that it may not be the case. They may heavily wag their tails when they are given a lovely pet toy. But they will also do this when they are feeling intimated.

Why Do ... Dogs Wag Their Tails?

The quick answer is that a dog wags its tail for a reason which seems self-evident enough, that being it's the tell-tale mark of a friendly dog. Indeed, anyone who's stood too near the pounding tail of a prototypical friendly breed such as a labrador retriever, can take a veritable shellacking from the wack of its wiggle. But if friendliness were an altogether accurate interpretation, why is it that so many people are bitten by a dog that's wagging its tail, often very enthusiastically?

For this and other reasons, the science of behaviorism has called into question the popular wisdom that dogs wag their tails out of friendliness. The definition that the science of behaviorism prefers is that a dog is wagging its tail as a submissive overture to a superior member of its pack. For example, if one observes an inferior wolf approaching a superior one, tail-wagging is a pronounced feature of his body language.

A friendly dog will communicate his intentions through loosely wagging his tail. But, a wagging tail does not always indicate friendliness. Dominant or aggressive dogs may wag their tail, but the tail is held high and maybe just the tip of the tail is moving rapidly. A playful dog will also hold his tail high, but it will be wagging greatly from side to side. A dog who holds his tail low and wags it stiffly may be indicating he is submissive or afraid.

The tail is just one part of the dog, also look at his body, head position, ears, eyes, and hackles to help you understand what the dog may be trying to express.