Why does the dog wag its tail?

Many people think that a dog wagging its tail clearly indicates joy and friendliness, but it can have numerous other meanings. Dogs are capable of experiencing the six basic emotions (joy, sadness, disgust, anger, fear, surprise), which they express through the movement of their tails. To understand a dog's body language, it is crucial to also comprehend the messages conveyed by the wagging of their tails.

You can find out why a dog wags its tail and how to interpret it from the following.

Why does the dog wag its tail?

As mentioned earlier, dogs use their tails to express and communicate their emotions; the tail’s condition reflects the dog’s mood. To interpret this, two things need to be observed: the position of the tail and the speed of wagging. According to Dr. Brittany Grenus, a veterinarian, we can simplify this by interpreting the position of the tail similar to words in human language and the speed of wagging as the intensity of the message.

Researchers have also discovered a difference between tail wagging to the right and tail wagging to the left. Dogs conveying predominantly positive emotions tend to wag their tails slightly to the right, while dogs expressing predominantly negative emotions tend to wag their tails slightly to the left. The former are more inclined towards social interactions and friendliness, while the latter are more stressed and anxious.

Let’s now explore which emotion corresponds to which tail position!

Calm

A calm dog does not wag its tail; the body part is in a relaxed state. It begins wagging when something triggers a specific emotion in the dog.

Happy, friendly

When a dog is joyful and friendly, the tail is often in a neutral position, parallel to the ground, but it can be slightly up or down. The wagging speed is moderate, moving from one side to the other. This behavior is not extreme. When the four-legged friend becomes excited, it starts wagging its tail faster, and the movement can escalate to almost a shimmy, involving the hips and the entire body. This is most commonly observed in dogs with short tails.

Curious

When a dog is curious or exploring something, it typically holds its tail straight and extended behind it. During this time, the dog may or may not wag its tail. If the dog’s tail remains still, it doesn’t necessarily indicate nervousness or stiffness. The body posture is alert, the ears are often upright, and the body language suggests that something has captured its attention.

Ignoring

When dogs don’t want to relate with someone or something, they typically stop wagging their tails and move away. During this time, self-grooming or sniffing is often observed. There is no aggression in this behavior; the dog is simply indicating that it would prefer to be left alone. If this is disregarded, depending on the dog’s temperament, it can escalate into aggression.

Submissive, scared

It’s important to note that submissive behavior often involves some degree of fear or vulnerability. This should always be kept in mind to avoid exacerbating the situation.

In submissive dogs, it’s common to observe them tucking their tails between their hind legs. This tail position may be accompanied by wagging, but not necessarily. In these situations, they feel threatened and try to signal that they pose no danger, want to avoid problems, and wish to be left alone to prevent any harm. In such cases, they need time and space to calm down. Do not approach them, and if you have initiated any interaction, stop it immediately. When the dog feels safe again, it will approach on its own. This helps prevent the situation from worsening.

Aggressive

The tail of an aggressive dog is in a vertical position, often arched over its back. It may move in this position, or it could be completely stiff. The entire body of the four-legged friend tenses up, eyes widen, ears flatten, it may bare its teeth, growl, and move forward slowly. In this emotional state, whatever triggered it should be addressed to eliminate the circumstance. Never approach the dog in such situations, as there is a high chance it might attack!

How do tailless dogs communicate?

It is undeniable that interpreting these messages can be more challenging in the case of dogs with very short or no tails. In their case, it is worth paying attention to the base of the tail, which can reveal the tail’s position. Of course, body language and sounds also greatly contribute to the interpretation of emotions and messages. It is advisable to observe these aspects in their case and, of course, in the case of dogs with tails as well. Only in this way can we get a complete picture of the information conveyed by the dog.

To be more precise, it is worth observing the dog’s facial expressions, the position of the tongue (if, for example, it licks its mouth a lot, it usually indicates stress), the position of the eyes and ears, the body posture, and the sounds emitted. If you are uncertain about interpreting the situation, the wisest thing you can do is to give the dog space and time to calm down. Your approach, kindness, and helpful intentions are generally not interpreted as positive in a tense situation for the dog.