Dogs
Dog Training Tips
Basic Training
By
Amy Bender
Amy Bender
Amy Bender is a dog training expert and writer with over a decade of experience working professionally with dogs.She owns a dog training business and is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers.
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Updated on 06/25/21
Fact checked by
Emily Estep
Fact checked byEmily Estep
Emily Estep is a biologist and fact checker focused on environmental sciences. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Master of Science in Plant Biology from Ohio University. Emily has been a proofreader and editor at a variety of online media outlets over the past decade and has reviewed more than 200 articles for The Spruce Pets for factual accuracy.
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A wagging tail is a form of dog communication. Dogs wag their tails to tell us something about how they're feeling, just as they do with other forms of body language.But do you know what canine tail wagging really means?
Why Dogs Wag Their Tails
Dogs wag their tail to communicate with humans and other animals. Often, it seems fairly obvious what the dog is trying to tell you when it wags its tail. Most people look at a dog with a wagging tail and assume it is happy. While this is usually true, there are times when a dog wags its tail just before it becomes aggressive. It is important that you pay attention to how the dog is holding its tail when it's wagging it. Where the tail is and the way a dog holds its body while it's wagging it can give you a clue about what it is trying to communicate. You should also pay attention to other signs in the dog's body language.
Happy Wagging
Is the dog's tail relaxed and moving back andforth? Is its body moving along with the wagging? If a dog is wagging its tail and the rest of its body seems relaxed or is moving along with the wagging, you are probably dealing with a happy, comfortable dog. Happy, relaxed tail wagging is usually accompanied by a happy facial expression. A happy dog usually has bright eyes, a relaxed open mouth, and possibly a gentle pant. Fast tail wagging with other happy signals usually means the dog is excited.
Alternative Reasons
Is the dog's tail high and moving inback and forth motion while the dog's body remains fairly erect and rigid? If a dog is holding its body erect and rigid while wagging its tail, it may be telling you that it's feeling territorial or uncomfortable with something that is going on around it. The tail may be low and wagging slowly, usually because the dog is hesitant about something. Or the dog's tail may be held high and moving back and forth, narrowly but rapidly. This discomfort can be a precursor to aggression. This is one reason people sometimes report that a dog was wagging its tail just before it bit someone. So, if you encounter a dog you don't know who is wagging its tail, check out what the rest of its body language is telling you before you approach. It's better to be safe than to get bitten by a dog.
Left and Right Tail Wagging
Does it matter which direction a dog's tail wags? One study shows it might matter when it comes to dog-to-dog communication. Researchers found that dogs had different emotional responses depending on whether another dog's tail was wagging to the left or right. Dogs observing another dog wag to the right seemed to become relaxed. Dogs watching another dog with a left tail wag exhibited signs of nervousness, stress, or anxiety. This study shines some light on the way dogs interact with one another.
If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your pet, know the pet's health history, and can make the best recommendations for your pet.
The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Siniscalchi, Marcello et al. Seeing Left- Or Right-Asymmetric Tail Wagging Produces Different Emotional Responses In Dogs.Current Biology, vol 23, no. 22, 2013, pp. 2279-2282.Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/j.cub.2013.09.027