We walk up to a dog and see its tail wagging and we immediately assume that the dog is friendly. This is not always the case. Here are a few tips on dog tails.
Tips on dog tails:
- Dogs communicate with us and with other dogs by using their tail.
- Just because a dog is wagging its tail does not mean it is a friendly gesture. When dogs wag their tails they are actually spreading their scent. The higher the tail the more the scent gets spread around.
- A rigid or a tail that is horizontal usually means the dog feel threatened in some way.
- A dog will tuck its tail between its legs as a sign of submission. They will usually do this if they are stressed or frightful. They may also wag their tail slowly if stressed.
- An aggressive dog tail will be held straight out and more than likely the hair on the base of their tail will stand up. Be aware!
- A relaxed dog will let its tail follow its natural curve or curl.
- An excited dog will pretty much wag its entire body!
- A tail held up high and wagging is a sure sign of a happy dog!
Dogs communicate in various ways. It can be through their tail or through their body language. Always be cautious when approaching a strange dog.
As a pet sitter who boards dogs I still find it amazing at how quickly dogs work it out with each other. If you want to learn how to speak fluent dog, watch dogs interact with one another. I often say it would be great if people could work out their differences as quickly as dogs.
Dogs will immediately read each others body language and quickly work out their difference.
Here is a great article in Modern Dog Magazine on reading a dog’s body language.
Those are my tips on dog tails. Hope you enjoyed it.
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