Chatting with a friend a few days ago, she suddenly stopped talking and watched her dog run to the window wagging his tail furiously.
“Why does he wag his tail like that?” she asked, “Sometimes he just wags his tail from side to side, but sometimes it goes round and round like he’s doing now.”
Her dog is a Labrador whose tail never stops moving. He’s a very happy chappy. His tail sweeps majestically from side to side when he sees me, or any other human, or other dog – he’s very friendly.
His tail is also a weapon of mass destruction – because it’s just at the right height to sweep debris from the top of a coffee table. (I move anything valuable or breakable when he comes here.)
Tails are wonderful things. They’re a great indicator of your dog’s emotional state – his tail can tell you when he’s pleased, excited, nervous, confident or tense and on edge.
Different breeds have very different natural tail positions. Whippets and greyhounds hold their tails down between their legs, husky types hold their tails curled over their backs and many terrier breeds hold their tails stiffly upwards.
So what do different tail movements mean?
The first thing to look for is whether the tail is relaxed and loose or tense and tight.
– Relaxed, mid-height tail wagging usually mean the animal is relaxed and feels comfortable about the situation
– A tail where the whole tail is wagging as above but very fast also indicates happiness alongside arousal – usually excitement or anticipation
– A tail wagging in huge circles indicates the dog is deliriously happy or excited – Gus does this when close to finding his search item, for example. One of my previous dogs always did ‘helicopter tail’ when my mum approached him.
If the tail is held low down is usually means the dog is uncertain about what is happening
– If just the end of the tail is wagging, it usually means the dog is nervous or unsure
– A slower speed wag with a tail held out straight, or a straight out tail held still means the dog is thinking about the situation it’s in, or is unsure about who he’s meeting
Tails held high usually indicate arousal – the dog might explode into play or into aggression. A wagging tail is not always friendly.
A tail held stiffly upwards with just the tip wagging quite fast, almost vibrating, is not friendly at all – beware. It means the dog is tense and ready for action.
Why did my friend’s dog have helicopter tail? Well, it was because the neighbour’s cat was wandering past the window and the dog was excited to see the cat. Whether because he wanted to play or chase her we will never know.
Watch your dog’s tail movements today – what are they telling you?
Keep training
Carol