Every dog walker knows that dogs wag their tails.
A lot.
For them, having a tail is an important communication tool which they use to share a huge collection of feelings with you and with each other.
Many new dog owners and most people who have never owned a dog are programmed to think a dog will only wag its tail when it is happy. This really isn’t true.
The dog’s tail is a primary tool for canine communication. To them, it is a dynamic and expressive instrument that they can and do use to express a wide spectrum of emotions and intentions.
That they use the tail not just to express mood, but also intent, means every dog owner should spend time figuring out how their pet uses its tail, as decoding this information could save your pet, you, and others, from harm.
If you want to learn more about how your dog thinks, we recommend Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know – it’s an excellent book that should help you understand them even more.
How do dogs use their tail?
Watch your dog and you’ll see that it uses its tail in many different ways. It wags one way when you come home, another when you are about to take it for a walk, it has a purposeful wag it uses when you give it its dinner, and a delightfully playful wag when you decide to play with your dog at home. If you think about this rich library of dog to human interactions articulated via the tail, you already know the dog uses it to speak to you. It also uses it with other dogs.
Dog Walking Experts Know These Signs
Every dog is different, but in broad terms, what follows are some of the basic ways to understand the different meanings when your dog wags its tail. The key lies in recognizing the style, speed, and context of the wag.
The happy wag:
A broad, high wag, often accompanied by a wagging body, signifies unbridled joy and enthusiasm. This is the classic “happy dog” wag, where the tail moves freely from side to side. This dog is happy and wants to interact, with you or another dog.
Slow, Low Wag:
On the other end of the spectrum, a slow, low wag may hint at uncertainty or submission. When you see it, you’ll likely also see your dog crouching or trying to appear small. For example, your dog may be feeling cautious about a person, dog, or situation. If the dog has met a stronger, more powerful, or even more confident dog it may be sending a signal of submission. This slow, low wag usually means your dog wants reassurance or permission from the other party. It can also mean they don’t feel well, so please learn the many other signs your dog may use to say they feel sick.
Stiff, Rapid Wag:
A stiff, rapid wag with a straight tail means your dog is on high alert. Watch out for this kind of wag as it can mean your dog feels uneasy, threatened, or is about to enter a tense guard mode. The stiffness in the tail suggests the level of tension. It’s almost always best to get your dog under control and remove it from or otherwise defuse the situation if you see this kind of wag, as it is feeling nervous. This may be accompanied by licking and/or a tense, upright head posture.
Wagging tail while tail is between hind legs
You often see this with puppies as they nervously try to interact with older or larger dogs. It means they feel vulnerable, that they are scared, or are trying to avoid conflict. If an adult dog does this with another adult dog, it shows a similar set of emotions. You may even have seen this if you’ve told your dog off – some of our dogs roll on their back with their tail crouched between their legs wagging when they know they are in trouble. It’s all about saying, “You win, you’re the boss, no problem.” You’ll probably see your dog avoiding eye contact or licking its lips in this state.
The Wide Angle Wag
That dog just walking along with a tail at body height wagging slowly and rhythmically is feeling pretty good. The tail is neither too low, nor too high, it’s feeling confident, comfortable, and self-assured, and the tail wag signifies this to others. It’s essentially the equivalent of saying, “I’m chilled out, having a good time, and not here to cause a problem.”
Wag wars
Have you noticed how sometimes when two dogs meet, they will wag while they sniff at each other. You should learn to watch those wags and filter them against the different wagging styles mentioned above. A slow, tense wag can mean the dogs feel tense and potentially aggressive toward each other. If you see this get your dog out of the situation. It’s your job as a dog walker.
What Every Dog Walker Needs to Know
A dog’s wagging tail must be seen as a visual cue that provides you with good insight into what your dog thinks.
Dogs are capable of working through a range of tail expressions to express sometimes complex sets of emotions. They gauge the environment, and the individuals present, using their tails as a means to express feelings ranging from joy and friendliness to anxiety and discomfort.
The tail, coupled with other body language cues such as ear position, posture, and vocalizations, creates a comprehensive communication system. That means you, as a dog walker, should learn to decode the wags.
A dog walker must think about
The speed, height, and position of the wag are all integral components of this non-verbal dialogue. There is one more thing, which is that dogs are very good at watching and understanding human body language, and they can also adapt their tail wagging to reflect their understanding of our cues.
As a dog walker, understanding the psychological nuances of how it wags should help you understand its feelings, get even more strongly connected and deepen the connection between you and your dog.
We do hope these tail-wagging insights help you and your dog. Of course, managing these complex canine-human interactions also means you must build the right connections with your pet, and have trained them to understand the most essential commands every dog walker needs.
Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash
Sound advice, a good general guide for new puppa parents.