Dogs are very communicative animals and they communicate mainly by using their body. The tail, in particular, conveys a great many meanings. Are you curious to find out what Fido wants to tell you when he comes to you wagging his tail? If you are, you’ve come to the right place!
A dog’s tail allows him to express his emotions and desires. However, if we want to interpret them correctly, we need to take into account the position, the movement, which can be more or less fast and frenetic, and the pattern outlined by the movement of the tail.
Positions of a dog’s tail
The position of the tail, or the height at which the movement occurs, is an indicator of a dog’s the emotional state. If it is low it means that the dog is sad, worried or scared, when it is high the dog is showing his superiority or an aggressive state; sometimes the position can be horizontal and, in this case, it indicates that the dog is alert and attentive to what is going on around him.
The main movements of the tail
There are various combinations. Here are the main ones:
RELAXED TAIL. If the dog’s tail is in no particular position and is still, it means that the animal is calm and serene. If you approach him, he will gladly accept some stroking, but do it cautiously so as not to frighten him.
HIGH, STRAIGHT TAIL. Your furry friend is standing to attention and is very sure of himself. If, in addition to this position of the tail, you notice any forward tension of the body and of the head, it means that he is ready for direct confrontation with anyone in front of him. To be clear, this does not necessarily have a negative meaning and your four-legged friend may simply be about to approach another dog or person nearby.
TAIL BETWEEN THE LEGS. This position indicates that the dog is uneasy, which is almost always accompanied by low posture and the ears pulled back. This means that your furry friend is afraid, he may have been scolded or may have heard some very loud noises (storm, fireworks).
TAIL DOWN WITH SLIGHT MOVEMENTS. Your furry friend is very tense and does not know whether to trust you or not, so he might have an unexpected reaction.
LARGE MOVEMENTS OF THE TAIL WITH MOVEMENT OF THE HIPS. If you see your dog wagging his tail like this, you are witnessing happiness “personified”. This is therefore associated with a positive situation and your four-legged friend probably feels like playing and having fun!