Tail-wagging can generally mean that your pet is happy to see you, or not. We decided to ask a few dog behaviorists to help us decipher dog tail meanings, and the answers were quite surprising. I mean, how often have we thought, Wouldn’t it be great if our dogs could talk to us?
We could finally make some sense out of the most perplexing dog behaviors, such as being afraid of the small Chihuahua next door, or the typical barking at the delivery truck, but not at SUVs. While we can’t really chit-chat with our dogs, we can still crack the communication code by patiently observing their body language, and more specifically, translating dog tail meaning.
What’s your dog trying to tell you?
Decoding dog tail meaning can turn out to be quite tricky, so we decided to ask five canine behaviorists and dog-training professionals for help figuring out exactly what those cute little appendages try to tell us. Here’s what you need to know!
Full-body wag
When you notice your dog is doing a full-body tail wag, there’s really no doubt that your dog just wants to show you love. I mean, it’s one of the reasons why dogs have tails, anyway. You probably notice when you come home from work every night that you’re welcomed this way.
Your pup welcomes you with a big, circular tail-wagging. You will also see them loosely shaking their entire body, accompanied by quite a submissive grin or a soft, open mouth. The more swaying and wiggling motion, the friendlier the dog.
Fast and shaky
When you see a fast, vigorous, and almost-shaking tail on a dog, you might want to take it as a cue of tension or even hostility. The dog could easily spring into action at any given moment. In fact, this is generally known as the reaction of a very aroused dog, and should be avoided until it fully settles down.
Slow wag
You can see it in its face: the dog seems to be contemplating its next move. A slow tail wag could point to an unfriendly dog, so you have to proceed cautiously and don’t interact too much, especially if you don’t know the dog.
It’s still worth mentioning that the dog’s tail meaning is nothing but a part of a dog’s overall body language. The dog might not be unfriendly, but merely surveying the situation, just like a guard dog on duty. However, if you don’t know the dog, it’s safer to avoid interacting with it.
High
I mean, talk about swagger, really. This high tail gives off quite a confident and enthusiastic vibe, to be honest. But that’s not always the case. There are a couple of reasons why a tail is carried much higher than the baseline. First, it might show they are excited, in a good or even a bad way.
They could even raise their tail if they notice someone or something they strongly reject. Of course, they could also hike up their tail right after they poop. After all, when dogs carry their tails a lot higher, their scent glands are far more exposed, which also lets others know, “Hey, I’m also here.” Ultimately, a high tail could also indicate the dog is possessive over an object, like a toy.
Stiff and high
A stiff and high tail could generally mean that the dog is constantly aroused by something, but super ready to do something about it. For instance, if the dog hates strangers and a stranger suddenly pops out from around the corner, then the dog’s tail could go stiff and high right before the dog barks, growls, or even lunges.
Stiff and low
When the tail is stiff and low, this could generally mean that the dog is either anxious or stressed. The dog might be uncomfortable or simply unsure about something, and he’s less likely to move forward toward the stimulus.
Stiff
If the tail is stiff, neither low nor high, a dog might be asking for your help because it is injured. If the dog carries its tail in a stiff position and you don’t feel that they are either anxious or stressed, we recommend having your dog evaluated by your vet as soon as you can.
Wagging as he lies down
Dogs don’t need to stand up to express their emotions via their tail. In fact, you are more likely to find a relaxed behavior while the dog still lies down. A dog who is somehow apprehensive or fearful is way more likely to wait for a cue to run or move around.
You might even see this when the dog is relaxed on the sofa and wags its tail tentatively in appeasement, not wanting to change its favorite spot. You can also see this when you walk into a room or come out of the bathroom, and it’s lying on the floor wagging its tail, so genuinely happy to see you and hoping for a belly rub.
Wagging to the right
Sometimes all you have to do is take a closer look and establish which direction the wag is going to assess dog tail meaning. For example, if it’s going to the right, it generally means that your dog is happy to see you.
However, the left side of a dog’s brain is also the section where the nicest feelings, like calmness and happiness, reside. Since the left side of the brain also controls the right side of the body, it generally supports a research study, showing how wagging on the right indicates a friendly dog.
Wagging to the left
In the same studies, data showed that wagging to the left means the dog is contemplating an escape because it is fearful of something or someone. However, it can also mean your dog is sad. Interestingly enough, other studies showed that when dogs see a left-wagging tail on another dog, they are way more likely to show stress-related behaviors.
Moreover, another indicator that left-wagging tails point to uncertainty or an uncomfortable dog. Nevertheless, more research is needed before experts can offer any reasonable conclusion regarding left wagging versus right one, especially when it comes to dog tail meaning.
Tucked in
Now, slightly different from a pulled-down tail, this position shows the tail being tucked between the bag’s legs. This can also mean that a dog is feeling somehow threatened or is fearful of the situation he’s currently in. A tail tucked between the legs covers the animal’s genital area for protection.
Pulled down
This is a wonderful way to find out what your dog truly wants from you. In this example, for instance, the tail is being held at a low level, covering the dog’s butt but not disappearing between the dog’s legs. A tail that’s being pulled down can show a dog is not fully comfortable with the situation he is in, and might be feeling anxious, nervous, or even unsure. A tail wag or wiggle can also be taken as a sign of appeasement.
Curled toward the head
There are a couple of things you have to take into consideration with this specific scenario. Some tails are naturally curly or bendy toward the head, like pugs’ tails. With these dogs, this means they are relaxed.
But if the tail is stiff toward the dog’s head, it means apprehension, overstimulation, high alertness, and high excitement. Moreover, if the tail makes small movements side to side, while also pointing toward the head, it can mean the dog is apprehensive or excited, depending on the dog.
If you found this article useful, we also recommend checking: 7 Ways to Tell if Your Dog Is Judging You (Hint: They Definitely Do)
