A Wagging Dog Tail: The Science Behind It

Each and every dog owner falls in love with their pet’s wagging dog tail. It has become a symbol of happiness, a greeting and an all-around bucket of the ‘good feels’. With that being said, there is actually a science as to why a dog’s tail wags. We thought it interesting enough to share. Here’s the scoop:

Communication

When a dog wags its tail, it’s a form of communication. We have mis-understood for years that it always means joy or happiness. A dog wagging his or her tail can also mean that they are fearful, anticipating a fight or nervous. It’s more or less a signal to those around them. 

You probably didn’t know that when a dog is alone, you will never see a tail wagging. This is because they have nobody to communicate with. The tail wag is a sort of information set, dogs are trying to share with people or other animals.

Tail Height When Wagging

The height at which a dog wags its tail is one of the most important ways to decipher what he or she is trying to say. A low tail wag is a concerned dog, with fears or nervousness. While a tail that falls more in the middle is a calm and relaxed communication. Obviously, dogs come in all different sizes, so this would apply to the height of the tail, as in relation to the height of the dog.

Speed of a Dog’s Tail Wagging

Speed is another fascinating way in which to understand your dog at their level. When a dog wags his or her tail at high speed, we often believe it to reflect complete joy. While that might be the case, it also scientifically means they are about to act on something. A dog may be planning on jumping to grab that ice cream cone out of your hand, or fighting with the dog behind you. The ‘happiness’ or ‘pleased’ wag is a broad, medium-speed tail wag. This means, I am not threatened, I am relaxed, and I don’t feel insecure right now. Have you seen your dog wag his or her tail like this? If so, tell us about it!