A recent study found that the direction a dog is favoring when wagging his tail may be a mood indicator, as well. A dog wagging his tail more on the right side of his body is probably more relaxed, while a dog wagging his tail on the left side of his body could be more alert, stressed, or anxious, according to the study published in Current Biology in While many of these cues seem fairly simple, recognizing them will help you communicate better with your dog and will help you read the moods of other dogs, as well.
Compare Breeds Compare up to 5 different breeds side by side. Dog Name Finder Browse our extensive library of dog names for inspiration. Find out the best and worst foods for your dog and which to avoid. It can be more difficult for these dogs to communicate, so pay attention to other body language cues, such as the position of their ears or auditory signs like barking and whimpering.
If you want to get closer to your pup, pay close attention to the wagging of their tail. You might just be surprised by all the hidden cues you can pick up on. Tara Yarlagadda. How do dogs communicate with their tails?
Sometimes dogs wag their tail in response to an achievement. Getty Images. One of the biggest misconceptions about dogs is that a wagging tail means the dog is friendly. While it certainly can mean this, there are a multitude of reasons dogs wag their tails.
At the most basic level, a wagging tail simply means the dog is ready or willing to interact. However, the type of interaction the dog is willing to have can be either positive or negative. Dogs use their tails as a form of communication to convey different emotions. The emotion being conveyed depends greatly on the tail position and the speed of the tail wag.
Fortunately, despite these breed differences, the tail movements are generally the same. The faster the tail wag, the louder the voice. When a dog is expressing happiness or friendliness, their tail is often in a neutral or slightly upright position and wagging at a moderate speed. Their tail is more relaxed than usual and often wagging more freely. The more excited a dog is, the faster their tail typically wags.
When dogs are really excited and friendly, they will sometimes also wag their hips or even their whole body, from their shoulders down to their tail. When a dog is curious about something, such as when they find a new smell, their tail is typically held straight out behind them.
This may or may not be associated with a tail wag—the tail is often held still. If their tail is high in the air and rigid, be wary as this dog tail sign can indicate aggression in dogs. According to Live Science , the direction of the wagging also speaks volumes.
This is because the left hemisphere — the part of the brain associated with positive-approach feelings — controls the right side of the body. Interestingly, a study done in mentions that dogs can also decipher the meaning of the direction of a tail wag in other dogs. Using 43 pet dogs of differing breeds, the study showed videos of dogs wagging their tails in both right and left directions to see how they reacted, using a vest to monitor their heart rate.
When shown a dog with a right wagging tail, most stayed relaxed and some even attempted to approach the dog on screen, indicating that this must be a positive signal. The other dogs were shown a video of a left wag, and these displayed symptoms of anxiety and their heart rate actually sped up.
So now you know why dogs wag their tails! We believe people and pets are 'Better Together'. Our programme promises to support you through every stage of your journey.
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