Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails? Hint: It Doesn’t Always Mean They’re Happy

There are few things more cheering than the sight of a wagging tail but what is your dog actually trying to tell you?  Certainly, it can indicate happiness but also a lot of other things as well!

It's commonly believed that dogs wag their tails to convey that they are happy and friendly, but this isn't exactly true.

Dogs do use their tails to communicate, though a wagging tail doesn’t always mean, “Come pet me!”

Dogs have a kind of language that's based on the position and motion of their tails. The position of a dog's tail reveals its emotional state.

• A tail held high and vigorously wagged from side to side indicates its owner is happy and ready to play.
• A tail held level with the body and wagged more slowly shows that the dog is in a situation where they are not quite sure what is going on but are interested and paying attention.
• A tail held low and wagging only a little or twitching, is often showing that the dog is feeling threatened and you should approach and handle them with caution.
• A tail tucked up and under the body means that the dog is frightened and showing submission.  With reassurance they may start to feel more confident but again, you should take care with them to ensure they don’t progress to growling, or even biting, to make the perceived threat retreat.

Of course, if you are trying to decipher what your dog is thinking, you need to look at more than their tails.  Facial expressions, ear position and body stance are all important ways they communicate with us.

Here's Dr. Pete Wedderburn to discuss further about – Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails?