Interpret Dog Tail Wags: How to Understand Dog's Body Language
Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль
In this video, we'll explain the meaning of each dog's tail signs.
The position of a dog's tail can reveal a lot about what that dog is thinking and feeling. The speed of the wag, the pattern of movement, and the breadth of each tail sweep can all give information about a dog's intentions and emotions. In this video, we will teach you how to interpret the language of a dog’s tail.
Tail held high and stiff indicates alertness and the desire to display dominance. When dogs are alert, they stand with their tails raised and ears up. This posture means that they are observing carefully and ready to confront whatever caught their attention. This position could also be a display of dominance. In other words, they are showing their role as the dog who rules the world
Tail held straight out means that the dog is taking in new information and is so far responding neutrally. There could be a new canine in the neighborhood, or at the dog park. Your dog is curious and just doesn’t know what to make of them yet.
Tail held between the legs indicates submission or fear. A tucked tail is a sign that your dog is afraid, scared or uncomfortable. They could be in pain, or afraid of something or someone.
Tail wagging to the left
It may be hard to catch, but a dog will wag their tail to the left if they are suspicious of another dog or a person they don’t trust.
Recent studies suggest that a tail wagging to the left indicates negative feelings, fear or stress. Dogs may show this tail wagging behavior in the presence of an unfamiliar, dominant dog.
Tail wagging to the right
It seems a little bit unbelievable, but recent research suggests that tail wagging to the right indicates positive feelings, or that your dog is relaxed. Oftentimes, dogs show this tail wagging behaviour when they see their owner.
Tail held high and wagging indicates the dog is happy but also alert. The dog is cautiously excited but displaying dominance.
The breadth of each tail sweep and the frequency at which a tail moves add further meaning to canine communication.
Fast, Broad Wag: This indicates a friendly, happy dog who is not threatening anyone. You may have brought them a new treat, or maybe you got the leash out for a walk. This is the closest to the popular concept of the happiness wag, especially if the tail seems to drag the hips with it.
Slow, reluctant wag: A slow wag with the tail at half-mast is less social than most other tail signals. Generally speaking, slow wags with the tail in neither a particularly submissive nor a dominant position might indicate a dog who is feeling anxious, less enthusiastic, or insecure.
Quick, short wag: A slight wag, with each swing of only small breadth, usually happens during greetings, when a dog is feeling tentative.
Very tiny, high-speed movements that give the impression of the tail vibrating are signs the dog is about to run, fight, or attack. If the tail is held high while vibrating, it is most likely an active threat.
It’s important to recognize that different breeds carry their tails at different heights. Some dogs, like Beagles, hold their tails vertically. Others like Greyhounds tuck their tails. All tail positions should be read relative to the average and neutral position where that dog normally holds its tail.
A Short Tail
A stubby or curly tail may make it more difficult for dogs to communicate with their owners and with other dogs.
A key component to reading truncated tails is to look at the base of the tail. They still mimic the same signals as those with long tails, but may not be as easily recognizable.
Interestingly enough, recent studies have shown that dogs with tiny tails are twice as likely to have aggressive encounters as dogs with longer tails
While you can understand a lot about your canine companion from their tail signs, it’s important to observe the entire dog and watch out for other tell-tale signs such as posture, facial expressions and body movements. Watch our other videos to learn more about how to understand your dog better.
Пікірлер: 169
My little dog does the very high, tiny, high speed wag whenever he’s about to start snapping so I’m not surprised that this means he’s ready to fight
I love this, I always see my dogs tails as sign language. Dogs will tell you everything you need you to know if you pay enough attention to them. I can tell by just the way my Husky rings the PP bells on the door if she really needs to go out or if she’s just board of being inside. She loves to lay on the concrete in the sun and get her coat so hot than come in & lay on the cool wood floors usually about a foot away from the air vent under the ceiling fan. She’s got it ruff I tell ya. (Being a Husky she is moody by nature)
@ja4309
3 жыл бұрын
I do have dog companions here (Although all 3 are not mine) and everytime I am with them, I look at their movement and then I can tell what they are feeling or at least have an idea on what they want. The tail especially helps a lot since this can help me understand what they want
It’s a good video it’s just that I have a Akita inu... which means that her tail is always up on her back and is curled into a bun 🙃
@3LZ0RR0
3 жыл бұрын
I got a chow chow so i'm basically in the same boat :)
@jorja3733
3 жыл бұрын
I have a Frenchie so she has no tail, just a tiny little stub.
@l00t3R
3 жыл бұрын
I have british bulldogs lol. Tails on both dogs are less than 6ins (born that way). Also one of them had a broken tail so it is fixed in position. Not that they need em, they definitely show affection in other ways 😊
@bobvis4032
3 жыл бұрын
I got a Maltezer shihtzu and also has a bun tail
@allisonbowie7778
3 жыл бұрын
You mean a Shiba inu...lmfao
I always found it cute when my dog walks away from me and toward then door with his tail wagging left and right and his cute buttwhole expose when I say want to go out? I miss my tall corgi mix. He looked like a German Shepherd with long tail but weird looking. RIP.
Super helpful, Thank you so much!
What about a helicopter blade tail lol, my cockapoo sometimes imitates a windmill :)
@EnchantedSmellyWolf
3 жыл бұрын
My wolf like dog does that too when he was alive. If I recall it means theybare excited to see you.
@turbo6266
3 жыл бұрын
I can do a windmill too
@PracticallyBlind
3 жыл бұрын
@@turbo6266 same bro I love doing the helicopter
@shellycar84
3 жыл бұрын
Same thing for my cavapoo. If I leave the house for even a second, as soon as I come back in his tail goes into helicopter mode
Thanks for sharing
I love my dog's long bushy tail, so cute 💜
Recent studies suggest -> full on conclusion -> no sources posted. Thanks
My Jack Russell had a full tail, as it should be!!! But she usually holds it curled on her back or low behind with it curling up a little when she’s relaxed. She can deffo do the “dominant” pose. She does it in the park when she’s looking for birds or squirrels to chase 😂 When she greets me Andy husband she has two different ones. I’d say in the morning my husband or I go downstairs and see her, she will have her ears pinned back head hung low and tail low with wide fast tail wags. And she rolls over, being very submissive. Once that’s over. She will run to the other one of us she’s not seen let hopping around, ears up with that big dog smile and tail higher and wagging so fast her whole body wags with it lol. With other dogs. She has different reactions depending on how well she knows the dog. Her best friend Chester, she reacts in a similar way to greeting us. So the hopping around and buddy waggle, or the super submissive greeting. Then they go right into play fight and weird noises that I can’t discribe but she does that nose when I play with her too lol. So I know it’s not aggression at all. With dogs she somewhat knows. It’s usually the submissive greeting but not rolling over, and once the stop sniffing each other’s faces for a moment it’s right to running around. New dogs she likes, it’s a slow prowl stopping every few steps to make sure they know she’s not wanting a fight. She gets close, they sniff her face. Then she starts running around them with her tail up 45degrees, hopping about. Stopping now and then like, “you gonna run around or what!?”She’s trying to play lol.
My doggo is always happy
I know what my dogs happy when he smiles
Thank you for this video cause i don't have dog but i feed the street dogs so i was finding this video
When the dog rips the toy bear, it's tail goes everywhere
Googled this because when my dog sees me in the kitchen making food he wags his tail lol
Wow❤
I seen how you did that there with the telltale signs.
What about dogs with a curly tail?
@swarapokhare1653
2 ай бұрын
I'm having the same question ❓
My dog happy af
What about the tail that is twirl upwards and sometime being wagged left to right. Our new dog always does that
my dog is living the life right now he got food petting and wagging his tail fast
My dogs tail is always to the right! Most of the time
So thats why my pomeranian always always wags it's tail to the right. He likes me
@kaavya8210
3 жыл бұрын
Awwwe
I have a question what if the dog tail is held straight out and it is wagging and barking
does the first one also count for high and curled?
Every time I get home my dog has a happy tail wag but puts his head down I’m not sure if this a bad sign or good sign?
My pitbull curls her tail and does a slow sway back and forth as she slowly raises her bottom up and down. What does that mean
My beagles one of them mostly have her tell up all the time but happy but don’t mess with her bone bc her sister name Gracie try to steal her bone and uhh it was not a good fight lol
This help me to understand my street dogv
Give me. Heart plz
What about a dog that holds their tail straight down, like a pin, with very little movement?
The happiness wag is almost impossible to tell apart from the dominance wag, for me
Thank you 😊 you should settled a debate between my husband and I about fast wagging tails lol. I told him that it is a sign that a dog is about to attack if it’s fast and stiff. He thought it was a sign they wanted to play.
@giftofthewild6665
2 жыл бұрын
It's usually a sign of aggression ime, in some weird dogs it could be a sign of play but this is unusual. Most dogs that have been properly socialized will do a play bow, body wiggles and a lower, wider tail wag when they want to play
😊
Doberman left the video
@stevenwilson879
3 жыл бұрын
Haha. I have a rescue Rottweiler. There's no tail wag to interpret because there's no tail. I do know that she loves most people, but hates squirrels, cats and some dogs. Walking can be an adventure.
One of my dogs defies pretty much every one of these
i have the wagging on the right 😂
what does it mean if my dog is wagging his tail fast but it is low?
My dog sticks his tail to his back but a little bit to the right. What does that mean?
Thank you for the information now I can not get mauled by my doggy.
What of the dogs has a curly tail?
Help its rotating on circles what do i do
What if your dog has a curly tail that cant go straight or worse yet like a doberman no tail.
What if the tail wags left and right fast instead of up and down?
@jermm2183
2 жыл бұрын
I think the it only shows that because the video is created with a 2D GIF instead of an actual dog. Don't worry, most dogs wag their dogs left to right (I can't actually think of any who vertically wag their tails)
What about curl ones
My little yorkie does twitches with his tail but almost never moves it
My Blue heeler will go to his bed when he sniffs his food look up with his eyes but not his head and every time I speak to him give like three or four wags of his tail banging down on his kennel what does that mean?
What if my dog doesn't have tail? Like my dog japanese spitz he born without tail?
😮😮😮😮😮
Interesting, but with my dogs tail being a stump its very hard to read.
What if your dog is "left pawed" (dominant L paw) ... so now is everything reversed? (I know this cause he always makes the ''x'' with his left paw when sign'n for junk n' stuff.
If right is potive feeling... When walk a dog on left us negative make sense
MY XL HAS HIS TAIL HIGH STIFF AND CURLED SOMETIMES?
What about a left-handed dog
What about round and round helicopter tail....
How does this translate to handedness? Is it reversed for left-handed dogs?
Wagging to its right or our right?
what about my dog wagging its tail uncontrollably along with its entire butt XD its really funny.
what if the dog has no tail
What about if they wag their entire body?
my dogs tail is always mostly up when i play with him so idk
what abot left and raight
My dog is a akita so i never understand the tail lenguaje.
hi
Hi
2:13 "Ma pwede uwiin ung tuta?" "Nako! Kakagat ka ng tuta at mag ta-tae sa sahig yon!"
My dog is pulling while im taking him in outside and he choking him self..plss help me what can i do?😔
@doctorlove3536
3 жыл бұрын
Use a harness to lessen choking and for more control
@aninongitim6757
3 жыл бұрын
@@doctorlove3536 my mother and father cant go outside because of virus🙁
@dees_good_vibes3391
3 жыл бұрын
@@aninongitim6757 As the previous comment mentioned; try a harness or a Gentle Leader. The gentle leader works great and kind of makes it impossible for the dog to pull. You mentioned your parents can't go outside bc of the virus, but you or they have to take your dog out so he can relieve themselves/go potty right? Even with the virus, you can take your dog outside on a short walk. Make sure everyone wears a mask and practices social distancing (at LEAST 6 feet away from others). I'd stay away from crowded areas too. Besides using the bathroom/potty brakes, your dog needs the exercise and stimulation at the very least. Hope that helps 😊
My dog wags his tail in circles what does that mean
@talhasial5502
2 жыл бұрын
They wanna become a helicopter.
I'm my dogs owner and when my sees me she doesn't wag here tail but to my mom she was here tail like she dont like me😑
My dog is pomerian soo her tail is always round
@avishekkashyap1421
3 жыл бұрын
Lol
This would be useful if my dog had a full tail instead of a docked one.
@yenmua5165
2 жыл бұрын
Lol aww
What about a curved tail, like a scorpion - our dogs do this a lot
It all seems a little bit unbelievable. As we are not dogs ourselves we may never know.... we can only speculate.
@thhomasmarks
2 жыл бұрын
Yeah m and what if your dog is a 'lefty'? is stuff the other way around now?
I don't understand my dog love me Or hate me Or think that i am one of them. He never wag tail when he see me. But i thing our relationship is decent. He play with me, he sleep besides me, he demand for pat, and show me his cute belly... But he doesn't wag his tail. Even I am stay away from home more than 1 month and return he was like "wooo you came... Ok"..... Just I am little sad. But i arrived at the conclusion that he think I am one of them and treat me like a sibling. 😅 And when he saw my father he wag his tail nonstop😂
2nd
Who is watching this but doesn’t have a dog? 👇
@quit9867
3 жыл бұрын
I have a dog a big one to! 0_0
How do i know if the dog is going to attack me or just playing with me when it's running straight to me?
@freddyjawgler2443
Жыл бұрын
You won’t know
@TonyMontana-uv3fo
8 ай бұрын
I would just run initially and be prepared to take further steps to neutralize if its an attack.
Cats also wag their tails to mean different things, lol I can never remember all the different wags & what they mean for both dogs & cats, very sad to hear animals who don’t have long tails have trouble communicating tho
You might educate yourself about the Myth of dominance, y=the theory that is audited since the 60s
I remember bringing a pitbull puppy home when my other pitbull ran up on him he put his tail between his legs nd started pissing 😂 i already figured that was a sign of a scared dog
Me: has an Aussie :|
REALLY TRADING CHEMICALS FOR FLESH AND BLOOD
But my dogs tale is sooo tiny how will I now
@pedroguerrero7480
3 жыл бұрын
Binoculars
*Hey everyone who ever reading this comment stay safe and healthy* _btw read my name if you are dog lover_
I don't know why but my dog puts his fluffy tail at the top of his back!?!?Anyone explain?
Pomers lol always ready to attack
Yo Fankie you quit your other youtube for this?
UPSC 😢2024 question
Not every breed of dogs have a antenna on their butt.
It's a shame wives don't have tails. It would be much easier to interpret what the hell they are thinking.
@krishnapanda7568
3 жыл бұрын
How to be misogyntistic 101
@jrespinoza9737
3 жыл бұрын
You nail it bro
@lastofthe70schildren70
8 ай бұрын
😂😅😂😅
If you CAN'T IDENTIFY an aggressive tail wag, you need help. You can almost feel it in you spine. Something ain't right here
Hahah people think dogs tail is never straight but beagles breed tail is always straight hahahah scientists were wrong
Next, we need a video that describes cat bod language. cat owners like this comment so author can see it
But doberman doesn't have a tail Unlucky🤣🤣
@imtyler99yearsago90
3 жыл бұрын
The have long tails some people just cut them
Stop talking about dominance; this is non sense!
@talhasial5502
2 жыл бұрын
I have two male dogs, both of them try to display dominance over one another.