“Aw, she’s wagging her tail. She must like me! Oh, no. Wait. Why is she growling?”

Has this ever happened to you? It may come as a surprise, but a dog wagging its tail does not necessarily mean he or she is happy. Dogs communicate with humans in many ways, but one of the most important things to watch for is what they’re doing with their tails.

Many people today assume a wagging tail means a happy dog, but unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. People can get bitten by a dog who was wagging its tail.  A dog can be saying a lot of different things with its tail. In fact, a dog’s tail is one of the most expressive parts of its body, even more than its ears.

Dogs begin to learn to wag their tails at about one to two months old. They learn to wag their tails so they can effectively communicate with their mothers and other dogs. Dogs know what each other dog’s wagging means, so we should too!

When a dog is happy and calm, its tail will be in its natural position (this look will vary depending on the breed). If the tail is in its natural position and moving side-to-side, the dog is letting the human know its content. However, a side-to-side tail doesn’t always mean happiness. If the dog’s tail is moving more toward the right, the dog is showing that it is excited and interested. If the dog’s tail is moving more to the left, its expressing anxiety, fear, aggression, or it feels threatened.

Now, if the tail moves up or down, that’s a different story. If a dog moves its tail up, it means the dog is becoming assertive or dominant. If a dog moves its tail down, its letting the human know that the human is in charge. If a dog curls its tail between its legs, its doing so to let the human know its harmless and is submitting. Keep in mind that a up/raised tail isn’t always aggressive, but a lowered/down tail always means submissiveness.

Just like the direction of the tail, the speed of the wag also reveals a lot about the dog’s mood. A fast tail means either high positive or negative energy. If the tail is fast and low to the right, the dog is very submissive. If the tail is fast, high, and to the left, this dog is aggressive and not happy.

If a dog’s tail appears to be “vibrating” more than wagging, back away! This dog does not want to interact with you. Your best bet is to approach dogs with slow-moving tails, which show the dog is calmer.

Ark Naturals makes natural products that allow pets to enjoy a better quality of life, which helps owners feel rest assured that they have cared for their pets in the best way possibly by choosing natural alternatives for dental, joint, grooming, calming, skin, digestion, and overall wellness care.

Photo courtesy: Vetstreet.com

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