# Tail Wagging, meaning?



## Izzy-bella (Mar 26, 2011)

Does your little one's tails wag?
Does this mean they are happy and/or excited?
Sad or depressed if not? 

Our two are so different in this respect. The 10 month old little tail goes non stop and the other wags hers only once in a while, she is two and half. Maybe it is just the age thing? But I don't really remember the older one wagging hers ALL the time. 

I was just wondering...hate to think that the older one is not as happy as the little one. 

Estelle and the Bella Sisters


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## luv3havs (Jul 27, 2007)

Chico, my eight year old dog, wags his tail a lot more than the other two. I think it is individual. With Chico, I just have to look at him and he wags his tail. Finnegan wags his, but a little less. Cali doesn't wag hers a lot, but she really means it, when she does. They all seem equally happy and content.

By the way, your puppies are sooo cute! Love their coloring and expressions. Nice grooming too.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

hi Estelle. Here is a previous post of mine on tail wagging. Your pup is more likely to wag simply because he is more excitable at that age. 

Ever wonder why dogs wag their tails. I love watching tails. (talking literally here) . And I really think our bushy haired curly tailed Hav's are a little harder to read than a typical shorthaired dog. I think the Beagle has the best tail ,with it's usually tipped white end. And different breeds carry their tails differently. But just like any calming signal ,tail wagging serves a purpose. We can gather lots from this little appendage. And one must be aware , not all tail wagging means the dog is happy. Lots of people have been bitten by a tail waggin dog. Being different breeds carry their tails differently, it's important to be familiar with this to a degree. 
THe height of the tail generally means the following. A medium height or closer to horizontal tail wag indicates an attentive calm dog. The higher the tail is wagging,ie closer to verticle, it means the dog is becoming more uneasy and possibly threatening/assertive. As the tail moves to a lower position it indicates the dog is more submissive and appeasing. 
The frequency of the tail repetitions is also another barometer on how the dog is feeling. The faster the tail is wagging the higher level of excitement. The applitude ie the distance from it's furthest left to its furthest right positions tells whether the dog is happy or uncertain. The broader the wag, the more happy the dog. The short vibrating type wags the more unpredictable the dog. The combination of a high vibrating type wag, means beware.
A recent study is really interesting and is based on the same principles as the human brain. It's studies show when dogs feel generally positive about something or someone, their tails wag more to the right side of their rear ends, and when they have negative feelings, their tail wagging is biased to the left. How cool is that? Same sort of stuff that show in human brains how certain emotions are controlled by different sides of the brain. 

So watch those tails and let your dogs wag their tails. Let's not let the tail wag the dog. LOL


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## sandypaws (Aug 8, 2012)

My two boys were totally different in tail wagging. Bailey hardly ever wagged his tail and Tyler wags his whenever you look at him or, when his hearing was intact, whenever you spoke to him. 
BTW, the girls look beautiful, including their grooming. Tyler was clipped again yesterday (every six weeks) and I told his groomer, Shauna, how famous she now is thanks to the forum.
Aso, I sent you another PM, Estelle, after your response. Check to see if you got it.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Tillie typically wags her hind end off when she is greeting us in the morning, upon our return home, when she first greets our cats or if someone comes to visit... she does much smaller/shorter tail wags when I talk to her or she is playing with a toy.


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## Izzy-bella (Mar 26, 2011)

So interesting....Dave you are just wealth of knowledge....are you as smart about human behavior?? It is a wonder what I have learned on this forum...thanks to all again.

Thanks also for the compliments about the girls, they are Sooooo cute..not that I am prejudice or anything. Their wonderful haircuts are do to Mary and sweet little Tyler, well per their groomers instructions and tyler's pictures. 
Mary will go read my message.

Have a great evening everyone"... Estelle and the Bella sisters


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## Izzy-bella (Mar 26, 2011)

Dave I am going to print out your reply...have had this discission with many a friend.
They will be interested .... And I am going to take note of my tail waggers!


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## Izzy-bella (Mar 26, 2011)

Mary...no PM unless I am looking in the wrong place....when did you send it?
Estelle


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## sandypaws (Aug 8, 2012)

It was either yesterday or the day before. Don't know where it went. It's out there in cyberspace somewhere, I guess. I'll try again later.


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## sprorchid (Mar 30, 2010)

I just saw a research study on tail wagging. no joke. It was on the UK TV servies, extraordinary dogs. it's the science of how dogs commuicate via tail wagging. I can't remember now, but wagging to the left is 'friendly' (middle of the body and to the left), and to the right, it's not friendly.

when you come home next time see which way your pups tail is wagging, and it'll confirm it.

My anatolians carry their tails low when relaxed, and high (over the back) when fully on alert, might be postivie energy and might not be, and also, their tails may be held at 1/2 mast, for the inbetween alert.

I see this also in my 1/2 hav. anyway it is interesting.


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## miller123 (Aug 13, 2011)

Millers tail is very tightly curled to his back so it is harder for him to wag his tail, but when he does its a full body motion totally wiggles his entire body


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## Diann (Apr 25, 2011)

This tail wagging conversation reminded me of the sweetest thing that happened on Monday. I stayed home to Cybershop and Charlie was asleep on the other couch opposite me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his tail wag. He was totally asleep yet he was wagging his tail. I was so happy, thinking that he was having happy dreams; now I'm not quite sure after reading Dave's post. I guess I should have watched more closely.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Of course, with most Havs, their tails are held naturally high, so no particular significance can be attached to that part of it. Kodi's tail only goes down if he is scared or upset. (like in the vet's office!). Interestingly, he NEVER wags his tail in a low position, as I've seen many large dogs do when they are unsure. (often accompanied by head-ducking, ears pulled back, and sometimes dropping a shoulder to the ground or even rolling over) I don't know if this is a physical limitatin or not... Maybe he CAN'T wag his tail in a low position.

When excited about meeting another dog, he often holds his tail stiff, with the vibrating type of wagging, though he alway does other pro-social behaviors that seem to let the other dog know he's friendly.

With people, if he's excited, he wags with his tail up, and somewhat fast. We can also elicit this type of wagging by TELLING him to wag his tail, talking to him in an excited voice, asking if he wants to go for a ride or a walk, and/or "wagging" our own butts, which is pretty funny! My FAVORITE wagging is what we call "waggy flaggy tail" where, although his tail is still up, he loosens the curl, and wags it in a broad sweep, as far as it can go in both directions. He is CLEARLY happy when he does this... often when he is pleased with himself because he knows he has done something that we like. 

Interestingly, we can elicit this one, too, if he's a little unsure, and we praise him and ask, "Where is that waggy flaggy tail?". I think if he's just a bit unsure, and we talk to him this way, it settles him and makes him feel better, which leads to that relaxed tail wag. And, of course, he has learned that these responses get a positive response from us (though we have never purposely "trained" them, just encouraged his natural behavior because it's cute) which makes him more likely to repeat them. 

But I DO think that being able to ASK for the "waggy flaggy tail" helps him to settle and put himself in a calm, happy frame of mind when he's a bit unsure. It helps us let him know that everything is OK, sort of like getting a child to take a deep breath and relax when they are getting themselves unnecessarily worked up.


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## Ewokpup (Nov 3, 2012)

I read an article that said when it wags to their right, it's a happy wag/ The left, not so much. The study was something like they had a friendly human, a cat, and a mean dog meet the subject, and in the happy situations, and even the not so sure, they wagged to the right. And the not so happy ones, to the left. They also talked about the whole right side of the brain vs left side of the brain and what sides of the body they involve. But I don't remember the details. Will see if I can find the link. And who's to say that a dog could be wired backwards...afterall, humans aren't always right handed. 

And then when there's a play bow, then a wag is a happy thing.


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## Momo means Peach (Jun 7, 2011)

I guess this begs the question when saying that the tail is wagging to the right or left. Whose right or left? If I'm looking straight on or from behind? Inquiring minds want to know!


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## Izzy-bella (Mar 26, 2011)

Momo means Peach said:


> I guess this begs the question when saying that the tail is wagging to the right or left. Whose right or left? If I'm looking straight on or from behind? Inquiring minds want to know!


Great question! I have been watching tails all day...now need to know the answer to the above question. 
Thanks to all for the interesting responses. I always thought it was just a happynwag...a lot more involved.


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