When a dog wags its tail, it automatically means that they’re happy , right? Well, while there is truth to that, there’s actually a lot more to it—and sometimes, it can actually mean that they’re not happy . Huh? So, why do dogs wag their tails ?
Dogs can’t communicate verbally (although we all wish that they could, right?), so they communicate through body language, and that includes tail wagging. If you notice that your dog tends to wag their tail to one side, here’s how to decipher how they’re really feeling.
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Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails? What It Means
“In general, a wagging tail just means that a dog is experiencing some emotion ,” says Amanda Farah, CPDT-KA , National Training and Behavior Coordinator at Best Friends Animal Society . “That could be happiness or excitement, but it can also be fear , frustration or uncertainty.”
She says that a tail wag is one of the more obvious ways dogs communicate their emotional state.
“A sweeping midline tail wag on a loose, relaxed body is that happy wag we’re always looking for,” she explains. “Any of the others—maybe high and tense or low and tucked—have me searching for more cues about how they’re feeling and why.”
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If Your Dog Is Wagging Its Tail to This One Side, Here's What It Means
Susan Nilson , Accredited Cat and Dog Training and Behavior Specialist and Owner/Founder of The Cat and Dog House , shares that research has suggested that dogs tend to wag their tails more to the right when they are feeling happy and confident.
“So you’re likely to see a right-sided tail wag in the presence of things or situations a dog perceives to be positive and wants to move toward or engage with, like their owner, a food treat or a favorite toy ,” she says. “When a dog wags their tail to the right, the left hemisphere of their brain is activated, which is associated with positive emotions and approach behaviors.”
But what does it mean if your dog is wagging their tail to the left?
According to Nilson, research also shows that dogs tend to wag their tails more to the left when they are feeling scared, sad or uncertain.
She says, “This means you’re more likely to see a left-sided tail wag in the presence of things or situations your dog sees as negative and wants to move away from or avoid, like unfamiliar dogs or people, situations associated with past negative experiences or loud noises like thunder or fireworks . When a dog wags their tail to the left, it activates the right hemisphere of their brain, which is associated more with negative emotions and withdrawal or avoidance behaviors.”
Farah points out that we can never know with complete certainty how a dog is feeling about something since they can’t verbalize it. “We should also keep in mind that there could be other factors that influence wag direction, like the dog’s overall posture or physical health ,” she notes.
Related: Is Your Dog *Truly* Happy? Pet Behaviorists Share 6 Sneaky Signs to Look For
Why It’s Important To Read Your Dog’s Body Language
Since dogs can’t speak like humans, they’re all about the body language. If you want to understand your dog’s needs and emotions better, be observant when it comes to this form of communication.
“If we ignore it or misunderstand [body language], we’re missing a lot of great information that we can use to figure out what they like, what they don’t like and how we can help them live happier lives,” Farah says.
Dog body language can also lend itself to you and your family’s personal safety. As Farah explains, it’s all too common to see a fearful dog ’s communications being misinterpreted or ignored.
“In those situations, we might accidentally push a scared dog into fight-or-flight mode,” she says. “If they can’t run away, they may feel they have no choice but to bite. If you have a child who interacts with dogs, teaching them to read and respect dogs’ body language will reduce the chance of a dog bite.”
Nilson agrees that these signals can be easy to miss. If a dog is agitated or scared, they may display things like dilated pupils, a slight stiffening of the muscles or a very slight curl of their top lip.
“If we can understand our dogs’ body language, we can work with them to avoid or at least manage situations where they feel scared, anxious or stressed,” Nilson says. “This helps keep them under threshold emotionally, leading to a calmer, more relaxed dog all around with less likelihood of behavior issues arising.”
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