Tail positions are another means by which dogs can communicate a ‘message’. There are some tail positions which have more than one meaning depending on the circumstance. For example, when a dog’s tail is down, it could be that the dog is resting or relaxed but, depending on the other signals, it could also mean that the dog is stressed. Aloff explains stress signals by stating ‘This animal is stressed: eyes averted, ears held out to the side, tail down. There is a rigidity…that tells us these are not signs of neutrality, but of anxiety. The Look Away is one of avoidance, not approachability.’ (Aloff, 2005, p. 40) Alternatively, the down tail be part of a play posture when one dog is stalking another. Aloff explains the signals by explaining ‘The dog…is Stalking the [other] dog…during Play. The dog…has the lowered-head, tail-down, ears-up silhouette of the typical Stalking dog. Her eyes are fixed on her “prey.” Her closed mouth indicates that this dog is ready for the Pounce.’ (Aloff, 2005, p. 253)

Another tail position that might have different meanings depending on the context in which it is used is when the tail is held up. One reason could be that the dog is in the process of interpreting some information from a ‘butt-sniff.’ For example, Aloff explains ‘The Rottweiler is straining forward against the pull of the leash…The Rottie’s tail is forced straight up; that is often a signal of a dog who is thinking about Rank Order.’ She goes on to clarify another meaning by stating that ‘This type of straight up tail is occasionally a signal that the dog wants to play’ (Aloff, 2005, p. 114)

The tail may also be held up in an alert gesture when the dog is ‘targeting’ or focussing on something. Aloff states ‘The dog…has made [the other dog] her Target. Her ears are held forward, her tail is coming up and her body is oriented toward [the other dog]. What labels this as Targeting, rather than just looking, is the intensity and the facial tension that accompanies the orientation of the eyes and nose. The dog is still blinking, but you can see how tight her lips are, and how her lips are getting “shorter.”…This dog is showing an intention to rush in, rudely. If [the other dog] took exception to this you would have the beginning of a dog fight.’ (Aloff, 2005, p. 170)

Kilcommons and Wilson also claim that ‘A straight-up and stiff tail says “I’m alert, confident and bold.”’ (Kilcommons & Wilson, 2004)‘A wagging tail is not, necessarily, an indication of friendly intent. It is, however, a sign of an excited, aroused state.’ (Bailey, 1998, p. 37)

One possible reason that a dog may wag its tail other than because it is ‘happy’ is because it is feeling tense or anxious. Dunbar supports this by stating that ‘…certainly a high frequency, large amplitude wag augurs well for a happy social encounter, but there are several different types of tail wag. For example, it is not uncommon for a dog to wag its tail furiously when barking and lunging. Similarly, a large amplitude, slow frequency cat-like tail swish means the dog reeeeally doesn’t like you and a high frequency, small amplitude vibration at the tip of the dog’s perpendicularly held tail, generally signals the animal is extremely tense and an explosion is imminent.’ (Dunbar, 1999, p. 73)

This is also supported by Kilcommons and Wilson who argue that ‘A wagging tail is something like a human smile – often friendly but not always.’ (Kilcommons & Wilson, 2004)

This shows that a tail wag as well as various tail postures can communicate many different ‘messages’ to explain what the dog is feeling / thinking.

Bibliography

Aloff, B. (2005). Canine Body Language A Photographic Guide – Interpreting the Native Language of the Domestic Dog. Wenatchee: Dogwise Publishing.

Bailey, G. (1998). Good Dog Behaviour An Owner’s Guide. London: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

Dunbar, I. (1999). Dog Behaviour. New York: Howell Book House.

Kilcommons, B., & Wilson, S. (2004). What’s That Tail Wag Mean? Retrieved January 5, 2010 from http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2004/edition_02-01-2004/featured_2