30
Oct
Like many of the adorable-but-perplexing things that dogs do tail wagging exists as a form of canine communication. So Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails Exactly.
Yes they wag their tails like dogs do these frisky felines do so for entirely different reasons.
Do dogs wag their tails voluntarily. Dogs can control their tails and their tail wags but it appears they often start wagging out of instinct not conscious thought. Its kind of like a human frowning. You might begin frowning as an ingrained as well as habitual response to say an inappropriate joke but you can return your mouth to resting smiling or a deeper frown at will.
Its commonly believed that dogs wag their tails to convey that they are happy and friendly but this isnt exactly true. Dogs do use their tails to communicate though a wagging tail doesnt. The wag of a tail is instinctive in dogs.
Its used as part of their varied communication with one another and with humans. While tail wagging is instinctive the shape size and way the tail moves will vary from breed to breed and individually. Although tail movement and position vary slightly between dog breeds many general movements are the same.
A wagging tail and a few licks are usually a friendly greeting from a dog. Dogs can lift and lower their tails and swish them from side to side with deliberate movements and they can also suspend movement in the middle of a wag too which indicates that dogs can indeed consciously control how their tail moves and stop it. But much as someone telling a funny joke or saying something that pleases us instinctively.
During the REM sleep cycle dogs may wag their tails. Generally this is the only time they do this because your dog is fully relaxed. Like people dogs go through the REM sleep cycle or Rapid Eye Movement.
What happens during the REM sleep cycle. Like many of the adorable-but-perplexing things that dogs do tail wagging exists as a form of canine communication. Dogs use their tails to send signals to other dogs and humans.
Factors like the tails position and the speed of the wagging combine to send clear messages about how a dog. While dogs do not speak the human language they still communicate quite effectively and tail wagging enhances their ability to communicate. Position and speed of tail wagging takes on different meanings.
Interestingly dogs do not talk to themselves. They will wag their tails in front of humans or other dogs but they do not wag when alone. It is impossible to tell whether a dog wags their tail voluntarily or if it happens on its own without them consciously thinking about it.
Some people believe it is both the same way we can organically smile and force smiles depending on the situation. Dogs will of course wag their tails in both directions but pay close attention to which direction the tail is more biased towards. The researchers dont think that the dogs are consciously.
Typically when dogs are encountered with positive situations like encountering their owner dogs will wag their tail towards the right. However when dogs are faced with negative situations such as the approach of an unfamiliar dog the animal biases its tail wags towards the left. Can Dogs Control Their Tails.
Tail wagging is voluntary in animals because they need to have control over their activities especially while walking in narrow pathways. Your dogs have full control over their tail wagging. Whether they want to wag left or right or just want to hold straight they can do it voluntarily.
Tail wagging does not mean that the dog is friendly. Dogs generally dont wag their tails when they are alone. For example if you pour your dog a bowl of food he may wag his tail excitedly at the prospect of eating.
But if he finds the bowl already filled without anyone being around he will usually not wag his tail. So Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails Exactly. Dog behavior is complicated.
Thats why there is an entire profession devoted to understanding canine instincts and training our furry friends to be on their best behavior. Dog tail positions and movements are only one piece of the puzzle. Yes they wag their tails like dogs do these frisky felines do so for entirely different reasons.
If youre a longtime owner of a cat you rescued from a shelter or are an owner of new kittens you may already know one or two reasons why cats wag their tails. Why do dogs wag their tails. A tail is one element of body language that dogs use to communicate alongside body posture and facial expressions.
Not all tail wags mean the same thing and not all wagging tails are a signal of friendliness. It is essential to read the tail wag in the context of the rest of the dogs body language signals.