27
Nov
Dog Tail Wagging In Circles A Circle wag is highly descriptive because it talks about a dogs tail that goes around in circles. A circle wag can happen whenever a dog is excited such as at feeding time or when seeing a person that the dog loves or if he is.
This discomfort can be a precursor to aggression.
Why does a dogs tail wag in a circle. Most often a dog will wag their tail in a circle if they are particularly overjoyed to see someone special especially someone they havent seen recently. Many videos of reunions between military people returning from deployment and the dogs that stayed behind feature circle wags. Introducing the Circle Wag in Dogs Also known as helicopter wag or propeller tail the circle wag is a particular tail wag where the tail performs a complete circle.
As the name implies its almost as if the tail was a rotor blade spinning in circles producing a draft almost as if dogs were getting ready to be propelled and take off. When a dog is happy or friendly he often wags his tail frequently in a circular motion. Also called the helicopter wag this wag is indicated by the tail continually going around in a circle.
Sometimes a dog will even put his body into the movement his entire body appears to be swinging back and forth. A circle wag can happen whenever a dog is excited such as at feeding time or when seeing a person that the dog loves or if he is. A simple wag looks like the dogs tail moving on back and forth which is the point where a circular tail wag initiate.
The dogs tail works like an antenna as it shows what they are feeling at that moment too and attunes dogs to their surroundings. I made that term up so dont go looking for it anywhere. But in the best tradition of ethology Circle Wag is descriptive because the tail literally goes around in a circle.
Heres my belief about its meaning and thats all it is a belief. Circle wags appear to be done by dogs who are extremely happy. A wagging tail simply indicates that a dog is mentally aroused and engaged with what is going on in his environment not how he will react to whatever is going on.
Siracusa says its difficult to parse meaning from just a tail wag and even other dogs who have a better ability to read those signals than humans do sometimes make mistakes. A dog holding its tail up is alert and curious. A recent study found that the direction a dog is favoring when wagging his tail may be a mood indicator as well.
The tail may be low and wagging slowly usually because the dog is hesitant about something. Or the dogs tail may be held high and moving back and forth narrowly but rapidly. This discomfort can be a precursor to aggression.
This is one reason people sometimes report that a dog was wagging its tail just before it bit someone. If the tail is moving more strongly to the dogs right then that dog is showing positive emotions like excitement or interest. But if its moving more to the left its showing negative emotions like anxiety fear or aggression.
A confident dog wanting you to move away will often deliver a low-pitched warning growl. His body will stiffen and the loose circular wag may become a stiff side-to-side motion. A scared dog who really doesnt want to defend himself may make a high-pitched growl-bark to.
A relaxed tail with a circular or enthusiastic wag shows the dog is feeling friendly and playful. A slow controlled wag along with a tense body is not a welcome signal. Instead it indicates to another dog or human that they should go slower or even back away.
Puppies dont always wag their tails straight away. Dog Tail Wagging In Circles A Circle wag is highly descriptive because it talks about a dogs tail that goes around in circles. A dog wags its tail in circles only when it is extremely happy.
Many dogs never ever circle their tails and experts predict the percentage not in excess of 20. Dog wag tail in circle Have you seen your canine buddy wag his tail in circles and wonder what it means. This tail-wagging movement is an indication of excitement and your dog can at times use it to manipulate you.
An old dog not wagging their tail might be due to cognitive decline stress arthritis or pain from a condition called limber tail syndrome. How to respond. Pet parents should track their dogs reactions to typical interactions to determine if the lack of wagging is related to general cognition issues or if the universal lack of wagging is pain based.