Canine Communication — Dog Training
Canine Communication — Dog Training
“The dog wears his heart on his tail, and the movement of his tail will tell you a great deal about what he is thinking.” — Lee Miller, 1984.
When dogs are alone, they commonly don’t wag their tails, no matter how much they’re enjoying themselves. This is because tail wagging is chiefly used for social communication.
Once a dog is with people or other dogs, the tail genuinely goes into action, how fast and how smartly depends on the dog’s breed and personality. Many spaniels, for example, wag wildly at the slightest incitement. Other breeds may be much less inclined to wag.
Among all breeds, a slight wag, when just the end of the tail moves, is a casual greeting. The happier and more excited dogs get, the more vigorously they wag. Tails that are stiff and not wagging are a signal that dogs are feeling defensive, protective or aggressive.
Not all dogs communicate equally well with their tails. Some breeds have tails that are less mobile than others. Others have tails that are held close to their rumps. Such dogs can’t always say what they mean with their tails.
This can be a real problem for dogs such as French Bulldogs, Basenjis and Pugs, whose tails are small and tightly curled. They tend to rely on other types of body language. When they’re happy, they wiggle their bodies back and forth and shake their tails from side to side. They also use their heads a lot. They’ll wrinkle their foreheads when they’re curious, and they have very mobile ears.
Australian Shepherds are born with tails that are very short or non-existent. Boxers, Schnauzers, Rottweilers and Dobermans traditionally have had their tails docked, or cut short. These dogs use their stubby tails as much as they can, but their ability to express themselves is quite restricted.
Some tails, on the other hand, are made for communication because they’re easy to see. Dogs with long, bushy tails, such as German Shepherds, Samoyeds and Siberian Huskies, have no trouble expressing their emotions. Their tails move freely, and the luxuriant masses of hair give them an air of authority.
Scottish and West Highland White Terriers are between these two extremes. While their tails are quite short, and short-haired, they’re still very expressive because what they lack in size they make up for in mobility and vertical placement.
While a hairy tail can make it easier to communicate by exaggerating dogs’ normal tail movements, it can also be a problem for dogs with very short tails, such as Old English Sheepdogs. Their thick, hairy coats can cover their tails completely. No matter how much they move their tails, the movements may be invisible. To compensate, these dogs will often move their entire rumps back and forth.
Different breeds carry their tails in different positions as well. Fox Terriers and Airedales, for example, naturally carry their tails high and rather stiffly. This can make them look assertive or even aggressive, to both other dogs and people. Golden Retrievers carry their lower-set tails in a relaxed fashion, which makes them look mellow and unthreatening. Greyhounds, Whippets, Borzois and Afghan Hounds usually carry their tails between their legs, but they may not be feeling frightened, timid or unhappy. It’s just how their tails are.
Tails aren’t just for communication. The tail is a vital part of a dog’s balance system. Some breeds, such as Afghans, Irish Wolfhounds and Greyhounds, were bred to chase fast-moving prey. Their tails are thin and very long in proportion to the rest of them. They can run at bully speeds, and they use their tails as a counterbalance when turning, giving them agility and the ability to maneuver quickly in response to the movements of their quarry. These dogs’ tails are long, tapered and low set, and when combined with their sloping rumps, have something of a rudder effect.
Dogs also use their tails when swimming. Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and Labradors have thick, strong tails that help them move easily through the water. The flexibility of a dog’s tail also helps him make quick turns in the water.
Other dogs use their tails as insulation. Nordic breeds, such as Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies and Samoyeds, have brushy or plumed tails with long, dense fur. When they’re lying down, they can pull their tails over their faces to keep out the cold. When they’re pulling a sled across ice, these dogs also use their tails as a counterbalance to help them move more quickly.
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