Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails? | How Do Animals Do That?

Uncover the science behind a dog's tail wag, and find out exactly why zebras have black and white stripes.

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[SporkSlayer]

I was not expecting to finish this video knowing more about zebras, but here we are.

[sweatpantsprincess]

And here I am with a tail-less boston/pug... She's gotten pretty good at communicating in other ways, though! Very good at slapping our hands when she thinks we should be petting her!

[babygirl]

My son n I were just talking about this tail thing! Thanks for uploading💖

[grantcritchfieldstexastrai]

Always learning new stuff about all kinds of things. Thanks for the lesson

[yamatoyazuyuki]

did anyone see 0r heard the carmra getting hit 2:08 - 2:10

[kamanama]

A sad story that my mom told me was that the only reason why my dog wags its tail is because it was hungry and not because it loved me. And I stupidly took that in and let it sit in the back of my brain for many years. All along deep down hoping but that wasn't true. So I am so grateful for this video and the work this lovely lady has done. Thank you so much.

[rustyhornzinstrumentalist-]

"I was born and raised in New York City; fell in love in central park." - T.S. Monk/Bon Bon Vie
The location for Finnegan and Alexandra's segment.

[smith]

Don't go too hard on science just call him/her if he/her comes then give them love, it's my 15 years of experience 😊

[ArfArfBarkBark]

This video article is mostly incorrect about tail wagging. With all due respect to Dr. Horowitz, her descriptions of dogs' various tail wags are somewhat broad generalizations and are described in rhetorics...as in, her beliefs are based on observation conjecture. Case in point is Finnegan is wearing a harness...aside from flight risk, this is primarily used by owners that are unable to control their own dogs (with a regular collar) because they 'can't get their dog under control while walking'.


The processes of tail wagging is directly rooted in the cognitive and emotional processing of the dog's environment and how they process their immediate environment. The rhythm, speed, range of motion such as width and length and direction all represent that processing.

Dogs have developed their ability to process nuanced behaviors which they are able to identify in the behaviors of other dogs. Dogs are able to understand what other dogs are thinking because the dog understands it's own tail wag. From that basis, the dog identifies those same tail behaviors as relatable.


Incorrect that "dogs don't wag their tails when no one is around to see them". Tail wagging is one of dozens of behaviors dogs express their cognition. Dogs will wag their tails, alone in a room, when engaging in play or prey drive with a toy. Dogs, home alone, will wag their tails when they hear their owner's car arriving or when they are waiting for them to get out of the elevator as they walk down the hallway toward the door. Dogs do not wag their tail to communicate...dogs wag their tails as expressions of their processing.


"Short tail dogs" do not present a difficulty to other dogs in reading them. Again, tail wag is an overt expression of intent...in dangerous dogs, tail wagging is sometimes (and deliberately) used as subterfuge while the reactive dog analyzes it's threat/target. Other times, the dangerous dog will express an analytical movement of their tail as that subterfuge. Tail wagging being overt, dogs process other behaviors of each other, such as eye width, blinking pattern, position of ears, mouth and jaw position, tongue behavior, breath pattern and frequency, body and paw position, etc...


For example, at 4:17 her dog, Finnegan meets another dog and his Tail Behavior (tail wagging) clearly. His initial approach, Finnegan's tail indicates he is analyzing, not "expressing his emotions" the behavior of the other dog. He watches the dog's face, head and performs a very slight glance to their body. Finnegan shows some skittishness (which indicates he becomes easily worried by other dogs that are too forceful) which reflects a lower level of self-esteem. Watch how Finnegan dog blinks once as he processes the other dog's presenting demeanor. Once he has a basic opinion, his tail goes into a 'helicopter' spin as he releases his primary apprehensions upon meeting the other dog. Finnegan is a dog that enjoys to deliberately engage in activity by first 'flirting' and dropping his body to engage, then will exhibit short bursts of energy to encourage engagement of play.


Tail wagging is not used as a primary communication tool when greeting other dogs or animals. It is simply a subconscious physical manifestation of the dog's cognition.



There is a significant wealth to learn about dogs. It's prudent that information be current.


FYI...Dangerous-to-Extremely Dangerous dogs that I work with do not exhibit tail wag behavior in the generalized perspective. Dogs exist in the three variations of dependency. Tail behavior should not be assumed indicative of a dog's intent unless it takes in consideration the psychology of the individual dog.

My work with extremely dangerous dogs exceeding 150 lbs is recognized by:

~ Court of New York.
~ SRGDRR - largest Great Dane Rescue in North America
~ New Hope For Danes - oldest Great Dane Rescue in Canada (est. 1982)
~ Southampton Animal Shelter, New York
~ Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation, Los Angeles
~ St. Martin's Animal Foundation, Los Angeles
~ Davey's Voice, Santa Barbara
~ RAPS
~ Furever Freed Dog Rescue
~ LALDR (Iran affiliate)
~ CooGo


My work does NOT use treats, meds, alpha, prong/shock/choke collars. Treat training a dysfunctional dog is passive aggressive Pavlovian. I read dogs at 2/10ths of a second by watching their psychogenesis markers and body behavior. I've successfully trained the most dangerous Great Dane in North America in 2016/2017 from the Southampton Animal Shelter in New York. This is a 180 lbs dog standing 38" at the withers that had attacked 16 people in New York, including dragging a shelter worker into his kennel resulting in injuries resulting in 42 stitches. He was ordered by a New York judge flown directly to me by a retired NYPD officer as escort.

[emelyrivera]

Does anyone else have a Rottweiler who barely has a tale? 😂 However it’s really cute when he wags his “stump”

[mackennakelly]

I have a boxer so she doesn't have much of a tail haha

[sheyennepeterson]

Who Let The Dogs Out ? Ruff Ruff Lol !!!

[alextaylor]

So basically it’s like Italians speaking with our hands...

[angelahart]

Why do dogs wag their tail? Because they have a tail, yea it's complicated but hang in there. 😅

[catvalley]

Hello I love your channel YES I’m early

[adam]

To Show different expression like love loyalty angry frustration like wise

[nicoibella]

1:34 the other dogs gets tail smack on the snout

[monikabredesen]

Is that harness in the right size on the black dog ?

[sarakjeldsen]

I watched on a National Geographic doc that hippos wag their tails when they're shitting and it spreads the poop around - and this was proven with some video coverage. I couldn't stop laughing.
Oh & also dogs are awesome!

[Barzins]

I think the stripes are so that lions can’t focus on one zebra.