Any Vets out there?

Question

Why do dogs wag their tails? is it really because they are happy?

Answer 1

I'm not a Vet, but I am going to be one once I finish high school and go to collage.
But the dogs tail wags not only when they're happy but for many other reasons. Their wagging tails show their body language.

Answer 2

You don't need a vet to answer this question, and, in fact, a behaviorist or trainer might be a better fit. Though I am none of the above, I can tell you that a dog's tail is just one part of his body used to convey body language. Dogs use many body parts to communicate what they're feeling. They'll use their mouth, ears, eyes, stance, and tail.

A wagging tail can indicate a happy dog, but doesn't necessarily. If a tail is wagging so much that the butt is wiggling, that's probably a happy dog. However, you have to take into account the position of the tail, the speed of the wag, and the rest of the dog's body language.

Answer 3

For Dogs, the tail is just one part of the body, they use to communicate . This body language is learned through socialization from birth through death. simular to how we learn how to talk as a child and develope it through out our lives.

The wagging of their tail can signal many things and different individuals will act differently due to experience. The truth is that Dogs wag their tails to show greeting, which you may consider happiness, to invite play also considered happiness, or to show various states of confusion between aggression or fear and excitment. (Often mistaken for happines and then the person gets bitten for approaching. This is simular to discussions, that end in fist fights between people, due to miscommunications.)

The truth is tha tthe communication between humans and dogs is not fully understood by most people. Though some so called experts have a good understanding of this general comunication style, and may interpret various behaviors to emotional states. this is like an interpetor telling some one what a person feel by what the say without considering the different languages that are spoken.

We still do not have any proof that emotions are not common to all life on the planet, or unique to humans.The jury is still out on that scientific debate.

Answer 4

i was a groomer for years and even the mad dogs wagged thier tails so this is not because they are happy. it is just a form of body language and depending on how it is held *higher the happier more playful mood -- lower the angry get off my porch mood* can tell you how to handle yourself. ussually the wagging is accompanied by footwork by looking at both you can tell what they think. think high and playful = good less killing and
low and sturdy still = bad run before you die

Answer 5

NO. THE TAIL IS A BIG PART OF THEIR BODY LANGUAGE, BUT ITS NOT TRUE ABOUT THEM BEING HAPPY. IF THE TAIL IS UPRIGHT OVER THERE BACKS AND WAGGING, THERE HAPPY. IF ITS OUT STRAIGHT AND SLOWLY WAVING, THEY'RE UNSURE AND CURIOUS. IF IT'S DOWN LOW AND THE TIP IS WAGGING, THEY'RE FEARFUL.