Why do dogs wag their tails?

Answer 1

It's there way of greeting you,and to say I'm happy.
You feel safer to see a wagging tail,rather than see a dog with it's tail between it's legs.

Answer 2

It is usually a sign of excitement....

This is not always a good thing. Many times it is a symptom of anxiety. Look at how the dog's tail is wagging. If it is waving UP, like a flag, it can be an indication of dominance or aggression. If it's down, by the legs, it is often a symptom of fear or submission. A tail wagging slowly and horizontally (level with the dog's spine) may be taken as positive. Dogs tend to hold their tails at that level when they are calm and comfortable.

Answer 3

Dogs don't deliberately wag their tails - it is a reflex in response to their emotions. Their tail is connected via the spinal chord directly to their brain so whatever they are feeling is shown in the movement or carriage of the tail.

Dogs could never play poker (unless they sat on their tails) because you can tell immediately whether a dog is happy, confident, scared, angry etc. just by observing the tail.

Other dogs can 'read' a dog's mood and attitude by looking at its tail which is one of the reasons that I am anti docking - not the only one but that's another topic altogether!

Answer 4

Because the tail cant wag the dog.

Answer 5

Its when the tail wags the dog you need to worry.

Answer 6

A wagging tail indicates excitement or agitation. But whether the dog means it as an invitation to play, or to warn another dog or person to stay back, depends on other body language.
More information:
http://www.petplace.com/dogs/why-do-dogs-wag-their-tails/page1.aspx

Answer 7

Mostly when happy...probably some sort of behaviour passed down through generations...
High tail (some breeds, happy confident)
Low, unwagging tail, unsure
wagging tail of course happy.
It must be wired from the brain to demonstrate emotions through body language.
Well, look at people, they wag too, but no tail left to show. So we wag our entire bums...well at least I do when happy!!! --CJ "The Cheeky Lad"

Answer 8

It's a way that dogs communicate with each other. Wagging it slowly means "friend" . moving it faster shows excitement. holding the tail still shows uncertainty etc.

Answer 9

Animals are incorporated with several different ways of communicating. There are four main ways, those are auditory, olfactory, tactile, and visual.
Humans use three of the four; we talk to communicate (audio), we touch to communicate (tactile) and we communicate through our eyes.
dogs are no different. Dogs will move their ears in many different ways, to release a message to others. Straigh up is alert, laid back is worried, half and half is aggression/anger. It also uses its tail to communcicate to others.
As you know, when it is scared, it will put its tail between its legs, and when it is happy it will wag its tail, and when it is content, it will simply hang there.
Those are different ways of communicating to you, and other animals.
When it is happy, it is not just going to jump around, but it is going to visually show us its happiness by wagging its tail.

Answer 10

dogs wags their tails to show emotions