Ten Amazing Facts About Your Dog Tail

Dogs are our adorable four-legged companions with sparkling bright eyes, wet noses, and insatiable hunger always ready to play.

Dogs have been the favorite of humans for about 20000 years now. We all love their energetic overexcited hellos, soft paws, fluffy ears, and their wagging tails.

And the primary way for your dog to communicate is with dog tails. We all have had this question that ‘what is the purpose of the tail.’  

Here are some of the most stunning facts about your dog’s tail, which you need to know right now.

1. They are a source of communicating

Speed show moods- way of communication for your dog.

The tail is a medium of communication for dogs to their human, and one can make out what feels the dog is in by a slow wag means neutral, which means not excited and high sitting of the tail means being in a threatening situation.

Tail wagging is equaling a human smiling. It is a way of proving how much they appreciate your presence in their lives.  

2. The tail direction is important

Tail to right or high is happy to the left unhappy, tail between legs is frightened.

Brain hemisphere lateralization in the brain controls the direction of tails.

The left side of the brain controls the right side inclination, and the right side of the brain inclines to the left.

Negative feelings pull the dog’s tail to the left, where positive emotions pull the tail to the right.

A circular wag means I like you. They have the ability to wag their tail in a circular motion indicating they adore you.

3. Wagging is an indication

Dogs don’t wag alone- according to studies of dogs wag only when there are other dogs or humans around. Wagging is an automatic mechanism used by dogs to express them.

Dogs don’t usually approach dogs with short tails as the social signal of friendliness is not conveyed and can’t pick up their emotional cues; they approach dogs with long tails with a bias to right or back and forth wag.

If your dog is wagging their tail all the time, then the chances are that they are completely smitten by you.

This is the way of your dog showing and approving your presence in their lives. 

4. Tail talking is real

Tail talk is a skill acquired early-Tail talking is another skill that puppies learn within the mark of 45 days around the time when they start communicating.

This process begins even earlier if other dogs are present nearby. But some dogs, even if born with a tail, don’t get to enjoy the joy of having a tail due to a cruel process called ‘Tail docking.’

Docking is a procedure where the rear of the dog gets surgically removed for dogs between the ages of 2-5 days age. There are over 70 such breeds of dogs that go through this docking process.

5. Tail chasing has its reason 

Reasons for tail chasing-it might be an indication that fleas have been bothering them, or it could also be due to their natural predatory instinct being curious about their tail.

When dogs show extreme cases of tail chasing, experts say that it may be signs of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD in dogs.

Hair comes from tail-it is said that hair of a dog initially came from the tail and not the other way around. This compulsive Behavior is relatively shown for the first time.

This Behavior can sometimes be aggressive in some dogs and, in turn, can cause them to become ferocious day after day with the source.  

6. Tail balancing is to understand Behaviour

Tail help to balance- Dogs use tail to restore their bodies, but individual dogs also use them for counterbalance while during a complicated trick, leaping, or climbing.

When a dog loses the use of even one of his legs, it’s the tail that helps the dog balance. Dogs in their later stage are docked due to getting injured.

In the 18th century, working dogs were to be anchored to distinguish between working and non-working dogs.

Some breeders do it solely for aesthetic purposes. As some dogs have long tails, it may cause some injury.

Dog Fighting rackets require dogs like pit bulls, boxers to be docked as tails become a vulnerable part if the other gets hold f their tail.

7. Your dog can spread the scent through tails

Spreading fragrance- every time a dog wags their tail they spread their scent or pheromones through their anus, there are two glands inside the anus which produces the smell of a dog every time the tail is wagging the anus puts pressure on the organs thus releasing scents.

Perfumes are used by dominant dogs to spread their fragrance, letting every dog know their presence in the area marking the area or a calling for a challenge or an invitation for mating where female dogs leave their scent for male dogs to pick up.

8. They are quite important

Part of the spine- the tail was a part of the dog’s body, which has now evolved into an appendage.

It is an extension of the spine itself and has its own set of muscles.

Most of the time, breeders just cut the tail with a scissor and tie a band around the cut tail to stop the extreme supply of blood.

This process is done without the use of anesthesia.

Those breeders have the notion that due to being away from the body, dogs can’t feel the pain in the tail when cut, but this is far from the truth.

The nervous system develops in their early stage, and when the tail is being cut, it cuts through muscles and various tendons, causing immense pain and severing at least nine nerves.

9. Dog’s do dock their tails

Dog’s rescuers and shelter authorities have worked against this old practice.

In some countries, docking of tails is a medical procedure to be done by a certified doctor under the influence of anesthesia.

Docking otherwise is illegal and prohibited and a punishable offense until performed for a valid medical condition. Docking is a severe condition that can happen to any dog over time.

This condition can be taken care of by owners with the help of therapy and treatment for their dogs, which can help their furry babies to have a good life after all.  

10. They do tell that they are happy with tails

Dogs are known to provide comfort and warmth to their humans, along with being a loyal and protective companion.

But in addition to that, according to recent research, dogs have a positive impact on all life stages. The tail is a part of your dog, showing that they are happy with you and indicating that you are the best owner to them.

It is a way of them showing their love and appreciation.

Common Diseases of Dog Tail

There are some of the common conditions of the tail which can happen to your dog over time.

• A congenital malformation- the absence of the tail
• Trauma- when there are fractures in the spine, it leads to complete paralysis of the tail.
• Alopecia-Loss of hair on the tail
• Dermatitis- typical in bulldogs, Boston terrier.
• Dogs aren’t just mere companions for us, and they have much more to do than sit, roll, bark, and scratch.

Some people have the fear that their germs might transfer to them, but germs rarely spread to people.

By providing them with regular centenary screenings and checkups, that problem is also solved, leaving no reason to not have a dog.

The friend in need, the friend indeed 

There is more to our furry friend’s cute frizzy tails then we think. Dogs use their tails as a social tool to communicate where they either show threatened behavior or happiness.

Removing the tails impairs the abilities of the dogs to mix with other dogs, balance themselves. This generally leaves with vulnerable and misunderstood by humans, especially dogs.

So we all need to spread awareness against the old practice of docking by educating dog owners, breeders, doctors.

Some people like Caesar Milan, the Famous ‘Dog Whisperer’, a dog psychologist has been traveling all over the world with his son and team to teach people how to handle their dogs appropriately and is an aggressive advocate against Docking tails.

So whenever approaching a dog always remember dogs, those tail incline to the rights are approachable, and those to the left either is anxious, frightened, or aggressive. 

Next time you see your dog either chasing their tail or biting their tail, do not dismiss it as playtime, them being dumb but pay attention and understand their needs.

Just like human psychology, even dogs have psychology, and by observing their tail and body behavior, one can gain insight into their world.

Look out for the companion who looks for you.