Scientists decipher dog-tail wags

bbc ^ | 10.31.13

[Perdogg]

Scientists have shed more light on how the movements of a dog's tail are linked to its mood.

Earlier research had revealed that happy dogs wag their tails more to the right (from the dog's point of view), while nervous dogs have a left-dominated swish.

But now scientists say that fellow canines can spot and respond to these subtle tail differences.

[PistolPaknMama]

What about my Cocker that just throws her whole body in to it?

Mine too! Her whole body jiggles. It's hard to tell if it's a left nub wag or right. She has a t-shirt that says, I bite liberals, so she's pretty much a right nub wagger. :)

[lonevoice]

Which way do your dogs wag their tails?

Miko wags his entire body to his right. When he’s excitedly happy he likes to spin in circles, but he will only spin clockwise (to his right). When he’s spinning, if he’s offered a treat to his left side to try to make him spin counterclockwise, he gets confused and stops spinning.

[Gene Eric]

Not to forget the slow, measured wag...