Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails? What It Means “In general, a wagging tail just means that a dog is experiencing some emotion,” says Amanda Farah, CPDT-KA, National Training and Behavior ...

“People sometimes ask why dogs nudge and nuzzle with their noses,” he begins. “Part of the reason is that dogs really feel ...

For instance, people often mistake a dog’s wagging tail as a sign of happiness, but the American Kennel Club suggests that the wagging movement only indicates that the dog is emotionally aroused.

T he friendliest dogs at the shelter are usually the first to find loving, forever homes, but sometimes that’s not the case.

Specific tail wags provide information about the emotional state of dogs. Skip to main content Mobile Navigation. Psychology Today.

“We usually refer to cats as swishing their tails, as the movement is not quite the same as a dog’s wagging tail,” she says. “The meaning of the tail movements can be quite different in ...