Articles, Behaviour, Dog, Essential Care

THE TAIL, AN EFFECTIVE HEALTH INDICATOR

Do you know that your dog’s tail is an indicator of health? Surely you will have realised that your dog uses their tail as a way of communicating with you. But did you know that signs of health and mood can be seen on their tail? Follow the advice and you will be better able to understand your dog!

If you get the feeling that you don’t know what is happening with your dog, their tail can be a good indicator. It is not just a bodily appendage. The tail can show your dog’s mood and physical state:

  • If your dog energetically moves their tail from one side to the other and beats loudly with it, they want to show you that they are happy.
  • If your dog appears with their tail held low, it is a sign of submission and calm, but if it remains that way it can indicate fear or anxiety. Pay attention to them!
  • If they are holding it straight down: this shows a serene and serious attitude. That said, the tail can be rolled up, in the shape of a hook, etc. and depending on the breed it can mean one thing or another.
  • If your dog keeps holding their tail down it shows a defensive attitude, whereas if they have their tail lifted it shows vitality.
  • When they move it vertically it can be a sign of nervousness, such as when they come up against other animals, you should be watchful that if the gesture is accompanied by growling or barking and they wrinkle their nose, they may be about to attack.
  • Even moving their tail from the centre of their body to the left or right can mean different things. Generally they wag their tail to the right when they have positive emotions and to the left when they have negative ones.

BASIC CARE

Given the importance that your dog’s tail has in the way they express themselves, it should be looked after with special attention. How? The main thing is brushing, which should be gentle, and if your dog has long hair you need to look out for knots. The main thing is that your dog can move their tail as naturally as possible.

CHAISING THE TAIL

You’re now ready to understand your dog! But there’s one thing you should know… If your dog chases their own tail, they are not expressing a healthy and playful attitude, rather it can be a sign that they are not well stimulated and they are bored. This kind of behaviour is only natural if there is an injury on their tail that is annoying them.