When a dog encounters another dog, striking this pose, looking straight ahead with its tail up, is an oath of sovereignty. When a dog strikes this pose and wags its tail back and forth, it is trying to impress you. When a dog’s whole body, including the tail, is relaxed, it means it is indifferent to what is going on around it. When the dog feels threatened by the tail down or curled and the mouth open, it means that it feels some uncertain threat. When a dog assumes this pose, it is saying, “Feed me!” When a dog strikes this pose, it is showing submission and feels that there are stronger creatures around than it.
When a dog’s tail wags to the right, it may indicate that it is feeling happy or excited. When a dog’s tail wags to the left, it may indicate that it is depressed.
When dogs encounter different people wagging their tails the magnitude also needs to be noted: if it is vigorously waved to the right, indicating that they see if it is wagging slowly and gently, indicating that they see people they do not know or are unfamiliar with.
