Dog Dominance Behavior & Tail Wagging

While dogs are good at reading the body language of humans, the same cannot be said for the ability of humans to read the emotions of their canine companions. Dogs can express a variety of emotions ranging from happy to sad and from excited to fearful, but humans often misinterpret the cues that dogs express, especially when it comes to dominant behavior and tail wagging.

  1. Canine Communication

    • Dogs express their overall attitude through body language more than any vocalizations they make. That body language includes the way a dog stands as well as the way he holds his ears and tail. One can also tell a lot about a dog's intentions through his eyes and the position of his mouth. Since a dog's dominant behavior can often turn into aggression, learning the signs of dominance can lead to better human-canine interactions.

    Canine Body Language

    • While a dog with a submissive attitude will attempt to make himself as small as possible, often lying on his back, a dog expressing dominant behavior will try to make himself as large as possible. Not only will the dog attempt to stand squarely or even lean slightly forward in an attempt to portray authority, he will often have his hackles up. The raised hair over his back and shoulders will give the appearance of more height.

    Eyes, Ears and Mouth

    • The ears of a dog displaying dominant behavior will stand straight up or even lean slightly forward while the eyes will be wide open, almost giving the impression of staring. While an aggressive dog will bare his teeth, the dominant dog will either have his mouth closed or only slightly open. There may also be a wrinkle over the dog's nose. While the dog may remain silent, he may sometimes give a low growl.

    Tail Wagging

    • While tail wagging is often seen as a sign of a friendly dog, that is not necessarily the case. An article in Psychology Today notes that the position of the tail has much to do with the dog's overall attitude. A tail that is held at a normal height shows that the dog is relaxed and attentive; however, the higher the dog holds his tail, the more threatening the dog becomes. If the tail is vibrating while the dog holds it high, it may signal an attack could occur.