Why dogs wag their tail?

I once owned a dog that would wag his tail so hard that when he walked he moved from side to side. It was the funniest thing you can imagine this great big dog wobbling from side to side with each wag of his great tail. Now anyone who has ever owned a dog knows that dogs wag their tails for a number of different reasons. I was always taught that dogs wagged their tails because they were happy to see me. But since I have been bit by a number of dogs vigorously wagging their tails I have come to understand that this just isn't so. Don't get me wrong, the number one reason why dogs wag their tails is because they are happy. This is probably one of the best indicators of a dog's disposition. When they are happy and feel loved they show it through their tail. This display of affection induced tail wagging isn't limited to the dog's master either. I have known many a dog that would wag incessantly when I was around.

The joy of your dog exhibited through the wagging of their tail is truly wonderful to behold. Of course as I mentioned earlier in the article not all tail wagging dogs are signaling there pleasure or happiness. I will never forget this one big beautiful Alsatian whom I would pass by every day. I considered him a ferocious beast from the sound of his incessant barking as I passed by the corrugated iron fence which kept him inside his yard but by and by I felt I had built up enough familiarity with him as I would always try to stop and say hi. Eventually I felt that my patience had paid off as every time I passed his tail would begin wagging. Mind you that he was still barking as loudly and ferociously but I chalked that up to his nature as a guard dog. After all his tail was wagging and didn't that mean that we were now friends. So one day I stopped a little longer in front of his house and seeing that tail wagging decided to put my hand through the gate.

Well he almost took my hand off! So much for the theory of "wagging tail equals happy dog."