Not All Tail Wags Are Created Equal

Back to Tails - Case Studies in Dog Training

One of the most common difficulties I observe between dogs and owners is a misinterpretation or inability to read the signals their dog is sending out.

"But his tail is wagging"

One day I was working with a client and his high-energy lab, Tommy. Tommy, a normally happy-go-lucky guy, was having, what the owner described as "aggression issues" with a neighborhood dog. In the owners eyes the situation was all the more embarrassing because the other dog was half of Tommy's size. The dog in question was often left unattended and unrestrained in its unfenced front yard so there was always a chance there would be an encounter.

As we approached the home, sure enough, there was Tommy's miniature nemesis. Tommy had a relaxed demeanor, maintaining his heel till we reached the mid point in front of "Fluffy's" yard. At that point, she purposefully pranced out to the sidewalk baring her teeth while holding her tail very high, shaking it rapidly in a tight side-to-side motion. This tense approach soon turned into a charge. Tommy's reaction predictably, was to bark and lunge with hackles raised while his owner yelled at him with a combination of embarrassment and frustration in his tone. I quickly stepped in front of Fluffy, halting her with a firm "stop that!" and asked Tommy's owner to continue heeling away down the street.

Fortunately Fluffy's owner was home. She came running out assuring us that Fluffy was very friendly and loved to be out in her large fenceless yard. I gently explained that Fluffy was actually "guarding" her yard quite emphatically and that she was at risk for initiating a fight she could not finish. Her owner looked incredulous and pointed to Fluffy's still tensely raised tail and exclaimed "but her tail is wagging!". True enough, but not all tail wags are created equal!

Tommy's owner thought his dog had an aggression problem because his experience was that Tommy would lunge out to attack Fluffy when she approached to initiate "play".

Fluffy's owner thought she was friendly and enjoyed being out in the yard to greet the neighborhood dogs.

Observation

Tommy was initially aware of Fluffy but not on alert

As soon as his owner saw Fluffy he grew tense in anticipation of a confrontation. He focused exclusively on Tommy rather than observing the demeanor of Fluffy.

As the owner and Fluffy's tension escalated, Tommy became reactive

Not sensing his owner was in charge, Tommy defended them both.

Fluffy feels it is her job to guard her large and unfenced front yard. Without anyone to create a boundary for her, she has drawn her own.

As Tommy approached the perimeter, Fluffy began to display warning behavior until she felt he was close enough that she had to take action by charging.

Resolution

Tommy's owner is working on feeling more confident in his ability to handle the situation with Fluffy. This will generally lessen Tommy's feeling that he has to intercede to protect them both. Fluffy's owner is no longer leaving her unattended and beginning to observe her reactions more closely.

We often allow our dogs to do certain things mistakenly believing that our dogs "enjoy" them. By allowing Fluffy to be left alone (something no dog "enjoys" for long) without guidance in a large area without boundaries , she put a tremendous burden on Fluffy's shoulders. She now had to guard a large, undefined area from intrusion. This was not only unfair for Fluffy but for all of the neighbors and their dogs who were left on their own to contend with her.

For Tommy and his owner the challenge was to strengthen their relationship, particularly the owner's sense of leadership . His reaction to the situation was colored by his own feelings of embarrassment at Tommy's reaction. The problem was not Tommy's aggression but rather the reaction of both of them when confronted with an aggressive dog.


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Back to Tails - Case Studies in Dog Training Not All Tail Wags Are Created Equal One of the most common difficulties I observe between dogs and owners is a misinterpretation or inability to read the signals their dog is sending out. "But his tail is wagging" One day I was working with a client and his high-energy lab, Tommy. Tommy, a normally happy-go-lucky guy, was having, what the owner described as "aggression issues" with a neighborhood dog. In the owners eyes the situation was all the more embarrassing because the other dog was half of Tommy's size. The dog in question was often left unattended and unrestrained in its unfenced front yard so there was always a chance there would be an encounter. As we approached the home, sure enough, there was Tommy's miniature nemesis. Tommy had a relaxed demeanor, maintaining his heel till we reached the mid point in front of "Fluffy's" yard. At that point, she purposefully pranced out to the sidewalk baring her teeth while holding her tail very high, shaking it rapidly in a tight side-to-side motion. This tense approach soon turned into a charge. Tommy's reaction predictably, was to bark and lunge with hackles raised while his owner yelled at him with a combination of embarrassment and frustration in his tone. I quickly stepped in front of Fluffy, halting her with a firm "stop that!" and asked Tommy's owner to continue heeling away down the street. Fortunately Fluffy's owner was home. She came running out assuring us that Fluffy was very friendly and loved to be out in her large fenceless yard. I gently explained that Fluffy was actually "guarding" her yard quite emphatically and that she was at risk for initiating a fight she could not finish. Her owner looked incredulous and pointed to Fluffy's still tensely raised tail and exclaimed "but her tail is wagging!". True enough, but not all tail wags are created equal! Tommy's owner thought his dog had an aggression problem because his experience was that Tommy would lunge out to attack Fluffy when she approached to initiate "play". Fluffy's owner thought she was friendly and enjoyed being out in the yard to greet the neighborhood dogs. Observation Tommy was initially aware of Fluffy but not on alert As soon as his owner saw Fluffy he grew tense in anticipation of a confrontation. He focused exclusively on Tommy rather than observing the demeanor of Fluffy. As the owner and Fluffy's tension escalated, Tommy became reactive Not sensing his owner was in charge, Tommy defended them both. Fluffy feels it is her job to guard her large and unfenced front yard. Without anyone to create a boundary for her, she has drawn her own. As Tommy approached the perimeter, Fluffy began to display warning behavior until she felt he was close enough that she had to take action by charging. Resolution Tommy's owner is working on feeling more confident in his ability to handle the situation with Fluffy. This will generally lessen Tommy's feeling that he has to intercede to protect them both. Fluffy's owner is no longer leaving her unattended and beginning to observe her reactions more closely. We often allow our dogs to do certain things mistakenly believing that our dogs "enjoy" them. By allowing Fluffy to be left alone (something no dog "enjoys" for long) without guidance in a large area without boundaries , she put a tremendous burden on Fluffy's shoulders. She now had to guard a large, undefined area from intrusion. This was not only unfair for Fluffy but for all of the neighbors and their dogs who were left on their own to contend with her. For Tommy and his owner the challenge was to strengthen their relationship, particularly the owner's sense of leadership . His reaction to the situation was colored by his own feelings of embarrassment at Tommy's reaction. The problem was not Tommy's aggression but rather the reaction of both of them when confronted with an aggressive dog.