Dogs are pretty amazing. They have incredible senses of smell, extraordinary hearing, and so much more. Their attributes have purposes, from their paws to their ears, but what about their tails? Every dog has a tail, whether they’ve been cut or kept long. If everything has a function, what does a tail have?
Balance and Movement
Balance and movement are two of the biggest reasons that dogs have tails. If you pay attention, you’ll notice that a dog’s backside will often miscommunicate with their front. If they run straight but choose to veer left suddenly, their front will change direction, but the rear will continue straight. That’s where the tail comes in; you’ll notice that while the backside might continue straight, the tail will veer to the left instead. Think of it as the till on a boat or a secondary steering wheel. The tail makes sure that Fido doesn’t fall over.
Communication
When we say “communication,” you’ll probably think about a dog wagging its tail with excitement. While they do use their tails to communicate with us, they mostly use it to communicate with other dogs. Pay attention to their tail next time you go to the dog park. You’ll notice that they might have their tail tucked between their legs; this means that they feel threatened by another dog. Contrarily, if you see that they have their tail high in the air, they are letting other dogs know that they are the alpha.
Interestingly enough, wagging their tails means more than happiness, too. Dogs have muscles around their anal glands that help secrete their scent to establish dominance. So, wagging their tails can also serve to let others know that they have a big personality.