[nagdu] tails

[Danielle Sykora]

Two tail questions/observations...
I know that tail position in dogs is a very good indicator of
emotional status, so I try to pay attention to my dog's tail in
certain situations. His normal wag when he is excited or happy is
holding his tail relatively straight out behind him and sweeping it
from side to side. When he encounters unfamiliar dogs however, his
tail is curled over his back with only small side to side movements. I
have some idea of what this means, but I wonder how others would
interpret this behavior. Knowing whether he is excited or anxious
around other dogs has definitely altered my approach to dog
distractions in the past.

Earlier today, my dog got his tail stuck in a door. I know it must
have hurt because he was yelping and barking for the few seconds it
took me to get the door back open. He let me examine his tail without
whining or moving away, but he was pretty tense and wanted to look
back to see what I was doing. He seems comfortable enough, but he is
still reluctant to completely straighten his tail. Thoughts...

Danielle and Thai