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A dog’s tail is one of the loudest and clearest features about a dog. And since our dog’s tails are so exceptionally endearing to us human beings, it’s one of the easiest body language cues to read. A wagging tail is a symbol to so many people across the world that happiness and joy abound—and it is the signal we read most commonly and most clearly from the dogs we share our lives with. A dog’s tail has become so synonymous with a compass for emotion in our culture that we commonly refer to emotions like shame by saying, “and he ran way with his tail tucked between his legs.” A dog’s tail can tell you a lot about how he’s feeling. Here are some different variations on tail positions and what they commonly mean:

 High Tail: Excitement, alertness

 Medium Tail/Tail Straight Back: Neutral, otherwise busy exploring

 Low Tail: Submission, concern, potential discomfort

 Wagging Tail: happiness, comfort, joy

 Stiff Tail, Tucked and Held Low Between Legs: Tentativeness, fear, discomfort, submission

 Rapid Wagging Tail with short strokes: Nervousness, anxiousness (exceptions for breeds like Jack Russell Terriers who display rapid, short wags when excited or experiencing positive anticipation)

Keep in mind that not all rules are hard and fast, and not all tail positions mean the exact same thing in each dog. A dog’s shape, size, and general anatomy can vary greatly from breed to breed. Use this list as a general guidepost but let your research and experience guide you in the greater scheme of things. It’s important that you can translate the nuances of tail position and motion from dog to dog as you go through your adventures in dog photography and always know what your dog is trying to say.

1.13a

1.13b

FIGURES 1.13a and 1.13b Lola’s tail tucked between her legs indicates her tentativeness about this whole strange photo-shoot situation. Comparing her tail and ear position with Delilah’s—a very similarly shaped dog—you can see the difference the position of those features makes when it comes to conveying confidence in your final image.