Dogs cannot speak, but they are living beings that have many other ways of communicating with us and with their environment. From his posture to the position of his ears and tail, everything can tell us your state of mindor. In this case we are going to see why dogs lower their tails, since this simple gesture can give rise to various interpretations depending on how it is done and in what situation it occurs.
The dogs communicate a lot with their tails. They can have it raised as a warning sign, or move it to tell us that they are happy, so we have to know what are the reasons why their tail can be found in a low position, which are varied.
Relaxation
Dogs can be in a totally calm and relaxed attitude, so the tail is loose and low, without movement. When it is relaxed, without getting between the legs, the dog is calm. We can see this on a daily basis, when we stop to talk to someone and the dog waits, without excitement or contentment, just calm.
Nerves
When the dog gets nervous or is afraid of something tends to lower its tail and hide it between the legs. In this case we will see a clear difference, and that is that the tail will be in tension and rigid, sometimes totally hidden. There are other symptoms, such as the dog lowering his hips, the hair on his back stands on end, his ears are turned back, his eyes are wide and his pupils are dilated. Given this, we must move him away from what makes him nervous and try to reassure him, to listen to us to end that blockage and the nerves of the moment. As soon as his tail relaxes, we will know that he will be calmer, and if he raises it again, the fear has passed and he is more sure of himself.
Health problems
If you have ever had a dog with problems in the hip and hind legs sure you know what we are talking about. Dogs with pain in the hips cannot keep their tail up, and it also happens if they have problems in the spine, because the tail is a continuation of this. So if we see that the dog keeps its tail down continuously it is better to go to a veterinarian to tell us if there is a problem with this part of the dog's body. In general, they are usually problems such as hip dysplasia, very common in some breeds such as the German Shepherd, or arthritis.
Shy
The dogs that are shy They can also communicate this with their tail. Sometimes it is difficult for them to approach other dogs or people and they do so with their tails lowered. In this case the tail is not as tense as when they are afraid, which is hidden between the legs, nor as lax as when they are relaxed. If the dog is shy the tail may be lowered and sometimes it even moves slightly to indicate that they want to meet the other dog and that they are friendly and happy but are shy about the situation. These types of cases are easy to carry, since as the dog gains confidence we will see how its tail will go up.
Learn to read their signs
If we have a dog at home, it is necessary that as owners we know how to read the signals they send us, since they cannot communicate with us with words. Over time we will get used to it and we will know how to read each gesture with its tail, with its ears, its barking or the position of its body. Keep in mind that all these things together are what they tell us at every moment and situation how the dog is. Only then will we know if something makes you nervous, if you are afraid, happy, excited or angry, so that we can act accordingly and help you communicate better with your environment.