Dogs need tails to communicate.
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A new study has found that dogs’ tails play little to no role in their acrobatic movements and are most likely used for communication.
Over the past decade, an international team of researchers has been studying what dogs use their tails for and what it really means when they wag it.
Some animal species have a proven need for tails: lizards and squirrels, for example, use them to cling to trees. Cats certainly don’t use their tails to hang from branches, but it’s vital to keeping the animal’s balance.
Previous research has shown that dogs use their tails for movements such as running and jumping. However, a new study shows that this is not the case.
In a study by Dr. Ardian Yusufi of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, “25 different breeds of the Canidae family” were observed using a mathematical model to understand what actually happens when dogs move their paws, tail, and flex their torso.
The scientists collected data from various studies. One of them involved border collies, considered the smartest breed of dog, the animals were equipped with tracking suits. They were forced to jump over obstacles and their tails were not used to help them run or jump. They were rather used for communication: positive tail wagging as a social signal of friendliness and to repel pests such as flies.
The newest study has been published on the bioRxiv server titled “Dog tail wagging is not supported by biomechanical modeling of tail use while walking on the ground”. “The use of the tail during jumping movements ensures very low center of mass movement in all species. This implies that dogs use their tails for other purposes, such as communication and pest control, but not for agility in maneuvers.”
Last year, a similar study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing found that dogs’ tails tend to turn to the right when the dog is with someone they know. They observed a group of dogs for three days and found that as soon as the dogs recognized the person, they began to wag their tails more often to the right and less often to the left.
The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Yong Kyu Zhang, suggested that right-sided wobbling is connected to the left side of the brain, where positive emotions are processed. In other words, when a dog feels happy, he wags to the right more often, while wagging his tail to the left can mean that the dog is scared or nervous.
Christina DENYSYUK
Photo: Shutterstock/Ammit Jack
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