Tail Wagging Tidbits Fun Facts About Organic Dog Food
Dog Tail Signs: What That Wagging Means
You can understand a lot about your canine companion from his dog tail signs. That wagging or thumping on the carpet? You know your pup is feeling great. That feeling of dread when you walk through the front door and that same tail is tucked low? That tail tells you something has been destroyed by a bored pup while you were away. Whether you consider yourself fluent in wag or you're still learning how to decode dog tail language, read on to learn more about how your pet communicates.
Spotting the Signs: A Guide to Dog Tail Language
A dog's tail originally evolved to help him stay balanced, like a tightrope walker's pole. It serves as a counterweight to the front part of his body when he's making a high-speed turn while hunting and helps keep him from falling off narrow walkways.
Now that a dog hunt generally involves finding the last piece of kibble that fell behind the bowl, that wagging tail is largely thought of as a communication device. Here are five key things the placement of a dog's tail can tell you, according to the Center for Shelter Dogs at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.
- Circular swish: A dog whose tail is swishing back and forth or in a circular motion is one happy and relaxed pup.
- Lowered or tucked tail: A dog who is frightened or feeling submissive will often lower or tuck his tail between his hind legs.
- Tail wagging stiffly: A dog who is excited may wag his tail stiffly while jumping, spinning or sticking his rump in the air. His excitement may be from a positive source like an upcoming walk or a negative source like an intimidating stranger.
- Tail held horizontally: A tail held straight out indicates a dog who is attentive and alert or perhaps curious about something nearby. Traditional hunting dog breeds like pointers or setters also hold their tails out straight when they point at an animal or object.
- Sudden tail raise: When a dog moves his tail from a down position to a vertical or raised position, it could indicate he is feeling aggressive.
Reading Wag Speed
The speed of a dog's wagging tail might also give you an indication of his mood, Psychology Today reports.
- Quick wag: A short wag usually happens during greetings when a dog is feeling tentative.
- Big, broad wag: This indicates a friendly dog who is not threatening anyone.
- Slow, reluctant wag: This might indicate a dog who is feeling anxious. Other signs of anxiety include avoiding eye contact, refusing food or ignoring what's happening around him.
- Tiny, high-speed wag: A tail that moves in short, vibrating bursts can be a sign a dog is about to run or fight. Be careful!
Dog Tail Language Barriers
Some dogs wag with long, expressive tails, but what about dogs with small, stumpy tails or no tails at all? A truncated tail may make it more difficult for dogs to communicate with their pet parents and with other dogs, writes Psychology Today. An observational study of more than 400 dogs greeting each other off-leash in a dog park showed a higher number of aggressive incidents involving dogs with short tails. This doesn't mean that your corgi will inherently pick more fights than your shepherd mix, but it could be something to watch out for. Overall, the study found that only 12 percent of dog park incidents resulted in any kind of aggression. That's a sign that dog communication has a pretty high success rate.
The tale of the tail? Dog tail signs help pups communicate not only with us, but also with other dogs. Knowing the meaning of how a dog is using his tail can go a long way to showing you how your pet is feeling.
Contributor Bio
Kara Murphy
Kara Murphy is a freelance writer and pet parent who lives in Erie, Pa. She has a goldendoodle named Maddie.
Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook (Revised Edition): Over 100 Tail-Wagging Treats
For many the family dog is way more than just a pet, its a member of the family. So its no surprise that special care is given to finding the right food for them. As people become more concerned about the preservatives and additives in their own food, they are also worrying about what their dogs eat.But what about the treats that dogs so love? Well, the Bubba Rose Biscuit Company has created the most delightful and useful cookbook to aid in this matter THE ORGANIC DOG BISCUIT COOKBOOK. This fully revised and updated edition offers over 100 tail-wagging recipes.The charming hardcover cookbook is divided into six chapters and includes resources, a recipe index and a sidebar index. In addition, there is an introduction section that details the helpful tools of the trade youll need to prepare the recipes (simple items youll probably already have on hand), as well as substitutions, storage tips, and much more beneficial advice.Heres an example of one of the various chapters. Chapter 1 (Forget-Me-Nots) offers a unique recipe for each month of the year making it a special time for your four-legged fur baby. For instants, while the humans are enjoying Halloween candy your dog can enjoy Pumpkin Bites.The recipes are simple and easy to prepare. Many of the recipes contain only a few ingredients and can be prepared and ready for tasting within an hour. While the main ingredients include such items as oat flour or brown rice flour, most can be found in the specialty/organic aisle of your grocery store.Snickerdoodles was the first recipe I decided to try. After purchasing the oat flour and brown rice flour, I had the other five ingredients (cinnamon, egg, honey, vanilla, and water) already on hand. The recipe was quick and easy to fix. When the treats cooled, I offered a taste to our three English Shepherds. They sniffed, tentatively tasted and then devoured the treats. They love the new treats and I love the fact that they good for them and contain no additives or preservatives. In fact, the treats looks so good you might be tempted to try one yourself. Since they are made with all natural ingredients that you normally cook with, why not?THE ORGANIC DOG BISCUIT COOKBOOK is beautifully designed with 224 pages. There are no color photos of the finished treats, but charming dog illustrations throughout the book. With a handy bookmarker attached, youll never lose your place when making treats for your four-legged babies. This helpful and informative cookbook is a must-have for dog lovers.FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
Best Organic Dog Foods
Tender and True Chicken and Liver Recipe is one of 6 dry recipes included in our review of the Tender and True dry product line.
Tender and True Chicken and Liver derives the vast majority of its animal protein from both chicken meal and fresh chicken. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 29% protein, 18% fat and 45% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 62%.
Tender and True is USDA certified organic which makes each recipe a rare find for discerning dog owners.
Read our review of the full Tender and True Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Organic chicken, organic chicken meal, organic tapioca starch, organic dried pea, organic chickpea Texture Dry Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 29% Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"My dog had eczema and allergies. Since switching to the pesticide free dog food, chicken and liver flavor, her eczema is gone. I highly recommend going organic. I really like that the chickens were humanely raised as well."
Gather Free Acres is one of 3 dry recipes included in our review of the Gather product line.
Gather Free Acres gets the lions share of its meat protein from fresh chicken and dehydrated chicken. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 33% protein, 17% fat and 42% estimated carbs creating a fat-to-protein ratio of about 50%.
In addition to Gathers certified organic ingredients, each recipe also contains a balanced blend of healthy omega 3 and omega 6 fats. A top choice.
Read our review of the full Gather Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Organic chicken, organic dehydrated chicken, organic peas, lentils, chicken fat Texture Dry Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 33% Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"My dog Daisy has a sensitive stomach and has been having all sorts of problems due to her food that she didnt even like. I switched her to this food and she has made a 180 turn around for the better. Im very happy with this product."
Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Chicken Recipe is one of 8 dehydrated recipes included in our review of the Honest Kitchen product line.
This Whole Grain Chicken formulation derives the bulk of its meat protein from dehydrated chicken. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 27% protein, 15% fat and 50% estimated carbs which results in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 57%.
In addition to its multiple organic ingredients, each recipe is processed in a human grade food processing facility.
And each component is non genetically modified (non-GMO) and free of any chemicals or preservatives. All meat ingredients are hormone and antibiotic free, too.
See all available recipes.
Read our review of the full Honest Kitchen Dog Food (Dehydrated) range here
Main Ingredients Dehydrated chicken, organic barley, dehydrated potatoes, organic flaxseed, organic oats Texture Dry Type Grain-inclusiv Protein Percentage 27% Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"My German Shepherd is a fussy eater, with his fair share of allergies. Ive tried all different brands and this one makes my Shermy happy. Its a great price, easy meal prep and super filling for him. This is the first brand of food I dont have to add anything or convince him to eat what I put down for him. I think I finally found a food we will be sticking with!"
Stella and Chewys Venison Blend is one of 13 raw recipes included in our review of the Stella and Chewys Freeze-Dried Dinner product line.Venison, lamb, lamb liver, venison liver, venison lung
This Venison Blend recipe derives the largest share of its animal protein from both venison and lamb. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 47% protein, 32% fat and 13% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 67%.
Stella and Chewys promises all its frozen and freeze-dried raw recipes include vitamins and minerals sourced from 100% certified organic fruits and vegetables.
A top-rated, freeze-dried dog food for those not requiring organic meat. Recommended with confidence.
See all 13 available recipes
Read our review of the full Stella and Chewys Freeze Dried Dinners Dog Food (Freeze-Dried) range here
Main Ingredients Venison, lamb, lamb liver, venison liver, venison lung Texture Raw Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 47% Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"My pretty pittie is allergic to everything, beef, chicken, lamb, tomato (which is in most dog food) grain, etc. It was also recommended that we go with raw food. We have tried many brands of venison, duck, bison and wild boar. This by far is her favorite food. It is easy to store because most of the other brands were frozen. We feed her 2 1/2 "pucks" broken up and mixed with grain free dry food 2x a day. We typically add water to the pucks but she also enjoys them dry right out of the bag."
Carna4 Chicken is one of 6 dry recipes included in our review of the Carna4 product line.
This Carna4 formula derives most of its animal protein from both fresh chicken and chicken liver. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 32% protein, 17% fat and 43% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 52%.
Features a number of plant-based, organic ingredients. A quality formulation worthy of consideration.
Read our review of the full Carna4 Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Fresh chicken, chicken liver, eggs, organic sprouted barley seed, wild salmon Type: Grain-inclusive (barley, rice) Texture Dry Type Grain-inclusive Protein Percentage 32% Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Amazon.com"You will notice the difference in your dog within a few days of switching them to this dry kibble. All of our dogs (2 Seniors, 1 Adult and 3 Puppies) all love the food. They are happier, healthier looking and acting (shiny eyes, shiny coat, more energy, no tummy troubles ie. vomiting/diarreah no itching skin or scratching)."
Organic Chicken and Liver Recipe is one of 2 wet products included in our review of the Tender and True Canned product line.
This Tender and True organic formula derives the bulk of its meat protein from fresh chicken. Based on dry matter, this recipe contains 39% protein, 23% fat and 31% estimated carbs which results in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 59%.
A smooth, finely-chopped pate consistency. Its 100% complete and balanced nutrition with added vitamins, minerals and other trace nutrients.
Fully organic. Contains no grain, GMOs, corn, wheat, or soy. Also free of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. A quality wet diet. Recommended with confidence.
Read our review of the full Tender and True Dog Food (Canned) range here
Main Ingredients Organic chicken, water sufficient for processing, organic pea Flour, organic chicken liver, organic chicken heart Texture Wet Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 39% Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"My dog is the pickiest dog i have ever had, never wanted to eat anything, always turning his nose up at everything I put him in front of him. Someone suggested Tender and True and it has been a complete turnaround, he cant wait to eat. Cleans the bowl as if her were starving. I highly recommend this product."
