# Tail wagging question



## yukki (Aug 22, 2007)

Does anyone have a furbaby that does NOT wag their tail? My Yukki is 5 years old and only wags his tail occasionally. I know this will be hard to believe but he started wagging his little tail only LAST YEAR!!! LOL He only wags his tail on occasion and it is usually only when he is wanting something like his dinner or to go out. In all other respects he is very normal active Maltese, but it has always bothered me that he did not wag his tail like a "normal" dog. I have had dogs all my life and have never seen this before. He was quite sick as a puppy and the breeder almost lost him twice so I am kinding of thinking that somehow this must have had some sort of an adverse effect on him. Anybody else have a no-wag- tail baby?


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

I"m sorry I have no advice for you b/c Emma is the complete opposite. Everyone who meets her says the same thing...they have never seen a dog wag her tail so much. Her nickname is Flutterfly b/c I swear one day she is going to fly off w/that tail of hers! Benny, on the other hand, he doesn't wag his as much...more of an occasional tick tock of the tail. 

It'll be interesting to see what other responses will be to why Yukki displays no tail wagging. I really never thought about this one. Hmm??


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

My dogs are/have been tail-waggers. My first thought was perhaps something neurological (spinal cord?) happened when he was a puppy, but I wouldn't think there would be an occasional wag if that were the case. You might mention this to your Vet. and see what he/she says.





Joy


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## KAG (Jun 1, 2006)

My Crisse wags her tail now, after being on cosequin for the past 3 years. She is older and has arthritis. Hope all is well with your baby!
xoxoxoxo


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

Cosy is a selective wagger, whereas Toy will wag her tail at a rattlesnake!
Cosy loves to wag hers when you talk baby talk to her...otherwise she hasn't
a wag in sight. Toy will injure you if you are in reach of her tail wag. LOL


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## 08chrissy08 (Sep 19, 2008)

Pixie is my tail wagger. If she thinks you've even looked in her direction her tail starts going a hundred miles an hour. She gets so excited! Add a high pitched excited "Pixie!" and she just about comes unglued after giving her famous head tilt. She is by far and above the happiest fluff I have ever seen. Jazz is a lot more reserved. He doesn't wag all that often. Usually he only wags for me. Of course it makes me feel all loved. He's my cuddle bug :wub:


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## yukki (Aug 22, 2007)

Cosy sounds a lot like Yukki.....selective wagger! I love that phrase! Fits him to a tee......now! VJW, the neurological thought was a good one but he is so normal in all other ways that I sincerely doubt that would be the problem. When he was so sick as a baby, his breeder said she almost lost him twice to hypoglycemia. She claimed that his underbite had prevented him from nursing properly. (Not sure I totally believe THAT one!) She used to hold him a lot to feed him, care for him and love on him so maybe there IS an underlying neurological problem that we are just not aware of. Anyway, thanks for all the good thoughts. Yukki actually has an appointment with his vet on Monday so I will ask when we go. Thanks again for all your responses!


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

Just thought of something else - would you consider Yukki to be passive, submissive, shy, or fearful? I'm guessing, but it's possible that a dog who is on the shy or fearful end of the behavior spectrum would be less likely to wag their tail. An extremely fearful or extremely aggressive dog will tuck their tail over their rectum.







Joy


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## yukki (Aug 22, 2007)

Joy, you may have just hit the nail on the head with this one. He is pretty passive and somewhat submissive (I think). He is not necessarily fearful and most definitely NOT aggressive (except on walks when he sees another dog or on the balcony when people walk their dogs by our apartment). Both on the balcony and on his walks, he acts like he would eat them alive if given the chance! That is the only time I ever see him show any kind of aggressive behavior. Other than that, he is a very mellow little fella, and I have never seen him tuck his tail at all. You sound like you know a lot about doggie behavior! Makes sense to me now! Thank you so much for that insight!


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

London wags her tail all the time! If she gets a new bully stick or any exciting treat, she will take it, drop it, and start wagging her tail at it. lol

She also wags her tail when we talk baby talk or in higher pitched voices...or when we play games with her, etc.


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## totallytotontuffy (May 16, 2007)

Toto's emotions are conveyed by his tail, similar to us wearing our heart on our sleeve. I've always found his tail to be an amazing plume that he waves high in the air when he is happy, but at half mast when he is unsure or downright tucked practically between his legs when he thinks its bath time or nail trimming time. 

Tuffy's tail is curled up in a curly-cue like a little piglet and while she does an occasional tick tock, it is barely discernable.


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## thinkpink (Sep 25, 2004)

Bella is a major tail wagger. She'll wag at just about anything. One of her favorite things to do is to roll over for a belly rub and wag her tail on the floor which has led to what I call "happy knots". Her tail gets so knotted from doing that and we've had to cut almost all of the hair off.


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## yukki (Aug 22, 2007)

Thinkpink....that is too adorable!!!!!!


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

You know now that I think about it, I don't recall my kids tails wagging very much.

Archie wags his tail slowly when I talk to him (and my heart melts every time I see it). :wub: 

I'll have to watch for Abbey's.....get back to you on that one.

And Tink....well whoever docked his tail made it way too short! But I don't think his tail would be wagging much anyway.


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## Cupcake2007 (Jan 22, 2008)

mine wag them... all the time... and very fast when they r hppy


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## yukki (Aug 22, 2007)

I bet that is just adorable!!!!


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## Lulu1234 (10 mo ago)

yukki said:


> Does anyone have a furbaby that does NOT wag their tail? My Yukki is 5 years old and only wags his tail occasionally. I know this will be hard to believe but he started wagging his little tail only LAST YEAR!!! LOL He only wags his tail on occasion and it is usually only when he is wanting something like his dinner or to go out. In all other respects he is very normal active Maltese, but it has always bothered me that he did not wag his tail like a "normal" dog. I have had dogs all my life and have never seen this before. He was quite sick as a puppy and the breeder almost lost him twice so I am kinding of thinking that somehow this must have had some sort of an adverse effect on him. Anybody else have a no-wag- tail baby?


I had a male Maltese for 15 years. He was just like yours. He would only wag his tail in very special occasions, and that would be very slowly, not very noticeable as it is with other dogs. It was usually for things that were really exciting to him, for example, his toy ball. He would still show lots of happiness with his body expressions, but not his tail. And his tail was completely fine, never injured. He lived a very happy life. I think it is just the way they are, you should not worry about it. Each dog is special on their own way.


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