Tail Wagging Nutrition Discovering the Benefits of Holistic Pet Food

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

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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.

The Best Online Canine Nutrition Courses for Raw Feeders

Keep the Tail Wagging is supported by pet parents. I occasionally earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) when you click through an affiliate link to one of my favorite products. Thank you for your support. Read More

Several years ago, I took the Pet Food Nutrition course offered by Dogs Naturally Magazine, one of the biggest pet-focused websites. While the courses they offer are very informative, if someone is building a business in pet nutrition, the DNMU certifications may not be enough because DNMU is an online magazine. #NoShade

The following are the top online raw feeding and canine nutrition courses for dog owners.

1 Dr. Billinghurst DIY Raw Feeding Course

With this DIY raw dog and cat food preparation course, learn how to transition your pets to a raw food diet with complete confidence. This course was designed for pet parents, veterinarians, pet professionals, and educators. It consists of over 30 hours of material, and you will get the opportunity to interact with Dr. Billinghurst every month to ask any questions you may have.

This course covers

Class Orientation (1 Lesson)
Pre-Course (1 Lesson)
Section 1 RAW BASICS (13 Lessons)
Section 2 Potential Dangers of RAW (5 Lessons)
Section 3 Nutrition an Evolutionary Perspective (11 Lessons)
Section 4 Evolutionary Foods for Cats and Dogs (10 Lessons)
Section 5 Practical RAW Feeding for dogs (8 Lessons)
Section 6 RAW for CATS (1 Lesson)
Section 7 RAW Wrap-up (1 Lesson)

Dr. Billinghurst offers a one-hour private consultation for $350, with an additional $250 charge for each subsequent hour. However, you can now access all of Dr. Billinghurst's knowledge on raw food and have the opportunity to ask him LIVE Q&A through this course. And the best part? The cost of this course is less than the price of two private consultations. With lifetime access to this course, you can access all of the special PDFs and course updates at no extra cost.

2 Feed Real Dog Food Nutrition Course

A growing number of pet parents are making better choices for their pets. I receive emails daily from new and aspiring raw feeders overwhelmed with the diet. The Real Dog Food Nutrition Course is designed to teach the basics plus pro tips and tricks to feed your dog real food confidentially!

This course covers

Basics of dog anatomy and the physiology of the gut microbiome
Essential vitamins and minerals for healthy dogs
The components of fresh food (protein, calcium, fats, fiber, liver/other secreting organs)
What AAFCO & NRC standards are, and what this means when feeding a raw diet
How to balance fats (omega-3s/6s)
How to put your bowl together
Supplements & Alternatives
How to combat concerns about bacteria, aggression, and imbalances
Tips and tricks to confidently transition to fresh food

3 Feed Real Professional Canine Nutrition Certification

This course helps you learn how to navigate dog nutrition and feed your dog a healthy raw diet while guiding others to do the same as a professional canine nutritionist.

The course covers

Understand the main components of a raw diet
Learn how to balance essential fats (Omega-3s and Omega-6s)
Understand more about meeting AAFCO and NRC standards while feeding a raw diet
Learn how to put a dog's meal together, including supplements, etc., in a Live virtual workshop
How to effectively combat bacteria and nutritional imbalances
Learn how to feed raw to an aging (senior) dog
Learn how to feed raw on a budget
Learn how to identify nutrient imbalances and deficiencies
Learn how vitamins and minerals interact with medications
Debunking raw feeding myths

Although the Professional Canine Nutrition course is designed for veterinarians, it also benefits dog trainers, groomers, pet sitters, and any dog lover interested in nutrition.

4 The Original Crockpet Diet Recipes And Course

Are you tired of commercial pet food options that leave you guessing about what's really in your dog's bowl? Dr. Ruth Roberts helps dog owners take control of their pets' nutrition with a comprehensive self-paced course. It will teach you how to formulate balanced and nutritious homemade meals for your dog. Whether or not your dog has special health needs, this course has got you covered. It includes a kidney diet, liver diet, keto diet, low methionine diet, and other versions to provide your dog with the best possible diet.

This course covers

8 Comprehensive Sections
34 Engaging Lessons
Self-paced Learning for Busy Pet Parents
Expert Guidance and Pro Tips

This is an affordable course that's perfect for a dog owner new to raw feeding and home-cooking for their pets:

Dr. Ruth Roberts Kidney Health Courses

Dr. Ruth Roberts Gut Health Courses

5 Holistic Pet Health Coach by Dr. Ruth Roberts

Becoming a certified Holistic Pet Health Coach opens up a variety of settings for you to offer your services, such as veterinary clinics, pet stores, animal shelters, or working one-on-one with pet parents. You can offer a range of services, including the science behind Functional Medicine, support for dogs and cats with traditional veterinary care, development of food and supplement plans tailored to each animal, and lifestyle coaching to help domestic animals thrive and live healthier, happier lives. Additionally, this program has received approval for 40 hours of RACE CE Credits for Veterinarians and Vet techs through AAVSB.

Module 1: This module will introduce you to the program and provide an overview of the skills and knowledge you'll need to become an effective Holistic Pet Health Coach.
Module 2: In this module, you'll learn how to market your business and attract new clients effectively.
Module 3: You'll learn about the innovative and integrative Ipets approach to pet health, which considers the whole pet, including physical, mental, and emotional health.
Module 4: This module will cover the importance of nutrition in pet health, including how to create balanced and healthy diets for dogs and cats.

Join the growing demand for pet care professionals as a Certified Holistic Pet Health Coach. Dr. Robert's comprehensive training program equips you with the knowledge and skills to succeed in this rewarding field.