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April 27, 2007
OFF LEASH: On wagging
"Off Leash" is an occasional column by Fiddler. Past columns can be found here.
The most e-mailed story on the New York Times website is about dogs. Specifically, it's about the tails of dogs and what their wagging means. Here's the gist: wagging to the right means the dog is happy; wagging to the left means the dog is nervous. For some reason, this takes 1,200 words to explain.
But the researchers have overlooked an important phenomenon, one that may hold the key to understanding the emotions of dogs. I'm speaking, of course, about helicopter tail. When I'm very happy, my tail rotates in a circular pattern, as if my hindquarters were attempting to fly. This often occurs just prior to my morning walk, when I am nearly overcome with anticipation. It also happens whenever I am given meat (which, by the way, is not often enough).
What does this mean? Why does my tail wag like that? How happy am I? Heck, that's a dissertation right there. Just be sure to cite me.
Posted by teb at April 27, 2007 12:44 PM