What Does It Mean When Your Dogs Tail Wags In A Circle. A dog whose tail is swishing back and forth or in a circular motion is one happy and relaxed pup. Speed of the wag simply means level of excitement or agitationPosition means the state the dogs is in - aggressive submissive or relaxedFlagged tail tail straight up is a warning. A happy dog usually has bright eyes a relaxed open mouth and possibly a gentle pant. A dog who is frightened or feeling submissive will often lower or tuck his tail between his hind legs.
Throaty growls can be part of play or posturingMeaning of a tail wag depends on the speed and tail position. Sometimes a dog will even put his body into the movement his entire body appears to be swinging back and forth. But in the best tradition of ethology Circle Wag is descriptive because the tail literally goes around in a circle. Some dogs have tails that naturally hang down behind their legs while others have tails that curl up over their backs. A slow wagging tail may indicate that a dog is unfriendly so proceed with caution. A dog that is very friendly may wag his tail more freely and even wiggle his hips at the same time.
A tail lowered and between the legs could indicate fear anxiety or submission.
The happy wag consists of broad strokes that occur in a medium-raised position and can be quick or slow as well as circling but always with a relaxed body posture. A wagging tail and a few licks are usually a friendly greeting from a dog. A slow wag could mean that a dog is. When a dog is happy or friendly he often wags his tail frequently in a circular motion A circle wag can happen whenever a dog is excited such as at feeding time or when seeing a person that the dog loves or if he is engaged in play. That type of wag is called a circle wag or less commonly the propeller wag or helicopter tail. Tail height at either extreme of the spectrum should be taken as a signal to avoid interaction until Lassie.