If your dog does not wag its tail, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do about it.
So, why doesn’t my dog wag its tail? Common reasons why dogs don’t wag their tails are depression, injury, tiredness, boredom, or being intimidated.
There are actually multiple reasons why your dog might have been doing it and it could be due to a combination of them. However, there are a number of things you can consider when figuring out the main reason and there are a number of things you can do about it.
Reasons why your dog does not wag its tail
Below are a number of possible reasons why your dog has been doing it and what would make each of them more likely to be the main reason.
Depression
Dogs can become depressed and it might be why yours has not been wagging its tail. This would be more likely if it has stopped wagging its tail suddenly after an event might have caused it to become depressed such as an owner leaving or another pet dying. If it does not improve after a few weeks, it would help to take it to a vet.
Intimidation
The cause might be that something has been causing it to be intimidated. This would be more likely if it started doing it suddenly after you started shouting or getting mad at it. Instead, it would help to be calm around it and to use positive reinforcement training to change its behavior.
Injury
The cause might also be that it has gotten an injury or illness. This would be more likely if it has stopped getting excited suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being ill or injured such as limping or vomiting. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.
Tiredness
Another possible cause is that it is tired. This would be more likely if it has stopped wagging its tail since an event that might have caused it to stop being able to sleep easily. One cause might be that the room it sleeps in might be too hot, bright or noisy.
Boredom
Another possible cause is that it is bored. This would be more likely if it does wag its tail sometimes such as when you are about to take it out for a walk. In this case, it would help to ensure that it is able to get the daily amount of recommended exercise for its age and breed.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.
What else happened when it stopped doing it
If your dog did not always do it, it would help to consider what else happened when it stopped wagging its tail. If it stopped doing it suddenly, it might be due to an injury, something causing it to become depressed or something causing it to become tired.
What is different when your dog does wag its tail
If it does wag its tail sometimes, it would also help to consider what is different when it does wag its tail. For example, if it does wag its tail when you are about to walk it, the cause might be that it is bored most of the time.
What to do about your dog not wagging its tail
Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.
Ensure it is not due to an injury
If your dog has stopped wagging its tail suddenly, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog and to rule out the possibility of it being due to illness or injury.
Give it reasons to get excited
It would also help to give it reasons to become excited such as by training it and walking it so that it is more likely to want to wag its tail.
Ensure it can sleep easily
It would also help to ensure that the room it sleeps in is not too hot, bright or loud so that it can sleep easily.