Tail Tucking

Why does this German Shepherd have his tail between his legs?

He is acting this way because he is scared and nervous about being close to people. Hopefully, after being treated, he will be less fearful around people and be happier.

Although his friend, the pug, seems relatively relaxed and happy there are some mixed signals that are worth paying attention to.

Notice, for example, that the pug's ears are pulled back which may indicate fear or simply that he is nervous because he is in an unfamiliar environment. On the other hand, his tail is curled up which certainly indicates much less fearfulness that his big friend the German Shepherd.

You should always pet aggressive dogs on their neck and chest, not on their head or behind ears. This is because those gestures are dominance signals and can elicit aggression because they can scare a fearful dog or challenge a dominant aggressive dog.

^  Top of page