The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-10-20
THE TAIL OF THE DOG
HOW A CANINE EXPRESSES PLEAS
uRE OR HUMILIATION.

|
Hunting Dog Plays in the Chase-An
Dogs Seem to wag Their Tails When
Pleased-Why Dogs Wag Their Tails.
There are many reasons for the tail
} being the chief organ of expression
among dogs. They have but little facial
expression beyond the lifting of the lip
to show the teeth and the dilation of the
pupil of the eye when angry. The jaws
and the contiguous parts are too much
specialized for the serious business of
Selling prey to be fitted for such pur-
poses as they are in man. With dogs
which hunt by scent the head is neces-
sarily carried low, and is therefore not
plainly visible except to those close by.
But in the case of all hunting dogs, such
as foxhounds or wolves which pack to-
gether, the tail is carried aloft and is
very free in movement. 1t is also fire.
quently rendered more conspicuous by
the tip being white, and this is almost
invariably the case when the hounds are
of mixed color.
When ranging the long grass of the
prairie or jungle, the raised tips of the
tails would often be all that an individ
ual member of the band would see of his
fellows. There is no doubt that hounds
habitually watch the tails of those in
front of them when drawing a covert.
If faint drag is detected suggestive of
the presence of fox, but scarcely suffi-
Gent to be sworn to vocally, the tail of
the finder is at once set in motion, and
the warmer the scent the quicker does it
wag. Others seeing the signal instantly
join the first, and there is an assemblage
| of waving tails before ever the least
whimper is heard.
Should the drag prove doubtful one
the hounds separate again and the way
ing ceases; but if it grows stronger when
followed up the wagging becomes more
and more emphatic until one after an
other the hounds begin to whine and
give tongue, and stream off in Indian
file along the line Of scent.
The whole question of tail wagging is
very interesting one. All dogs wag
their tails when pleased, and the move
ment is generally understood by their
human associates as an intimation that
they are happy. But when we attempt
to discover the reason why pleasure
should be expressed in this way the ex-
PLANTATION appears at first very difficult
one. All physical attributes of living
beings are, upon the evolutionary
hypothesis, traceable to some actual
need, past or present. The old and de-
lightfully conclusive dictum that things
are as they are because they were made
so at the beginning no longer can be
put forward seriously outside the pulpit
or the nursery.
No doubt In many cases-as, for in
stance the origin of human laughter-the
mystery seems unfathomable. But this
only results from our defective knowl-
edge of data upon which to build the
bridge of deductive argument. The rea-
son is there all the time could we but
reach it, and almost daily we are able
to account for mysterious and apparent |
ly anomalous phenomena which utterly |
baffled our predecessors. Probably the
manner in which domestic dogs express
pleasure is owing to some interlocking |
of the machinery of cognate ideas. In |
order to understand this better it may |
be helpful to consider some analogous |
instances with regard to habits of our
own species.
There can be no question that the
chief delight of wild dogs, as with mod |
ern hounds and sporting dogs, is in the
chase and its accompanying excitement |
and consequences. One of the most |
thrilling moments to the human hunter |
land doubtless to the canine), and one
big with that most poignant of all de-
lights, anticipation of pleasurable ex-
element combined with muscular activ-
ity, is when the presence of game is first |
detected. AS we have seen in watching |
the behavior in a pack of foxhounds, |
this is invariably the time when tails |
are wagged for the common good. The
wagging is an almost invariable accom-
paniment of this form of pleasure, which |
is one of the chiefest among the agree
able emotions when in the wild state. |
Owing to some incubation of the |
nervous mechanism, which at present |
we cannot unravel, the association of |
pleasure and wagging has become so in
separable that the movement of the tail |
follows the emotion whatever may call |
it forth.
An explanation of similar kind can
be found for the fact that dogs depress
their tails when threatened or scolded. |
When running away the tail would be
the part nearest the pursuer, and there
fore most likely to be seized. It was
therefore securely tucked away between
the hind legs. The act of running away
is naturally closely associated with the
emotion of fear, and therefore this ges-
ture of putting the tail between the legs
becomes an invariable concol liant of re-
treat or submission in the presence of
superior force. When puppy taken
out for an airing curves its tail down.
ward and scuds in circles and half cir
Giles at fullest speed around its master,
it is apparently trying to provoke its
pseudo-cynic playfellow to pursue it in
mock combat. 1t may be observed that
this running in sharp curves, with fire.
Quent change of direction 10 q co,n,oo,,