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Why do dogs wag their tails?

Canine tail wagging is a form of communication (dogs don't usually wag their tails when they're alone), but it can relate a variety of emotional states, as anyone who's been bitten by a tail-wagging dog knows full well. The wag can convey good spirits, fear, aggravation, dominance, or submission. The well-known zoologist Desmond Morris contends that a dog's wagging tail expresses a state of conflict - the simultaneous need to advance and retreat.