How to Train Your Dog to Wag His Tail

The idea is to reward the dog when he wags his tail. Over time, you add a cue word, "Wag", and a hand signal (such as moving your hand from side to side). Eventually, you can make the hand signal barely noticeable in order to have the dog do tricks such as, "Wag your tail if you agree with me."

When the dog sees something that makes him happy and he wags, capture the moment by praising him and saying "wag". Try to do this in a variety of situations so that the dog begins to link the reward to the one action (wagging) rather than playing with a ball or a toy.

If waiting for the dog to wag his tail is a bit hit and miss, then use a prop such as a ball that will encourage the dog to wag his tail. Having an object handy that guarantees a wag can speed up the training.

Add in a hand signal, such as weaving your hand from side to side in a way. This gives you another way to cue the behavior, which is useful if you want the dog to do tricks.

Gradually phase out the use of props, and use the cue command 'wag' to get the desired action. Remember, praise goes a long way, especially when teaching a dog to wag his tail on command.

In the 'Capture the Wag' method, it can take a while for the dog to realize which action is being rewarded. You may think you are rewarding a wagging tail, but the dog might think the praise is for standing still or looking you in the eye. A way around this is to lie the dog down, so that the only thing that moves is his tail. That way, when his tail starts to move and he gets a reward, this speeds up his understanding of cause and effect.

A clicker marks the exact moment the dog does the required action, in this case wagging. However, first it's necessary to back up a step by clicker training the dog. This means teaching the dog that when he hears a click, he gets a reward. This is easily done by scattering a handful of small treats on the floor, and clicking as the dog eats each one. In this particular case, you would click the moment the dog starts wagging. This provides a clear message as to what is being rewarded.

Make sure he's on a comfortable mat, so that he is relaxed and not anxious. Wait for him to wag his tail, then use the cue word "wag" OR click him and then use "wag".

As he gets the hang of things, start saying "Wag" in anticipation of the event. When he obliges, click the moment to mark it, and then give a reward. Keep practicing this.

Once the dog links "wag" to the muscular movement of his tail, you can allow the dog to stand and practice in more natural positions.

The wag is a happy movement and should remain so. Never force the dog to wag his tail, as this makes a mockery of the whole idea of a happy wag.

Be sure to keep the mood light, happy, and playful. If the dog forgets earlier lessons or seems to be disobeying, never punish him. This will only make him anxious and less likely to wag.

Don't push the point and practice for too long so that the dog becomes resentful and stops enjoying the session. Remember, short training sessions held twice a day are much more effective than one longer session where the dog loses concentration.

Train the dog in a quiet environment away from distractions. It will be too hard for him to understand the subtleties of what you are trying to achieve if there are other things going on around you. Start your training in a quiet room, and as he becomes more accomplished you can practice in other places

Always respect your fur-friend. If your intention is to teach him to wag on command, so as to do tricks, make sure the tricks are not demeaning or disrespectful to the dog.