why do cockers wag there tail all the time ?

[Mudmagnets]

Yep, Smudge & Katie have tail/body waggies. The only time they are still is in the 'sit' position, when they are asleep or when having a bath.(going through mucky puddles is another story tho  )

[grab]

There certainly seems to be more wag when they're doing something.  Judi doesn't wag much, but when she finds an interesting scent, the tail really starts going.  We've learnt to use that as a gauge of when there's fox-poo or dead animals around, because the tail starts going just before she does something naughty!

Yes, the full-body wag is wonderful, when they're really happy to see you.  What I like most though is the shake after going in the water.  Unlike chunkier dogs like labs, a cocker shake starts at the head and travels down the body, so the head has just finished moving while the tail is still doing a bit of whiplash.

[smartietopdog]

Theres nothing like the tap tap tap on the duvet in the middle of the night cos you've turned over in bed!!
Even in my worstest mood, Smartie can always make me smile, just by wagging!

[Rats and Dogs]

Just brought Duggie back from getting his first vaccination, he was standing on the table and eating treats as he was being examined and his tail was going thump thump thump against my arm.

Now, he either likes the vet or he like getting treats, wonder which it could be...

[SkyeSue]

Chloe's tail hardly ever stops wagging....and when she's supremely happy, its the full body wag! I love it, in fact I''ve been trying to get some pics of her tail, cos I thought it would be good to have a thread of pics just of our doggies tails, but I haven't captured a good one yet! Chloe's is like a fan 

[cindere528]

Having had 3 rescue cockers, I can assure you that they don't wag ALL the time, only when they are happy.

Violet is my third rescue cocker and the first one I have had with a tail.

When you adopt a rescue cocker, you wait and wait with bated breath for that very first wag.  In their previous life, they had very little (if anything) to wag about, so tail wagging is a new experience for them.

It is so wonderful when they wag for the first time . Then you wait for the next time, sometimes it takes a while because they are so mixed up, they don't know if they might get punished  .

Once they feel secure in their new home, they start to wag most of the time, like most cockers do, but that very first wag remains the most rewarding 

Violet still doesn't wag on her first visit to new places, I'm trying to take her out & about a lot and she feels insecure in places she hasn't been before, but she's getting there

[Rats and Dogs]

When you adopt a rescue cocker, you wait and wait with bated breath for that very first wag.  In their previous life, they had very little (if anything) to wag about, so tail wagging is a new experience for them.

That's just so sad, but you feel so good when they finally do wag. You're doing great with Violet, any new pics?

[LindyLou]

Having had 3 rescue cockers, I can assure you that they don't wag ALL the time, only when they are happy.

When you adopt a rescue cocker, you wait and wait with bated breath for that very first wag.  In their previous life, they had very little (if anything) to wag about, so tail wagging is a new experience for them.

It is so wonderful when they wag for the first time . Then you wait for the next time, sometimes it takes a while because they are so mixed up, they don't know if they might get punished  .

Once they feel secure in their new home, they start to wag most of the time, like most cockers do, but that very first wag remains the most rewarding 

We just take for granted our cocker's wagging bums, but how awful to imagine they feel they may get punished for doing it

I can only imagine the absolute pleasure you get when that little tail starts telling you she's happy for the first time!

[Harveypops]

I've got a mad tail wagger here too! It's my fav Harvey quirk- the little tail never stops. I call his tail a people radar- it starts off with a slow wag when he spots someone in the distance to a full body and head wag as the person gets closer 

[cindere528]

You're doing great with Violet, any new pics?

yes, but as you know, black dogs are not very photogenic  . I'll post them in the solids section of photos later 

[Rats and Dogs]

You're doing great with Violet, any new pics?

yes, but as you know, black dogs are not very photogenic  . I'll post them in the solids section of photos later 

I'm sure I'll enjoy them as I've become used to peering at my own pics to try to work out where the features are!

[heelers n cockers]

personally i think it's a private joke that they don't want to share! 
Freddy has a side to side action, side to side high, side to side low, side to side fast, side to side slow... complete with full bum/body wiggle when in top speed! Patrick has a helicopter quality about his, left, right, up, down, round in circles, also with corresponding body/bum wiggles! makes me chuckle every time he wags his tail 

[sharonmansfield]

Jamsine wags her tail and her whole body, I have nicknamed her wiggles cus that what she does. She wiggles all over when excited. Not so much when just hanging around however Bellas tail is always wagging. Its so lovely.

[cerinrich]

Hattie has so many different tail wags. One of my favourites is when she's been asleep and I come into the room just the very tip of her tail wags because the rest of her is still just waking up and she's not sure whether I'm just popping in or have come to play. If I fuss her it grows into a full body wiggle. It also makes me laugh that pretty much the only time (whe she's awake) it doesn't wag is when she's doing 'wait' and staring intently at a treat and her whole body goes very still. Then she 'helicopters' when she gets the treat. So sweet!

[mum2milly]

Milly is the same - does an impression of a slinky when she's really excited. I love it when you hear the thud thud thud of her tail if you so much as look at her. It sounds like a helicopter rota! She's a docked worker, and has also one a couple of waggiest tail competitions. She may not have much of a tail, but boy can she use it! 

Felt Cindere 528's post was particularly emotive, a tragic reminder of just how lucky our cockers are.