Introducing the Wagometer

You would have thought that it would be easy to tell when your dog is happy – simply check if the tail is wagging – but the reality can be very different. A wagging tail can also mean that a dog is about to attack.

Dog owners curious about what mood their dog is in can purchase a ‘wagometer’ which analyses the wag of the tail to determine whether the dog is happy or not. The device is a small sensor strapped to a dog’s tail that measures the number of tail wags, as well as their speed and vigour.

This data is combined with observations made by the owner of their dog’s posture, expression and tail height while wagging; the wagometer then pronounces its verdict.

Its inventor, Dr Roger Mugford, who runs the Animal Behaviour Centre in Chertsey, said the idea came to him as he was judging a competition to find the dog with the “waggiest” tail.

A fast and energetic wag with the tail held low shows the dog is happy. But a high tail with a slower wag means it is angry and about to attack.