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犬は自分の感情によってしっぽを振る方向を変え、さらにしっぽを振る感情表現は犬どうしでも伝わるという研究結果をイタリアの研究グループが発表した。研究を発表したのは、イタリアの大学教授らで作る研究グループで10月31日、アメリカで発行されている学術誌「カレントバイオロジー」に論文が掲載された。
NHKニュースによると、研究グループはこれまでも犬の感情表現について研究しており、犬が飼い主を見つけた時など、親しみを感じている時はしっぽを右に、逆に脅威に感じている時はしっぽを左に振る傾向があることを明らかにしているとして、以下のように報じている。
今回、この研究グループは、それぞれ右と左にしっぽを振る犬の映像をほかの犬に見せて反応を分析し、犬どうしでもこうした感情表現が伝わっているかを調べました。43匹の犬で実験を行った結果、脅威を感じてしっぽを左に振る犬の映像を見た犬は、しっぽを右に振る犬の映像を見たときに比べて、心臓の動きが激しくなったほか、落ち着きのない行動が多く見られたということです。
（NHKニュース「しっぽを振る感情表現 犬どうしで伝わる」 2013/11/03 09:38）
「カレントバイオロジー」は、犬がしっぽを振る感情表現が他の犬に伝わっているという今回の研究が、動物福祉の面に貢献するものではないかと述べている。
インターネット上では、「鳴き声では伝わっていないのか？」「猫にもあるのか？」など研究結果に対する素朴な疑問が上がっている
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