Pawscessories is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you.
Learn more.
One of the funnier, cuter things you can see your australian shepherd do is wiggle. They probably do it in many different situations which makes you wonder why they do it.
Is it normal for australian shepherds to wiggle so much?
Why Do Australian Shepherds Wiggle:
Australian shepherds wiggle because they’re happy or excited about something. Because most australian shepherds have docked tails, their bum wiggle is their way of wagging their tail. How much they wiggle is strongly related to how happy or excited they are about something.
In this post you’ll discover:
- 14 reasons why australian shepherds wiggle
- What wiggles mean in different situations
- How to get your aussie to wiggle in many different environments
- And much more
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
14 Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Wiggle
1) You’re Home Now
After a long day of being home alone, your australian shepherd is ecstatic to see you home and shows it with a wiggle.
They’ve been a good boy/girl while you were away at work and can’t wait to spend time with you now that you’re home.
Even if your aussies tail isn’t docked, when they’re feeling exceptionally happy it’s totally normal to see their whole body wiggle.
They can’t contain their happiness after several hours of being alone and show it by wigglin’ their bum.
Related Reading: 11 Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Are Good Dogs + Tips
2) Treat Time
If your australian shepherd is anything like my pup, then they LOVE treats.
Anytime you get out the treat bag or walk towards the kitchen for some human food scraps, they’ll start to wiggle their bums.
They know what’s going down and want in on it before anyone else gets a taste of those yummy goodies.
The butt wiggle becomes even more intense as you get closer to your destination, so be warned!
3) Anything To Do With A Walk
If you’re even thinking about going for a walk, your aussie will know it.
The second they hear that hook clip getting attached to the leash or see their harness come out of the closet- get ready for some wiggling!
Your aussie can’t contain themselves and show it by wiggling their bums all over the place.
They’re excited to go on a walk and might even wiggle during the actual walk itself if they get extra excited about something on the path ahead.
For some reason, my pup will even wiggle their butt when they see another dog or person walking across the road.
She knows that there’s no way she can run over for a meet and greet, but she still wiggles in anticipation.
4) Seeing Someone They Haven’t In A Long Time
The first time my pup saw her Grandma in over two years, she started wiggling like crazy. It was so cute to see how excited she got at the sight of someone who hasn’t been around in awhile.
Even if your australian shepherd is typically calm and well-behaved, they’ll still get overly excited and wiggle when they see someone they haven’t seen in a long time.
They’ll wiggle their butts and jump all over the place to show how happy they are to see them.
It’s an adorable way for your dog to express themselves and it’s definitely a sight to see!
5) Submissive Wiggle
If your australian shepherd knows they did something wrong, they may do a submissive wiggle.
This is when their bum starts to wiggle while they’re sitting or lying down.
They know that you saw what happened and are doing their best to apologize for it by showing how cute and friendly they can be.
It’s like they’re saying “I’m sorry, don’t be mad please!”
You might also see your australian shepherd wiggle for this reason when they meet someone for the first time and want to show they’re not a threat.
6) Certain Words Make Them Happy
Certain words make your aussie happy and will result in some serious butt wigglin’.
If you say “walk” or “treat” or “mom/dad’s home!”, they’ll know that something good is about to happen.
The second you utter the word, their bum starts wiggling uncontrollably as they try to contain their excitement.
It’s a funny sight to see and definitely one of the many quirks that make australian shepherds so special.
7) New Toys
Whenever you bring home a new toy for your australian shepherd, they’re sure to go crazy with a bum wiggle.
Your pup probably starts spinning in circles while wiggling as they try to wait patiently for their new toy.
It’s like they know it’s going to be their new best friend and can’t wait to start playing with it.
The wiggle becomes even more intense when you let them try it out for the first time.
Safe to say that anytime you bring home a new toy it’ll get your aussies bum wigglin’.
8) Paying Attention To Them All Of A Sudden
If you haven’t been paying attention to your aussie for awhile and all of the sudden start petting them or talking to them, they’ll know something’s up.
They may even start wiggling their butt in anticipation of some good attention or play time.
It’s almost like they’re saying “Yay! You finally decided to pay attention to me!” in an excited voice.
Aussies love getting attention from their humans and get super excited if they start getting some when they haven’t for a little while.
Related Reading: 5 Surprising Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Smile
9) When Guests Come Over
Aussies love to make new friends and will wiggle their butts when they see someone coming over.
They know that new visitors usually means playtime or attention, so they’ll get super excited as soon as you open the door and invite them inside!
Aussies are typically very friendly and love to meet new people. They’ll wiggle their butts in anticipation of getting some love from your guests.
It’s a cute way for them to show how excited they are about meeting someone new or having company over at the house.
Just make sure that your australian shepherd isn’t too excited and jumping all over the place!
They can get a little rambunctious when they’re overly happy or anxious.
10) Excited For Food
If your australian shepherd has been sitting or standing quietly while you put down their food bowl, they may start to wiggle their butt in anticipation of being able to eat.
They know it’s coming and can’t wait!
They’ll probably do a little dance as soon as you let them get some grub down.
Australian shepherds tend to get really excited about food and will wiggle their butts in excitement.
11) Your Tone Of Voice
Your tone of voice can also make your aussie wiggle their butt. If you talk to them in a high pitched, excited voice they’ll start wiggling right away.
It’s probably because they know you’re happy/excited and it gets them pumped up too.
Something funny that went viral on social media was a guy saying mean things in a high pitched, happy tone which made their pup wiggle in excitement.
Then he said super nice things in a “you did something bad” tone which made their pup become submissive as if they did something wrong.
Just another example of how impactful your tone of voice is and how when you say anything in a high pitch, happy tone, your australian shepherd will surely wiggle.
12) Going Number 2
When your australian shepherd goes number two you might notice them start wiggling their butt in excitement once they’re done.
It’s like they’re doing a dance and celebrating that they finally got to go after holding it in all day long.
It’s a little funny but it’s just another way that they show how excited they are about something.
13) A Good Bum Scratch
If you give your aussies bum a good scratch they’ll surely start wiggling from enjoyment.
It’s probably one of their favorite things that you can do for them and they’ll definitely show their appreciation by wiggling their butt.
Be sure to give your aussie a good scratch behind the ears, on their back, and especially on their bum!
They’ll love it and will start wiggling right away.
Also, australian shepherds are known to have sensitive skin so they love when people scratch and pet them.
They may even start licking your hand or face as a thank you for giving them such great attention.
14) Friends To Play With
If your aussie sees another dog or even a human they like, they’ll start wiggling once they realize it’s time to play.
Australian shepherds love to play and will wiggle their butts in excitement as soon as they see someone that they want to interact with.
It’s a way of saying “let’s play” and they’ll be so happy when they’re able to start playing.
Other posts you might find interesting:
8 Best Dog Beds for Australian Shepherds | Beds That Last
9 Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Whine & Cry So Much
