Tail Opinions please!

For some of you that may know something about showing I would love to hear your opinions on my dog's tail. He has a decent body and I think he's capable of competeing in the show ring, but his tail throws his back end off. People have suggested attaching weight to it since he's fairly young so maby he'll grow out of keeping it curled up. I'm wondering has anyone ever heard of something like that and if so how could you possibly do it.

 

Cute dog. A gay tail is not something that can be fixed in my opinion; it is a genetic trait. You can still show the dog if you choose; a gay tail is a fault.

 

I have seen dogs with gay tails place, but most people aren't very happy to see that happen, because like Patch has said, it's a fault.

 

People have suggested attaching weight to it since he's fairly young so maby he'll grow out of keeping it curled up

This is a horrible suggestion in my opinion not sure if it would affect anything because I am not a Vet but the tail is part of the spine just as your tailbone is part of your spine so i would advise not weighting it down. Second that "remedy" seems highly unlikely almost like someone thought of it on a whim. Third it could be irritating to the dog in question possibly making them chew at the weight making them break teeth or just stress them out just a little food for thought JMHO.

 

Its a genetic fault. IMO, show him as he is. My dogs have faults, too. The judge is going to pick the best dog there, and a tail fault is less of a big deal than other faults.

 

I was thinking some of the same thoughts that you all are. I'm going to continue to work with him anyways, because some of the judges have told me he has everything in his favor except the tail. However, This genetic fault helps me to know what's possible in breeding.

 

If the dog is relaxed and not excited the tail should settle down to a normal postition.

 

I thought the same thing, but be's never relaxed in the show ring, and even when he is it's still up.

 

A challenged or excited tail will relax when the dog is not excited and is not a fault; however, a gay tail stays carried over the back and not in a normal position. They are two different things.

some rear assembly picts:
http://www.apbtconformation.com/rearstudy1.htm

faults
http://www.apbtconformation.com/faultsdq.htm

 

I've herd of some vets cutting the tail for it not to stand up at all or very little... But I don't know if a vet will do this now days or not.....

 

Thanks for the info., very informative

 

i got a male with a gay tail too, and actually at the fun show i competed in(with a real adba judge) he didnt even mention the tail, my males straight stifles were a bigger fault.

 

Yeah, it's not hard to fix actually.

Two things you can do, I'm not saying I condone these things but, they are very common practices with AKC dogs.

1.) Get someone to break it. IF done correctly it's very helpful. If it is done incorrectly you can have a dog with no tail expression at all. It hangs there like a dead noodle. Same goes for number...

2.) There is an injection that you can put in the base of the tail that does the same thing. But it will always hang limp. Very common in show horses as well.

I say if you want to fix it, fix it genetically. A tail isn't as important as other aspects of the game dog. But each judge is different.

 

not hard to fix? according to you or the dog?

 

Im guessing a gay tail that stay up an curled all the time not just when a challenge
is around

but I could be wrong

but fix it?

the only way to fix it is to breed away from it

or dont breed the dog at all

I never realy minded a lil curl over as long as it wasnt like a monkey tail and/or was fat

 

It is a minor fault and as long as he is an overall correct dog otherwise it won't hurt him that bad in the ring. We have had them in the past and have done quite well. There is no need to put your dog as risk of ending up with a worse tail issue by using any of these methods.

 

Exactly my point GAPITS. woody d, thanks for that. Just giving some answers to a question. Did I say I condoned them? Nope.

 

How does the dog's tail carry when it's relaxed? Some dogs will give a slight 'curl' if they have a traditional 'pump handle' tail as is described by standard - curling over like a basenji, however, is a bit extreme.

 

How big a fault is not having the first molars that come after the canine tooth (Sharpest teeth) on the bottom row?? Thats what my dogs got going.

 

Don't put any weights on the dogs tail, That is a sure fire way to cause a lot of damage.

Your dog just has a faulty tail and that is all there is to it, Just feed the dog good and enjoy it.