The Tale of Mutt Tails: What Your Dog’s Tail Says About Its Roots
Even though everyone says “Oh, they’re just a stray dog”. you know you have the best dog in the world. Let’s be honest; Are you a little curious about what breeds mix to create your unique canine companion? A good place to start is at the end… the end of the queue.
Most, not all dogs have tails. Some breeds, like Australian Shepherds and Pembroke Welsh corgis, are born with little flaps of fatty tissue, where their tail should be waving happily.
Most experienced dog owners know that your tail tells you a lot about your dog’s mood. High tails are usually a sign of a conscious and alert dog. Tails tucked down and between the legs usually indicate a frightened and nervous dog. Ruffled tails are usually a sign that a dog is on the defensive.
Some behaviorists even believe that the way a dog wags its tail from left to right or vice versa indicates its familiarity with what it is meeting or greeting. From left to right, it means a stranger. From right to left, it means they recognize you.
The configuration, shape, and size of your dog’s tail are markers of your dog’s rather intriguing gene pool. The combinations make it even more fascinating. The on position is known as set high, where the tail appears to be a natural extension of the dog’s back or topline. The other is low set, where the tail appears to start below the topline. Terriers, beagles or foxhounds, like many dogs that hunt in packs, have their tails high. Sighthounds, such as Greyhounds, Whippets, and Afghan Hounds, have low tails, which start lower than the topline.
The length and shape of your dog’s tail will give you an idea of its ancestry. Tails come long, medium, short and wavy. They are classified as straight, screw/curly, gay, sable, tapered, whip, plum, otter, brush, sickle, snap, carrot, and tuft.
Here are some interesting clues that you may find helpful when doing some detective work on your mutt’s various pedigrees.
Northern cold weather breeds such as Akita, Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Spitz, Shiba Inu, Keeshond, American Eskimo Dog, Swedish and Finish Lapphunds, and Chow-Chows, to name a few, have tails that are normally brushed, shaped like sickle and roll forward. This is useful for keeping their faces, especially their noses, warm while they snuggle into a big C, to retain as much body heat as possible when sleeping. Oddly enough, Chihuahuas also have a sickle-shaped tail.
Otter tails work as rudders for water dogs like Labrador Retrievers and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and other sporting class dogs. Their tails are generally thick, medium to short relative to body size, very bushy, and taper to a blunt tip. This style of tail is very useful for these swimmers.
Does your dog have a carrot tail? Would that be identified as fairly short, thicker at the base and tapering to a stumpy tip? If so, the tail was most likely designed to be grabbed by a farmer, to pull the dog out of vermin holes. If your dog’s tail is shaped like a carrot, there’s probably a West Highland Terrier or two somewhere in his gene pool.
If your dog has a tufted tail, he probably has something poodle on him! The poodle’s tails are set high on the back, straight and well shaggy… with a tuft at the end!
Quick tails are also common with breeds from the north and colder climates. You’ll find pooches with Alaskan Malamutes, American Eskimo Dogs, and even small Pomeranian ancestors that commonly share this shaped tail.
The royal swordtail is generally associated with Great Danes, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, American Staffordshire Terriers, and many types of Pointers.
That little bulge of fatty tissue on your favorite dog is also known as a docked tail. It is found naturally in Old English Sheepdogs, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, and some Australian Shepherds.
The gay tail is one that is held horizontally, thick, with a slight curve, and has a small tuft, usually white, at the tip. It is found in Beagles, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Border Collies, and Wire Fox Terriers.
Certain herding breeds, such as German Shepherds, Collies, Belgian Malinois, and Belgian Tervuren, sport conspicuous saber tails. They are long and stay low. Those mischievous Cardigan Welsh Corgis also wear their tails low.
Your dog may have a gene or two from some type of Terrier, such as a Manchester, Border or Airedale if his tail is tapered. They are usually thicker at the base, set in the upper back, and stand up or out. Dachshunds also fit into this tail category, as do Dalmatians and English Setters.
Corkscrew or curly tails are found in Bulldogs and Pugs.
Does your mutt’s tail have a low set-in, whip-like shape with a slight curve? They could be Whippet, Wolfhound or Ibizan Hound.
A high-set tail, a sort of natural extension of your dog’s body, could be an indication of Scent Hound ancestry. Perhaps your dog has a touch of a Beagle, Fox Hound, or even Airedale.
If your dog’s tail is feathered, it could suggest that Belgian Tervuren, Saluki, or even Borzoi blood flows through those veins.
Bottom line: Your dog’s tail, as a rule, tells the stories of its lineage. Let’s face it, does it really matter what variety of pedigree secrets are swimming in your Heinz 57 gene pool? They are and will always be the best dog in the world for you. But, you have to admit that it could be both challenging and fun to embark on the adventure of finding out where they come from.