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The Tale of the Tail
The Tale of the Tail
Our pets’ tails are mobile and
Dog tails vary widely in length, hair
covering, and shape. The shape
of your mixed-breed dog’s tail can
give you a hint about his genetics.
Some examples of dogs’ tails are:
Sickle or curled tail: like its
name, shaped like a sickle and
curled forward over the back.
Dogs with sickle tails are Husky,
Shiba Inu, Chow, Keeshond, and
the Chihuahua.
Snap tail: more tightly curled
than the sickle. Dogs include
Malamute and Pomeranian.
Otter or swimmer tail: thick at
the base and narrowing to a blunt
tip, used as a rudder for swimming.
Dogs include Labrador and
Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and
Otterhound.
Carrot tail: stubby, short, thick
at the base, ending in a stumpy
tip. Dogs include West Highland
Terriers.
Bobbed tail: less like a tail and
more like fatty tissue. These tails
are naturally bobbed, not docked.
Dogs include French Bulldog, Old
English Sheepdog, and Pembroke
Welsh Corgi.
Tufted tail: set high and straight
on the back. They are very furry
and have a tuft at the end. Dogs
include Poodle and Portuguese
Water Dog.
Tapered tail: set high on the
back. They are wide at the base
and held straight up or out. Dogs
include Terriers, Dachshund, and
Dalmation.
Sword tail: wide at the base
and tapered at the tip. The natural
position is straight down. Dogs
include American Staffordshire
Terriers, Great Dane and some
Pointers.
Saber tail: resembles a saber –
long and held low. Dogs include
Collie, German Shepherd, and
Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
Gay tail: meaning “happy tail,”
is thick and slightly curved, ending
in a small often white tuft at the
tip. Dogs include Beagle, Border
Collie, and Cavalier King Charles
Spaniel.
Corkscrew tail: like its name,
shaped like a corkscrew. Dogs
include Pug and Bulldog.
Our domesticated cats’ tails don’t
vary that much in shape and size.
The only variance
is the length and
amount of hair.
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