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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
The Tale of the Tail
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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