Dead Tails -- another unspeakable - Page 1

An acquaintance of mine just returned from the Siegerhauptzuchschau. He told me that he saw a substantial number of GSDs which had "dead tails" (tails which appear to be dead and are repeatedly hit by the rear hocks during movement. This of course is incorrect and may signify the result of a breeder, trainer or handler's attempt to selectively backbend individual tail segments to correct a hooked or gay tail. It may also signify a natural symptom of the initial stage of a serious neural myopathy (degeneration of the spinal innervation) or a spinal stenosis (narrowing of the vertebra around the spinal nerves). A properly ligamented and innervated tail which functions normally is raised and lowered by the GSD to balance itself during movement. No matter what the cause, usually either cause is linked to genetics, either a hooked or abnormally carried tail or something much more serious to the long term health of the GSD (a neural degeneracy). This problem of "dead tails" like exocrine pancreatic deficiency, mega esophagus, esophagal echlasia, aortic arch stenosis, vagus nerve and cardio conduction abnormalities, irritable bowel syndrome, faded pigmentation, and epilepsy are very serious genetic problems that are considered "unspeakable" by most big breeders because to acknowledge these problems can be used against them to lower the value of their stock for breeding or selling. This is why it is very important for any puppy buyer to save his/her money and be willing to pay for a sufficient number of lab tests and joint screening xrays on any GSD or puppy or they want to purchase. And why it is vital that one deal with a honest, ethical breeder who has made long term efforts to minimize genetic flaws which are linked to serious debilitating health problems. This issue of course raises many other sub-issues such as: since breeding a show dog or working dog with certain desired and rare traits usually requires line breeding, this also easily concentrates these seriously debilitating gene patterns. There may be a price to pay for such health/longevity related breeding paractices with a bit less confirmation or crazed aggression in order to get the "Total German Shepherd" or "Golden Middle" or cross-over GSD that makes a healthy, long-lived, sound, good looking, good moving, good acting companion. Certyainly anyone who pays for the many lab and xrays needed to properly screen any GSD or puppy they want to purchase will have to carry a heavy financial obligation since most breeders just can't afford a battery or all such diagnostioc studies. The cost for this health information is high, but the rewards arer great and failure to do so can cost a great deal of heartache and even greater expense later.

Your friend is right Preston, However I think there is more than substantial number of dogs with dead tails! In the top twenty junior females of last year, I would say around ten to fifteen of them had their tails 'done'. Must say I too am appauled by this. This seems to be the norm in Germany. On speaking to one German outside of the ring, I commented about the tails to him and was told 'If the dog has a problem with its tail (hooky) then no problem! This is fixed!' Hence the dead tail, and in my humble opinion a practice that needs to stop. And another severe problem that appears overlooked by the SV. I have heard of many different practices over the years to 'enhance the beauty of the show dog' At the moment the Germans are tackling the dyed hair problem, so this year I was amazed (not) on how much bright orange faeces was out there! Can't get it on the coat then feed it! But for me breaking tails is a far more serious problem. Regards Sting

McGinty Pet Detective here, Yes, the tail problem is a very serious genetic fault and I do not think that it is neurological in the very young animal, but as I am no expert in this field then it may or may not be the first signs of damage to the spine, this appears in dogs of a greater age with DM (CDRM). Though as you say TOO many animals showing signs of dead tails is a sign something illegal is going on. It is not good enough to continue to doctor these tails as they will pass it on anyway to their offspring so it will show up again and again. In my enquiries about dead tails I have come across 2 ways to sort this problem, one by injection (substance not known - but have been told Botox for paralysis) and the other by a horrific method of slamming the dog's tail in a door to break it - what a cruel and painful thing to do to an animal. The tail breaking service has been offered in the UK and I find this sickening. Luckily I have not had this problem in my own dogs and would certainly be thinking of rehoming a dog with a serious tail problem and definitely not breeding from it. Again we are in the realm of proving that these methods are used here in the UK or in any other country. The dyeing of dogs' coats is another problem that has reared it ugly head. It would be hard to hide the fact that the dogs' coat was outwardly dyed now that they are taking hair samples for analysis. Feeding supplements to enhance coat colour is another thing altogether. Seaweed extract has been used for many years in the UK to supposedly enhance coat colour, whether it works or not is another story. I believe the Germans use Carrot and Beetroot mixes to enhance coat, but unless this is actually against the rules I cannot see it being stopped as these are natural vegetables available to the community. I agree with Sting regarding the breaking of tails - OUCH!!!!! I am sure the owners would not like to have their arms or legs shut in a door and broken, might teach a few of them a painful lesson perhaps.

BOTOX FOR SOFT EARS IS ANOTHER POSSIBILITY. Wonder how often that is done?

Now theres a thought McGinty!

amazing - botox for the ears and bending tails to teh point of "dead". Awful. Not being from the "show crowd" but from the 'working clan' - when I see a 'dead' tail that has no curve or little to no voluntary movement or "lift" to it - I automatically think "back problem", or "soon to be a problem with the back" - the dead tail is, in my experience, a sure sign there are issues with the spine. molly

I meant to also say - excellent post Preston thanks for your time in writing it.

This is one of the most informative threads I've ever come across. Preston, as always, right on the important issues--and Sting, McGinty--great input. Molly, I agree--"amazing"

I had bought a working line male puppy about 3/4 years ago. I told my husband that if I did not know any better his tail felt like it was closed in a door. it had to breaks about an inch apart. I never heard of this so I never questioned it but after readining this makes me really think I bought a puppy with a broken tail. His tail never really looked right not full and long but thin and really ugly. Ended up selling the dog back to the breeder. This really makes you think.

Preston, your comments are always very intersting, but I am under the impression that you are aiming for the unachievable: the maintenance and trouble free dog. Nature never intended for that. Dogs have litters because nature had intended for most of them to be redundant and only for the fittest to survive. We are constantly cheating nature by ensuring the survival of nearly all pups. Even those that really should not be surviving. I appreciate your concern about certain afflictions, but several of the tests you propose have very little value in the real life. At least in my experience. Many problems will not manifest themselves or show up in tests until a dog is already well into his or her breeding life. Take eye examinations for example. A friend of mine used to breed Huskys who are prone to cateracts. So they did the eye exams every year to find out that many of the dogs would fail after they had already been used for breeding for many years. So what good did that do? Not much. It creates a false sense of security. The eye exams only detected the extreme cases that showed up early enough. I am not uptodate on all tests that are possible, and that *reliably* tell what a dog or a pup is afflicted with. I have dealt with many unreliable tests and proposals though. I agree that man made problems or cover ups need to be eliminated. They too are redundant. A one year old dog with a dead tail will hardly have afflictions other than those that are man made. The colour issue is just a fad and brought on by some colour fanatics who cannot tell the difference between pigment and colour (a white Shepherd can have excellent pigment, but still be snow white). Size is being addressed finally. Etc. Change is slow. Change is impeded by what is popular. Many of the people complaining about certain problems are the very source of many of the problems, because they create the demad for dogs that are of a certain size, type, colour and have certain characteristics that are appealing to them. Bad genetic afflictions are just part of dogs as the good ones. It is our warped perception that everything needs to be just good, or rather 'perfect'. That it simply cannot be bad in any way. Nature does not care about many of the flaws we consider disqualifications for breeding. A dog can still hunt and survive and breed just fine with a kink tail. Or with bad pigment, or with more hair. It can also survive long enough to procreate despite heart, endocrine and all sort of other more serious problems. If the problems are so severe that the dog cannot reproduce then that usually meant that it did not survive long enough, or is strong enough. At least the SV is putting some stress on the dogs by making several tests a requirement of breeding. Maybe not perfect but what is. Few people invest far less thought or consideration to their future offspring when choosing their own mate. I am curious: what would you propose breeders should *realistically* do in order to improve what you find so wrong with current breeding practices? what is your prognosis on what can *realistically* be achieved by implementing the changes you are proposing and in what time frame do you expect to see actual progress?