My German Shepherd PUP'S Tail - Page 4

can the tail straighten? was the tail like the when he arrived?

Yes it was like that, and yes it straightens just fine when I hold it or straighten it and when he is laying down it is usually always straight, just when he is walking or running around it gets that little kink, but his tail is very long for his body right now. LOL

If I was you I would not start to worry just yet he is still a baby , trim the end of his tail feathering every few weeks to prevent it touching the ground and see if that helps. He is a beautiful puppy. Good luck with him

Thank you for your complement on my girl, she is a very good mover in the ring.

I will have to bring him some where, I dont want to cut his tail. LOl. Thanks for the compliment and yes yours is so pretty and the pic looks like she moves great. Thanks again.

Why would anybody would cut a dog's tail by themselves?  I would think that would be painful.  My dogs' tail is not completely straight either.  It curls just a little bit at the end.  But, I think more that is her doing it because I can hold it out and it will be straight.  Then, again I just got her for the love of the breed.  She is part of the family.  We did not get into the show thing or breeding.  We got her fixed shen she was I guess 6 months.  I forget, whatever the recommend age was.  She is no2 6 years old, so I don't remember.  But we love her to death.   I will have to post a picture of her, thanks for posting the directions.  I would not know how to do it either.   I didn't read the directions, but my pictures would be coming from my digital camera off of  a disk.  I don't have a USB cord.  Is it easy to post from a disk? 

"Tail bushy, with the last vertebra extended at least to the hock joint. It is set smoothly into the croup and low rather than high. At rest, the tail hangs in a slight curve like a saber. A slight hook- sometimes carried to one side-is faulty only to the extent that it mars general appearance. When the dog is excited or in motion, the curve is accentuated and the tail raised, but it should never be curled forward beyond a vertical line. Tails too short, or with clumpy ends due to ankylosis, are serious faults. A dog with a docked tail must be disqualified"

according th the AKC standard for the GSD... (highlight is mine)  Your dog looks to have a Hook rather than a curled tail, it kinks over to one side probably to avoid the ground as others have suggested.  This is a genetic trait, and any surgical correction or removal of part of the tail would disqualify him for showing.  You need to also consider it if/when you ever consider breeding him.  I now that GV Scorpio of Shiloh Gardens ROM passed this trait on many years ago, his  kids won dispite the fault, but it showed up quite often in the line.

  I'd go ahead and enjoy showing him, see what the feed back is over time, and not panic.  It WILL cost you more on an otherwise finishable dog as some judges will dismiss him for it.  Get a GOOD picture of him outdoors with his back end clearly showing the tail to send to the breeder just to inform them.  Let them know it's a consern, but that you love the pup and are otherwise happy with him.  See how he matures over the next year.  I've seen too many people part with a puppy durring the growing stages only to regret it once the dog matured.  Wish ya luck... worse case, you've got a handsome buddy.

Dogshome, No worries I would never cut into a dogs tail. LOL. But I guess people do carzy things but I can assure you, I am not one of them. IThank you all for your comments. I will be posting some stacked pics of him today and then you all can tell me what you think about his tail and his looks if you wouldn't mind. Thanks again everyone for your help.

I may be coming from left field but no one asked if the tail was broke? So I will. Was the tail broke? I had a pup from a litter that broke his tail when his mom landed on it. I had asked the vet what I could do to fix it and he didnt recommend anything because of the nerve endings in the tail. It cant be casted and the only possibility I had was to pin it. He said there was a 50-50 chance that it wouldnt correct the problem so I chose to neuter the dog and place him. It was too bad really but nothing I really could have done that was humane to "make it look better"

People have been disciplined for showing dogs whose curly tails they have altered, either surgically or manually. Trim the hair by all means, but DO NOTHING ELSE to the tail. It is cheating to alter it and show the dog. I have a biitch right now with a crook in her tail when excited. It drives me bats. She is working line, so even the most "working-dog friendly " judge might have to be drunk for her to get a "G"!!! LOL she will be shown "as is"...but to a "three-for" who gets to see her work in a trial before a show. :-)