# curl tail on german shepherd pup



## AkiraAnubise12 (Oct 3, 2017)

My pup midnight carries carries he tail high with a curl all the time. Now it goes down when she is focused on something or investigated a noise but when she walks it's high.when she digs it straight out with the tip curled.

Will her tail go down with age or will she keep her curled tail. She is a pure bred shepherd and it doesn't curl like a huskys tail. 

I had some say it's a fault and had one call her a faulty german shepherd because here tail curls, back has only a slight slope and her coat has no brown in it.(this was a petsmart and he had a black and tan german shepherd with an extreme slope)

She does come from a working and show line so would her being from a majorty of working lines be the result of her tail curl.Could this result in future issues with her tail?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

It's called a "gay tail" Gay as in happy. It happens. It is a fault per the breed standard. No, it's not due to being mostly working line. It's just in her direct pedigree somewhere.

People say all sorts of things. It makes them feel smart. Best to just smile and ignore. Just tell them thank you for the input and all the faults in the world couldn't make you love her less.

Really...if your plans for her are your companion and pet then all that jazz just isn't important.


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## AkiraAnubise12 (Oct 3, 2017)

Jax08 said:


> It's called a "gay tail" Gay as in happy. It happens. It is a fault per the breed standard. No, it's not due to being mostly working line. It's just in her direct pedigree somewhere.
> 
> People say all sorts of things. It makes them feel smart. Best to just smile and ignore. Just tell them thank you for the input and all the faults in the world couldn't make you love her less.
> 
> Really...if your plans for her are your companion and pet then all that jazz just isn't important.


Thanks I will try that I just got worried as some said it could lead to tail problems in the future and I don't want her to hurt or have surgery. I'm not use to purebred gsd as all mine were mixed. if it cause no health problem I'm fine with it as she is just a pet and security dog.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

LOL No, it will not lead to structural tail problems. I don't know where people come up with such things. Ignore "well meaning" people who offer unsolicited, scary, advice.

Just enjoy your dog


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

AkiraAnubise12 said:


> I had some say it's a fault and had one call her a faulty german shepherd because here tail curls, back has only a slight slope and her coat has no brown in it.(this was a petsmart and he had a black and tan german shepherd with an extreme slope)


Never ceases to amaze me how very rude people are. Your dog is just fine, and people who say otherwise are lacking in manners.


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## LeoRose (Jan 10, 2013)

Jax08 said:


> LOL No, it will not lead to structural tail problems. I don't know where people come up with such things. Ignore "well meaning" people who offer unsolicited, scary, advice.
> 
> Just enjoy your dog


Someone once said here that gay tails like Leo's are caused by the long hair on the tip dragging on the ground as they walk, and they singed off the hair on their dogs' tail to prevent it. 

2016-1-20 Leo's Birthday DSC_0644 by Rosemary Elwell, on Flickr

And here I thought she just had (yet another) conformation fault... Oh, and at nearly six years of age, she's never had a problem with her tail, other than getting it stepped on.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

Yep, when my male gsd was younger I asked people at club why he would curl his tail up. Our TD told me that his hair on the end of his tail probably dragged the ground and that was why. Sure enough I checked and yep. So I cut 5 inches off his tail with a pair of scissors and it quit curling. 
Disclaimer : the dog felt very little pain when I cut his tail. So it wouldn't hurt as much I cut off an inch at a time.
Second disclaimer : I didn't really cut my dogs tail off.


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## Stangbait (Sep 21, 2017)

I feel your pain! The family we adopted our girl from says she snapped a tendon in her tail as a puppy and that is why her tail is always curled. That on top of her black coloring and straight spine means nobody, not even friends and family, believes she's pure German Shepherd except her trainers and this board!


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## Stangbait (Sep 21, 2017)

AkiraAnubise12 said:


> I had some say it's a fault and had one call her a faulty german shepherd because here tail curls, back has only a slight slope and her coat has no brown in it.(this was a petsmart and he had a black and tan german shepherd with an extreme slope)


Also, a straighter back and dark coloring are completely fine for East German DDR working lines. His dog has classic American show line traits, and he is ignorant if he doesn't know there are different lines/types of GSDs.

Don't let him or anyone else make you feel bad about your dog, and keep reading more about the different lines of GSDs (American vs East German vs West German vs Czech and Working vs Show) so that you can help educate more people about the differences. Your dog isn't faulty! :smile2:


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