# Question about tail



## Ikram45 (Aug 29, 2010)

hello everyone,

I just wanted to ask is this tail normal for an 11 month old GSD?


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

looks fine to me.

pretty baby.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

Looks good to me.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Perfectly normal.


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

Just curious-- why do you think it isn't normal?


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## Mocha (Dec 3, 2013)

Twyla said:


> Just curious-- why do you think it isn't normal?


Same, it just looks like a tail to me ? 


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## SummerGSDLover (Oct 20, 2013)

Looks fine to me too. Also curious why you'd think it wasn't normal? 

*-*Summer*-*


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## Mocha (Dec 3, 2013)

When I read the title of this thread I thought it was going to have two heads, scales and breathe fire 


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## Ikram45 (Aug 29, 2010)

Thanks all. I was just curious because his tail seemed not so fluffy to me according to his age


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## Harry and Lola (Oct 26, 2013)

I found my female GSD didn't come into her coat until she was around 3 years old, so your GSD may get fluffier.

Also, to ensure the tail on a GSD doesn't get a permanent kink in it, it's a good idea to trim the tail ends so that the hair does touch the ground. If the tail ends are long enough to touch the ground when the tail is relaxed, the dog will automatically lift the tail, as they don't seem to like the sensation of the tail hairs on the ground, and this can cause the tail to kink. 

You can trim the tail ends with scissors, but I find by burning the ends with a cigarette lighter gives a much more natural look than cutting with scissors. I always have burned the tail ends off my pups and still do with older dogs when the hairs get too long.


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## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

What!!!!!!! ??????????


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## SiegersMom (Apr 19, 2011)

Wow...my luck with matches I'd catch the whole tail on fire We have a rather bushy tail and the long hairs don't bother me at all. 

As far as the tail in the pics...Some dogs don't have the thick plush coat so the tail may never get thicker and that is OK. His tail is not stick skinny so I don't see a problem. I've seen dogs with thinner tails.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Sadly, your dog's tail is fluffier than my pup's is at 10 months old. Still!!! Ugh. It's a bit better than it was but ... no. Not floofy at all.


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## Mocha (Dec 3, 2013)

My female (4 years old) has an entire fluff butt. 

My 8 month old just stringy  

They'll get there !


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## Ikram45 (Aug 29, 2010)

So this tail is normal for an 11 month GSD?


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## lennyb (Jan 1, 2014)

Tails completely normal.. Burning the tail end? I know when I burn arm hair grilling it smells but dog hair/fur that's got to stink. Don't think I'd have the cahonies to do that.


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## Harry and Lola (Oct 26, 2013)

Traveler's Mom said:


> What!!!!!!! ??????????


The German Shepherd standard requires the tail to extend to at least the hock joint, however, not beyond the middle of the rear pastern. It should have slightly longer hair on the underside and carried in a gentle hanging curve when relaxed. It can be carried higher when excited or during movement but not above the horizontal.

By not trimming the tail ends will usually result in the tail being lifted all the time resulting in a kink - ie the dog gets used to carrying his tail like this, so that when relaxed the tail will still be held high or in a kink like fashion - I have seen this so often.

By burning the tail ENDS not the whole tail!!! you will get a much more natural looking trim as opposed to cutting the ENDS straight across. By not allowing the straggly ends to touch the ground will allow the tail to fall where it is suppose to. 

This is the breed standard and for showing purposes, if you are not showing your dog and proper formation of the tail for the breed doesn't worry you, then leave it as is. 

People that show and are used to critiquing a GSD for breed standard in appearance will notice (not a major problem)


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

My dog's tail is super long .. and kinked. Wish I had known earlier and I would have trimmed the long hairs on the tip of his tail (his tail was on the ground when he was little...that's how long it was).


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## LeoRose (Jan 10, 2013)

Harry and Lola said:


> The German Shepherd standard requires the tail to extend to at least the hock joint, however, not beyond the middle of the rear pastern. It should have slightly longer hair on the underside and carried in a gentle hanging curve when relaxed. It can be carried higher when excited or during movement but not above the horizontal.
> 
> *By not trimming the tail ends will usually result in the tail being lifted all the time resulting in a kink - ie the dog gets used to carrying his tail like this, so that when relaxed the tail will still be held high or in a kink like fashion - I have seen this so often.*
> 
> ...


And here I thought that a gay tail was a conformation fault, not the result of them trying to avoid dragging their tail hair on the ground. Silly me....

Guess I better break out the matches. 

Leo's birthday 021 by RBElwell, on Flickr


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

Tail looks normal. If you ever notice it getting thinner, losing hair then have your dog checked for low thyroid.


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