# Hooked Tail



## glide7575 (Sep 30, 2009)

I just picked up my GSD pup today. He is about 4 1/2 months. I noticed that his tail hooks to his left a little when he is not excited or eating (barely ever) and a lot when he is walking or wagging. I've read this is an undesirable trait and I know I'll love him anyhow, but if this is something (like ears) that can be corrected before it's too late I would prefer to do so. 

I read on another forum that if the tail is too long they will hook it so it's not dragging on the ground. He does have a long tail that he hasn't grown into yet, and the hair does touch if not the tip itself while standing. While walking he seems to struggle to hold it up a little and hook it so it doesn't touch the ground. 

In another forum I read that trimming the hair up to the tip can help, someone else told me to massage the tail. Has anyone heard of either of these methods?

How common is this in puppy's and do they tend to grow out of it. My concern is that he's holding his tail up to avoid dragging it but in the process is forming muscle memory to keep it that way.

Any thought or comments would be appreciated.

Thanks : )


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

If you're not going to show him it really doesn't matter. If you care anyway, just trim the extra hair at the end of the tail. It may not make a difference, but it's worth a try. Keefer's tail bends a bit, but he's a longcoat and has a really long tail, so it does drag on the ground. Maybe it would bend anyway, I have no idea, but I don't care so I never tried to do anything about it when he was younger.


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## glide7575 (Sep 30, 2009)

I really don't think I'll care in the long run. One of my GSD's had an ear that never came up and a testicle that never came down. Another one knocked both his ears down when he was older, and while it was disappointing at the time it sure didn't make me feel any different about them. I just would like to do something if something can be done while he's still a pup. If not I know it's something I won't end up noticing later on.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I can't imagine massaging the tail would do any good, but since he's still so young, trimming the hair at the tip *might*, and certainly won't do him any harm, so why not?


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## glide7575 (Sep 30, 2009)

Yeah, the massaging sounded like a long shot to me too. I think I'm going to get him groomed tomorrow. Maybe they can give him a nice taper so people don't think I cut the end of his tail off, because I'm pretty sure that's how it would look if I cut the hair straight across at the bottom of his tail. LOL


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I had a foster dog (longcoat) whose tail curved to one side. I thought it was cute.








Here's a photo where you can sorta see it. I didn't get the end of his tail in the photo but you can see it starting to curve at the bottom of the picture:
http://www.chicagocanine.com/photos/tyco3.jpg


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## Crabtree (Jan 6, 2006)

Palla has a curve to her tail. Only with her instead of to the side it goes up. It used to bother me but now I think it's cute. She's my curly tailed german girl.


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

Mandalays tail also curves up at the end. I guess I never thought about it before now. I know I have noticed it, but since she was always "just a pet" I never gave it any actual thought.

She also has a gay tail (I dont know if that is politically correct or not). She holds it up more than a show dog does when we walk or when she bounces around the yard.


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

I think it's pretty common, I've seen it a lot. Our girl's tail has a very slight hook to it when she is in motion. I've never tried to "fix" it - it's just the way she is and I think it's insignificant.

_______________________________________
Susan

Anja GSD
Conor GSD - adopted from this Board
Blue GSD - waiting at the Bridge


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

Dakota does too when she is alert and looking at something. When she is just standing she holds her tail straight.


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## glide7575 (Sep 30, 2009)

Isn't the way the tail is supposed to be though, a slight curve up at the end, but not sideways? Really not that bothered by it, just want to do something if I can and it looks uncomfortable holding that long tail off the ground all the time. My last shepherd had such huge ears as a puppy he looked like a bat until he grew into them. I think this ones just the opposite, he needs to grow into his tail. Only problem is even with it hooked it seems to touch the ground unless he's excited. I guess one thing that bother me is while researching this I kept coming up with the breed standard which says "Sometimes the tail forms a hook to one side at its end, though this is undesirable.". While I paid for a breeding dog, I'm not going to breed, so it doesn't matter that much. I just think it should be disclosed by the breeder when you're paying that much for a dog and there is a trait that is considered "undesirable" by breed standards, I probably would care less had it been.


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

Chrono's tail hooks to the side. I was hoping with age it would fix itself, but it's still like that and probably always will be. I don't think there's anything you can do about it.










I wish there was something I could do to fix it. I'm really not a fan.


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## glide7575 (Sep 30, 2009)

Yeah, that's about how his looks.


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