My GSD's tail

[metthero]

My GSD is 8 months (just turned) old and huge. The past month, he has been curling his tail. I researched and it is called a "gay tail." Give me your opinion, it is a sign of happiness/dominance, or is it bad genetics/breeding??????

- 6 months

- 4 months

- 7 months

[KZoppa]

its nothing wrong. Some GSDs carry their tails like that so they dont touch the ground when they walk. A lot of the time its just natural for them. Nothing to worry about. The tail angle in the 7 months picture can be attributed to anxiety, trying to make himself look bigger, sometimes it can be taken as an invite to play, sometimes it can be dominance. Really not a huge thing to worry about.

The 7 months picture with his tail curled like that and his head angled over the back of the other dog, i would stop that behavior as its a sign of dominance.

[metthero]

Thank you thank you. He normally rolls on his back and lets the smaller dogs be the more "dominant" playmate. But good thing it's not bad breeding!!!

[KZoppa]

no its not bad breeding. I've seen so many dogs from good lines and bad lines curl their tails. My guess would be for some its just comfortable and others its just habit they developed to keep the hair at the end of their tail from touching the ground which can tickle. Even my current girl, who i'm convinced has no real feeling in her tail, curls her tail when she's walking or laying. It just naturally does it. Nothing to worry about.

[KZoppa]

Originally Posted by metthero

Thank you thank you. He normally rolls on his back and lets the smaller dogs be the more "dominant" playmate. But good thing it's not bad breeding!!!

this is good. Sounds like a good boy.

[Xeph]

The GSDs tail should have a slight curve to it when they're walking about and the like.

Your dog looks to have a high tailset, which is what causes a gay tail (which is a fault....the tail should never break the horizon of the back line).

A dog can also carry its tail correctly when relaxed, but have a "gay tail" when it is going though a dominance display (my little bitch has correct tail carriage unless she's agitated, and then it will raise high and straight behind her).

[metthero]

Define "fault" please.

[horsegirl]

Originally Posted by metthero

Define "fault" please.

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.

taken from akc gsd standard . hope this helps --

[chelle]

Really interesting, glad for this post. Just recently I've noticed Bailey's tail has begun to curve up a bit at the end. Has also become bushier. I was just remarking on that today.

[metthero]

@horsegirl, no it didn't, I asked to explain what fault means, not explain how a fault is described... as in give me another synonym besides fault