# What is Gay Tail, Exactly?



## Goldens&Friesians

So, I enjoy learning what I can about golden conformation, since one day (many years from now! Being a toddler mom and keeping my horses fit is enough for the moment!) I'd like to get into showing. My golden is from conformation lines and I've been told by people who know better than me that she would've done well in conformation. However, I know there is no perfect dog and every dog has its faults. Her tail has an upward curve to it (which you can see in my signature picture of her trotting). Is that considered gay tail or a fault in any way? Or does gay tail have to really curve-like a husky? Thanks in advance!


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## Megora

Your girl's fine.

There's 2 issues that you see out there -

Dogs that habitually carry the tails high (you can see the base of the tail carried on an upward angle, above level of the back). This is either the dog carrying his tail high like that "all the time" (big problem). Or the dog just carrying the tail high when excited (less a problem - more handling issue + young dog).

Dogs who have a C shaped curve to their tails so even though the tail isn't too "high" from the base of the tail, you see that pretty blatant curve. <= My Jacks has this, worse than your girlie.


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## puddles everywhere

I have a friend with a lovely, precious golden with beautiful feet... sadly the ears look more like a cocker spaniel so just assumed the tail was a lack of grooming. But I realize from the forum this is a perfect example of gay tail. This tail is not only up like an english setter on point it has a distinctive curl on the end. Now grooming might help with the curl on the end, I've never really checked to see if the length is an issue... but because it is carried straight up the curl makes it more noticable.
Truthfully, if you didn't KNOW it came from a good breeder, you would swear something slipped into the yard accidently during breeding time! While this is the happiest dog ever, she also barks like crazy and can't help but think much of this is because she was raised with a German Shorthair Pointer 
But you know, they don't care... never planned to show and ADORE her gentle personality... she also has terribly long legs, early spay the cause??


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy

Piper has somewhat of a c-shaped tail as well. Its not set particularly high, but she used to carry it high ALL the time outside/when playing/excited, and the curve is more noticeable then, although when she turned two that settled down quite a lot. But even her tail is totally down, there's a slight c-shaped curve. 

I love it though--just part of her character.


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## ArkansasGold

Backing up @Megora's point: I think your girl's tail is fine. The breed standard says "Tail well set on, thick and muscular at the base, following the natural line of the croup. Tail bones extend to, but not below, the point of hock. Carried with merry action, level or with some moderate upward curve; never curled over back nor between legs." 

I would consider your girl's tail to fall within the "moderate upward curve" criteria and it appears to be set level with the croup. It's the part where it says "level" and the tail is carried like a flag waving on high but is straight that gets a fault and overly curly tails get faulted. At least that's my interpretation of the standard and I am by no means an expert.  I've always interpreted "merry action" as a happy, wagging tail, but I really have no idea what that means otherwise. lol


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## Goldens&Friesians

Ok so now I think I get what gay tail is. Either too much curve or tail set straight up like a setter or pointer in the field. Thanks guys!


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