# Help! Need advice. Litter with tail kink



## MidasMom (Jun 2, 2010)

Just found out that the litter I have been waiting for has one of their males born with a tail kink. They were just born last night. Five females and two males. I have second pick male. Just spoke with the breeder and she was telling me of the tail kink in the one male which of course would be my male since there was only two in the litter and the other male would go for show if he is show quality. Obviously she cant show the male with the kink. The breeder was very up front with everything. All clearances are done on all breeding stock. She told me it shouldnt affect his quality of life, but that I could google info on kinked tails and I could let her know how I felt. I was honest and told her I was concerned. Everyone wants their "baby" to be perfect. I have waited a long time for this litter and I am feeling stressed now as what to do. Breeder told me to wait a few weeks and see how things go and think about things. Please help me out there! I dont know what to do. Any advice would be so much appreciated.


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## Sophie_Mom (Jan 21, 2009)

From what I've read on Google, it looks like tail kinks are ordinarily harmless, though I don't know much about them. I'm sure you'll get some great advice! Good luck - I can only imagine how stressful this is now that your litter has finally arrived!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

My Jacks has a little kink at the end of his tail. It was noticable when he was a puppy because the tip had a little curl to it. Now he has full feathering on his tail, you would never know his tail isn't perfectly straight. From what I understand, it could be a genetic defect from mom, it could have been something that happened in the womb, it could have been something that happened in the first 8 weeks before I brought the munchkin home. It does not have any effect on his well-being and does not cause him pain (I assume, since he's got one of those tails that goes thump-thump-thump on the floor, walls, and other surfaces when he's happy). 

You can see a pic here that shows the curl, but unless you actually knew he had a kink or tried to 'straighten' his tail with your fingers, it's not that noticable - http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1286&pictureid=10324

If a dog's tail gives him problems, he will generally let your know or you will see him doing the 'dead tail' thing. He won't wag or even lift it.

For that matter - we had a previous golden whose tail tip got slammed in a car door. He had a 'bent' tail for the rest of his life, but again, you wouldn't know unless you were feeling out his tail.


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## Shalva (Jul 16, 2008)

I had a pup in my last litter with a tail kink... not a big one ... but it was there at the end of his tail.... I rubbed it and pulled it while he was growing and it got better.... but its still there ..... he is just fine... he is being shown... he is competing in an assortment of venues... nobody knows its there except me and his new mother who says she can feel it... but never sees it... I personally wouldn't worry about it....


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