# Tail position



## doggiedad (Aug 27, 2011)

i don't know this for a fact but i think it's
a breed characteristic.


----------



## magiclover (Apr 22, 2008)

Jazz walks with her tail curled upward. Magic always had her tail more horizontal or lower with a wag.


----------



## dberk (Jul 5, 2011)

They are animal/dog/breed/individual.

I am sure all aspects affect it. I would suspect breed and individual characteristics are the largest contributing factors. I have had some dogs that can be different day to day - depends on how they feel, their mood, energy level, ...


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

From the golden retriever standard:
"....
*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...."


----------



## dexter0125 (Mar 20, 2011)

mine typically walks with his curled upward and wagging slowly.


----------



## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

When Penny is just going merrily along, she carries her tail up and waves it back and forth. When she's on alert, like another dog walking past, she holds it straight up, doesn't wave and also has a tense body position to go with it. That is a signal to the other dog that it is in her territory. And that behavior varies from dog to dog. Penny tends to be possessive if she doesn't know the dog.

Her low wag is for when she's being coy...coaxing us to give her a treat. It's her "I'm so cute, how can you resist?" look.


----------



## dberk (Jul 5, 2011)

Both Max and Maddie usually hold them straight out, and a little upward. Wagging while we walk.

I saw a show once where they did a study on tail wagging. They found that although dogs wag their tails back and forth - the amount of "leftness" and "rightness" varies depend on mood. As in - sometimes a tail wag is a happy gesture, sometimes it is apprehension or aggression. 

I think it was if the wag is further to the right than left - it was happiness. Maybe that depends on if your dog is "right-tailed" or "left-tailed".

Might actually be true - I watch Maddie wagging - it really does go much further right than left when she gets excited. More symmetrical (equal distances to the right and left) at other times. 

I know, I need to get a life.


----------



## mpewe (Jul 19, 2012)

Elvis always has his excited tail at the beginning of our walks, but on bike rides its more straight out. It also gets lower the more tired he gets but man when he is excited that tail is crazy curled. I attached a pic for an example


----------



## kimberly686 (May 25, 2012)

Arya also has different positions based on mood. While out walking it is usually held higher than vertical, when she's sniffing the ground it goes down a bit, and when she goes on alert it's straight out wih a slight curl.


----------



## Golden Oliver (Dec 18, 2011)

mpewe said:


> Elvis always has his excited tail at the beginning of our walks, but on bike rides its more straight out. It also gets lower the more tired he gets but man when he is excited that tail is crazy curled. I attached a pic for an example


My Oliver's tail position looks a lot the photo of Elvis. His too gets lower when he's tired and more curled when super excited.


----------



## dexter0125 (Mar 20, 2011)

Do any of your dogs spin their tail around in a circle when they get super excited to see you? Makes my day


----------



## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Curled up high is called a "gay tail," and departs from the breed standard. Straight out or a little up is good. But really, unless you're showing your dog, all that matters is that it's up and wagging.


----------

