What does NBT mean for dogs? A Step-by-Step Guide

Who doesnt love seeing an adorable little stump of a tail wagging? Many breeds like Boxers, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers arent actually born with natural bobtails, but have their tails docked shortly after their birth. This traditionally was done to prevent working breeds from getting injured in the brush, but its now mostly done for appearance. While this procedure is still legal in the United States, its banned in many countries and highly controversial. If you like the look of a stubby tail, there are many wagless wonders out there who are naturally born with short tails due to a genetic mutation. Here are some of the top breeds out there with natural bobtails!

Aussies by nature are a reserved and cautious breed, though not aggressive or shy. While some are very friendly, others may never accept a stranger. It is important for prospective Aussie owners to understand that this breed typically does not have the happy-go-lucky personality of a Golden Retriever. Many people expect all puppies to be friendly, but a reserved breed will be reserved from the get-go. This does not mean they were unsocialized as a puppy, it is part of their genetics. However, we can improve or worsen this through training, or lack there of. Reserved dogs make friends but only after some skepticism. Wether this just be needing a quick sniff or a consistent presence. However, once you are in their “pack” they are committed. Is important to never force a reserved dog to meet people. They need to know that if they do not feel comfortable they can escape the situation. I advise all Aussie owners to make meeting everyone a positive experience, while they may still be reserved they will not be scared that you will force them into a “scary” situation.

The Australian Shepherd is known for its merle coloring and long coat. However, this is a breed of great variety. You will see dogs with tighter coats to giant, plushy coats. The ideal is a moderate length, double coated dog. The coat texture should be that of “easy maintenance,” as that burrs and debris should brush right out and the coat should not easily matt.

White should only be present on the legs, underbelly, neck, chest, and face. White on the neck, or collar, should not extend past the withers (shoulder-blade) and white body splashes are not allowable. The dominant color on the face should not be white. If a dog has tan points the coloring will always be present first under the tail; in some dogs this is the only place you will see the tan coloring. Tan can also be on the legs and face. Tan should not blend into the body color, this is called running copper.

The breed is defined as having strong guardian instincts, which means they may protect people and places they see as theirs from a threat. Because of these traits, Aussies need a strong pack leader who can provide consistent training with proper socialization and exercise. Without this, you are setting yourself up for a poor situation that can lead to a bite.

Tails are docked in the first few days of life, however they can also be naturally bobbed (NBT). Some natural bob tails do need additional docking if they length of the tail would be longer than 4″ when full grown. The NBT gene is dominant, however breeding two natural bob tails together can cause spinal defects in homozygous carriers. This condition is usually lethal and puppies are typically reabsorbed in the womb. For this reason, two NBT carriers should never to be bred to one another.

Animal Network provides a DNA test that determines the genetic predisposition to NBT. As NBT is a dominant trait, a single copy is required in order for a dog to be affected. There are no carriers of a dominant trait, clear dogs possess no copies of the NBT gene, while affects have one copy. A dog with two copies of the NBT gene will not survive. Due to the autosomal dominant nature of the Natural Bob Tail (NBT) condition, it is advised that if breeding is to occur, dogs be tested in order to prevent the homozygous lethal allele occurring in pups. For an explanation of possible genetic status of offspring please refer to our fact sheet on Breeding strategies. ORDER A TEST

While a shortened tail has no pressing health concerns, and the gene mutation doesn’t appear to affect any other aspect of the dog’s health, breeding NBT dogs can be high risk. Natural Bob Tail is a dominant trait, that is a dog only requires a single copy of the NBT gene in order to express the trait. The problem arises when a dog is homozygous for the dominant gene, that is, they have two copies of the NBT causing gene. When a homozygous dominant occurs, the gene becomes lethal and the affected pup dies. Death of the homozygous affected dogs usually occurs in the embryonic stage, this usually accounts for small litter sizes among NBT’s being bred, as the homozygous pups do not survive.

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