What are dogs’ tails made of?”A dog’s tail is basically an interlocking, flexible core of bone that is an extension of their back[bone], wrapped in muscle and covered in skin. Within, there is a rich supply of blood vessels and nerves,” explains veterinarian Matthew McCarthy, DVM, founder of Juniper Valley Animal Hospital in Middle Village, New York. A dog uses the muscles in its tail to make it wag, curl, lift, lower, and turn.But those are just the basics.There is a seemingly endless number of ways these components mesh together to form a variety of sizes and shapes, whether the tail is attached to a purebred or
The 7 Dog Breeds With No Tail
The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle dog is also known as the Heeler. It is a close relative of the Queensland Heeler, which has a tail. Both dogs were bred in Australia to herd cattle sometime in the 1830s. This tailless dog has normal proportions and pointy ears. The coat is dense and short and is speckled red or blue.
Heelers are alert and responsive to their owner while remaining reserved around strangers. These dogs need early socialization with people and a high level of activity throughout their lives. They are known as obedient dogs that love frisbee, tracking, and herding.
Nicknamed the American Gentleman, the Boston Terrier is a small dog with pointy, erect ears. The Boston terrier is one of the few American dog breeds and is the first American non-sporting dog. These dogs can weigh up to 25 pounds, and their black and white coat resembles a tuxedo.
Boston Terriers are energetic, friendly, and easily trained. They are protective of their owners, and their coat requires very little maintenance. If trained early, these dogs won’t bark much, and they are friendly toward children and other animals. Their demeanor makes then well suited for apartments and as therapy dogs.
This dog used to have a long tail that was docked. When tail docking was banned in Croatia, breeders began selecting for shorter tails so the breed would still have the short tail.
If you like animal facts and information like dogs that are born without tails, you might also be interested in Animal However. They offer valuable information on dogs and horses.
This French breed has the same tail mutation as the Brittany Spaniel. They are most commonly bred in the United States and may be called a short-tail pointer.
Dogs that have docked tails are dogs that have had their tail either amputated when older or removed with a rubber band at a few days of age. This practice has been banned in many countries. Since this procedure tends to be done without anesthesia, it is generally painful and is considered animal cruelty in many jurisdictions.
While many dog breeds seem to have no tails, some of these breeds get this look via tail docking. There are dogs that are born without tails, so if you want to have a tail-less dog and avoid the practice of tail docking, this list will help you. Some dogs are born without any tail, while others may have very short tails.
Why Do We Cut Dog Tails?
We all know dogs with floppy ears and beautiful tails similar to the appearance of a wolf. But over the many years of domestication, certain dog breeds are born without a tail.
What may look weird to some people is actually very cute and wanted by others. Dogs that are born without tails or with small ones fall under the category of bobtailed breeds.
Dogs with a bobtail are naturally born with this trait and should not be confused with docking.
Modern tail docking is done for aesthetic reasons and often practiced without anesthesia which makes it extremely painful for the dog.
Docking and cropping are banned in many countries like Germany, Australia, Italy, Norway, and the list goes on and on. You can find the complete list on Wikipedia.
There’s a difference between a tailless dog and one that has been equipped by nature with a little stub, even though many people assume that some breeds are cropped or just don’t have one.
Below you will find a list of 10 dog breeds that are naturally born without a tail.
Due to breeding, there are actually over 170 breeds among which dogs with short tails (bobtails) can occur.
The mutated gene is a dominant gene so we may see more dogs without tails in the future.
A little side note: Three of the breeds mentioned here are actually among the 10 Favorite Breeds in the US too.
There are actually five breeds often mentioned as having no tail, when in fact they do have short tails (called a nub or stumpy tail):
Whereas some are born with short stumpy tails, these are the only breeds that can be born without tail:
The French Bulldog is born with a very short and stumpy tail that covers the anus (according to UK breed standard).
French Bulldogs were originally used for ratting and selective breeding gave them this short and cute tail.
The French Bulldog is probably the first breed that came to your mind when thinking about dogs without or with short tails.
Brittany Spaniels were historically bred as gun dogs and are still being used for various sports.
It is not known whether the short tails occur through natural mutation or breeding with other Spaniels.
Are Boston Terriers born with tails? Yes, they are and the little tail on a Boston Terrier is called a “nub” and is mentioned as a standard characteristic.
A long or docked tail disqualifies a Boston Terrier from registration which makes it hard for long-tailed dogs to be recognized as purebred.
Do Bulldogs have tails? Yes, Bulldogs are naturally born with a short straight or screwed tail while the straight one is more desirable according to the breed standard.
Just like with any other breed, there are abnormalities and bulldogs can be born with a long tail.
Opposite to the Australian Cattle Dog, this breed is naturally born with a stumpy tail (as the name suggests) that is no longer than 4 inches (10 cm for our metric friends).
The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog was specifically bred to withstand the harsh environment of the Australian outback while herding livestock.
The mutation of the Braque du Bourbonnais’s tail has been discovered as being identical to the Brittany Spaniel.
This breed was also called “short-tail pointer” and originated in France although it’s mostly being bred in the USA today.
Are Corgis born without tails? A short or missing tail is a very desirable trait in the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and really distinguishes it from the long–tailed Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
Corgis were being docked for a long time until it became illegal in many countries and breeders had selectively bred for this trait.
The tail length of the Brazilian Terrier can vary from long to completely missing but the docked tail is seen as the breed standard.
The origin of this small tri-colored dog is not completely discovered and different theories mention the Jack Russel Terrier and Fox Terrier as ancestors.
The Croatian Sheepdog used to be naturally born with a long and curly tail which was usually being docked.
After docking became illegal in Croatia, selective breeding was the only way to keep passing on this trait.
Just like the Croatian Sheepdog, Schnauzers are naturally born with a long tail. The natural mutation of the T-gene allows breeders to keep the desirable bobtail.
Traditionally, Schnauzers were always docked like many other small farm dogs as a part of the AKC terrier group.
Docking is a very old practice to remove parts of or the whole tail of a dog.
Looking back into history, tail docking had the purpose of adjusting the agility and health of dogs so they could perform baiting, fighting, and ratting.
Today, tails are docked for cosmetic purposes to alter the appearance of the dog. Over the past 20-40 years, many countries completely banned docking and cropping.
A lot of criticism was directed at the AKC for promoting tail docking as some of their breed standards, making it impossible to register an undocked dog.
Organizations like the American Veterinary Medical Association are fighting for the removal of these unnatural breed standards.
Yes, Rottweilers are naturally born with a long curled tail. It is extremely rare that you will encounter a Rottweiler that has been born with a bobtail, it will most likely be docked.
I own a Rottweiler myself and love her long tail swinging around. It’s essential for communication.
You will see a docked Rottweiler in the USA more often than a German Rottweiler because docking and cropping have been banned here.
A docked tail also does not align with the (original German) breed standard and is totally unnecessary.
It saddens me how many people think it’s natural for a Rottie to be tailless due to the docking practices.