Boxers with long tails

[Elphaba]

So I was reading the topic about docked dogs and tail har or the lack thereof, and it got me thinking.

Those of you with dogs that have undocked tails, do you have any issues with them? What do they look like? How long are they?

Gavroche has some pimply things about a third of the way down his tail. The tip is also hairless and kind of scaly. He has sparse hair on the area where his tail has the pimply things, but the hairs themselves are thicker and more wiry. than the rest of his coat. His tail is also quite thick at the top and then thins out abruptly at about the point where the tail would be docked, maybe a little lower. The tip of his tail seems pretty sensitive, too. His tails comes just about to the level of his hocks.

Fortunately, I have not had any issues with him whacking his tail on things and breaking it open. I have seen a lot of dogs that have done that, but we've been lucky so far.

 

[iluvfrankie]

Ive worked with a few boxers with full tails in the boarding kennel. The tail is the best ever! Watching them using it for balance when they run is great! Its an extension of their face- they show sooo much emotion with their tail! They are like whips though and when they wag they can sting a little on 'impact'! Cant wait for my next baby to have a full tail!

 

[Althea]

I have to admit -- I'm not a fan of boxer tails. Several years ago we had a rescue that had all kinds of dogs mixed up in her, and she had a long tail. She had so many issues with it, to the point it bled all the time. We finally had no choice but to have her docked. While I know their tails are natural to their bodies, the issues we dealt with were severe and painful for her, and made it hard to find her a home (who wants blood all over their house when she whips her tail into something?) So I stand by docking. They are so young when it happens, and their nervous systems are not fully developed. Ear-cutting, on the other hand, I don't agree with, and wish they would change the US standard. They DO feel that, and there's no need for it.

Ah well, just my $.02.

 

[Darbysmom1]

Scars

Have you had your guys since he was a puppy? the sparse hair could be scars from when he did hit his tail. Through my work with the rescue we have a few times gotten boxers in with long tail that I have fostered and they normally have a few scars from smaking it and then I had one who did smack it on the wall and it cut open oh my gosh do they bleed and he was swinging it around so the blook was flying everywhere. I think it depends on the personality too some tend to wiggly their tails and stubs more then others..

 

[MelissaB]

My whopper has his tail. It's about 12 in. maybe longer, very thin. It looks a little funny but it suits him. He wouldn't be whopper without it. I have been hit in the face with it several times and it felt like a whip had come across my face. It hurt . Numerous drinks, papers, and anything else on the coffee table constintly get knocked off. A bright side though, it makes us keep our table clean. HAHA

 

[Furface]

Both mine have tails (no pimples), and yes the hair seems thicker.

Long tails are FAB, I (as I have said before), have had both, and you really cannot see the same emotion that they convey in their tail as you can with a docked baby. I have (in puppy potty training days), had a happy Devon watching me clean up her mess, whilst she is merrily wagging her tail through the rest of ot all (yuk, but funny after). They also hit themselves in the head with them when they kidney bean.

My vet loves tails, as he says he can get hold of them when he needs to look at that end, whereas a stump is harder to lift up, as they can clamp well!! LOL

there is nothing better than hearing that thump thump thump of a wagging tail, when you can't see it or them but you know you have amused them

 

[Elphaba]

I have not had him since a pup, he was a rescue.

Don't get me wrong, I do LOVE his tail. I agree that there's so much emotion in a tail that you miss without one. And yes, they hurt when they whack you My nephew has been know to tell Gavorche "Why can't you be less happy, it hurts when you're happy!"