Tail Preference (aesthetics)

[displaced_texan]

This is a long running discussion my wife an I have had... I grew up with Boxers, she didn't have dogs. I always thought long tails were weird, just because I'd never had a dog with one. They just looked odd to me, and seemed to be in the way...

As things progressed she got a Chihuahua, and I got an EP, now we have 2 EPs, a Chihuahua, and a Redbone. And dogs with short tails look odd (my folks now own all rescue dogs, all 5 with long tails...)

For this discussion breed preference, hunting styles/abilities, or anything like that don't matter, just what you think looks good on a dog in general. Not even on point, or in the field. As I sit here looking at the wagging tails from the couch I'm grinning like a fool.

[nikegundog]

Had labs for twenty+ years, while hunting I contently watch the tail for cues. Now I have a springer with a stub, going to be interesting. I like a tail on a dog.

[jarbo03]

I prefer short tail dogs, I have a britt and a griffon, but looking back, I loved seeing the helicopter tail on my lab, told me something good was getting ready to happen.

[gsp3333]

I have both, nothing like a Lab clearing the coffe table with that tail.

[mudhunter]

Real dogs have tails!

[Grange]

I prefer feathered tails and better yet active feathered tails to a cropped tail and thin haired tail. I just like watching a dog run with an active tail and when working a field there are times when the only thing I can see is my dog's cracking tail. I prefer a high tail during a point, but have seen plenty of nice points where the dog had its cropped tail at 9 o'clock.

[Fireside]

I love big, fat otter tails on Labradors, and little, short happy tails on my Brittanys! What is don;t like is long tails with short hair that look easily damaged.

After almost 30 years of labradors, I really like the Britts in the house and the new coffee table!

[jarbo03]

I love big, fat otter tails on Labradors, and little, short happy tails on my Brittanys! What is don;t like is long tails with short hair that look easily damaged.

After almost 30 years of labradors, I really like the Britts in the house and the new coffee table!

Ditto! If a tail is going to be long, I want it to be going in circles when they are on a bird.

[Sue]

I just love tails! And tails with feathers are even better.

No offense intended to docked tail folks.
To each his/her own.

[SetterNut]

For me there is not question that a long tail, looks best on a pointing dog.
I tend to like a high tail on point, but have had some 9 oclock Gordons that were awesome to find on point.

[ymepointer]

If you like a tail.....how can ya chop it off

[asc]

If you like a tail.....how can ya chop it off

They're just weird that way.... :roll:

[jarbo03]

If you like a tail.....how can ya chop it off

It's the only way to get a real pointing dog

On a more serious note, if all dogs were the same that would be boring. Then you couldn't enjoy the things that make each breed different. Any good working dog looks awesome to me.