Savannah's Tail

Yes I took a picture of Savannah's tail. She was doing the play dance that most dogs do and I went to take a picture and she moved. So instead I got a picture of her rear end. I decided to submit this picture because she has a rather unique tail.

Most animals use their tails to balance themselves while running or climbing. The tail is swung from side to side, or up and down, much like the rudders one would find on a plane. The golden retriever and german shepherd, two of the three breeds of which she is a mix of, use their tails as rudders. This means they tend to be thicker with a wide base, made to be sturdy and tend to lack a wide range of of flexibility.

The Chow on the other hand has a more ornate tail. The vertibrae are often smaller in size and weaker, thus allowing for more flexibility while sacrificing some of the balance ability. Pure bred Chows have a tail which always curls over their rump.

Savannah is unique in the aspect she can curl her tail at will or leave it hanging straight down behind her like one would see on a Retriever or Shepherd. The tail has a wide base but slims quickly. Its a littler longer than average, hanging just below her hock where as most dogs it stops just above the hock. She can bend her tail into just about any shape she wants, from a tight circle resembling the eye of a needle to laying over her rump, to a simple arch, to completely straight.

The fur grows very thick and very long on her tail, making it very bushy. It takes a lot of careful brushing to prevent it from tangling and matting.