Pems with Tails

[Jespah]

Ohh - good plan Fluffy-P!!! We could be RICH!!!

[Dillydoodle]

ROFL at Deb, that is awesome, i love that sarcastic nature, it is soooo ME!!! LOL! I had someone ask if Dillon and Gus were twins.. keep in mind, these are the same people who have seen me walking Dillon alone in the neighborhood for a year and a half, now, if Dillon had a twin, wouldnt you think you would have seen me walking the TWO dogs all this time? sigh...

Emilie

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by Fluffypants

I used to do that. First I would explain that there are no such thing as mini collies, then I would tell them about Shelties, and finish with all the reasons that Jackie is not a Sheltie . . . but my husband scolded me for being mean to the ignorant people. He told me I should just tell them what she was and go on my merry way. He's always telling me that not everyone knows as much about animals as I do, and I should be tolerant.

You can do it without being mean. Why let someone go on not knowing the right terms? They might not know better and they can learn the right breed names. I don't see anything wrong with correcting a misconception.

Peggy

[Beppo&Georgie's Mom]

How rare are pems with full tails?

Both of my boys have full tails and they were the only 2 in the litter born with them. I didn't have them docked -partially because money was tight and also because I think their tails show personality. Sometimes I still wonder if I should have- people keep telling me that I should have, but I think they are beautiful with them.

[MyPemCharlie]

The breeder should have docked the tails at 3 days old. Since that didn't happen, I would think it would be somewhat cruel to dock them at 8-12 weeks when most people get their pups. That's the AKC standard.

More and more European countries have anti-docking legislation, so it's illegal to show a docked Pembroke (natural bobtails are fine, of course).

Different countries, different breed standards for tails. I think they're beautiful either way.

Photo of a Pembroke Welsh Corgi Champion from Sweden:

[Beppo&Georgie's Mom]

I really need to get a picture with their tails up- its adorable because their tails curl up like a really loose pug tail or a puggle tail.

[LaRogue]

Originally Posted by LittlePonzo

A tad off topic, but I actually recently had some lady give me attitude about Ponzo's docked tail. Like I did it myself just for kicks!

what did she want me to do regrow his tail?

I've experienced this attitude quite a few times, myself. Some people seem EXTREMELY offended that someone would dog a tail. I've had one ask me if I was sure they did it on purpose and if it wasn't the result of an accident. I used to try to explain about the tradition of working farms dogs, taxes, etc. Now I just say they come this way.

I most often get the miniture collie id. I also used to try to explain about miniture collies, but after telling one person who sees me walking the dog 3-5 times a week (for the past 5 years!) and STILL thinks a corgi is a miniture collie, I have given up. I just say no, it's a corgi and go on my way.

Two other "memorable" descriptions strangers have come up with:

Guy in a pet store: I used to have two of those Beagles. They looked EXACTLY like your dog. I forget, which type of Beagles are they again? (Say what?!? You had 2, and not only can't tell that a corgi isn't a beagle, but don't know which "kind" of Beagles you had?)

Neighbor walking his Cocker Spaniel puppy says with a sneer: What type of mix puppy is that? (Me: He's not a mix, he's a purebred, AKC registered corgi puppy) Well it looks like a bat, like it is going to fly away. It better not bite my puppy! (Wouldn't be polite for me to post my reply to that one!)

My burning question regarding the docked corgis is: Does your dog wag it's nub, butt, or both?

[missfancypants25]

Originally Posted by Beppo&Georgie's Mom

I really need to get a picture with their tails up- its adorable because their tails curl up like a really loose pug tail or a puggle tail.

I would love to see more pictures of their tails. I've tried doing a google search for pems with tails, but it's hard to find anything.

[MyPemCharlie]

Funny stories about misidentification LaRogue!

Here are a few of mine:

At the dog park: "Is that a dachshund?"

At the vet's office woman with a Sheltie: "Oh, mine kind of looked like that when she was younger."

Back at the dogpark, man with a Pembroke with a tail about his own dog: "Yes she's a Cardigan Corgi because she has a tail."

Dogpark (again) owner who left her ill-behaved Pembroke at home: "I always wanted to know if they are born with their tails that short."

Pet Supply Store customer: "Oh look at those stubby little legs! What is that? Do they bark much?"

My neighbor the veterinarian technician: "Aren't there four or five different breeds of Corgis?"

I have actually been surprised when people say, "Oh! I love Corgis!"

Cashier at the Pet Supply Store: "Someday I'm going to get a Corgi! Most people don't know they are bred as herding dogs." Yeah, for her!!!


Nub "wagging": I do sometimes have a hard time telling Charlie's mood by his tail. He only occassionally wags his tail or whole rear end. What I have noticed is that when he's happy, his little nub pops upright like a little cotton ball and when he's relaxed his tail is just flat in line with his back and held close to his butt.

[Michael Romanos]

It is not rare to see a Pembroke Corgi with a tail.

All the countries of the UK ( human population around 60 million) now follow the banning of docked dog tails with some differing forms of exceptions.

Some of the States of Australia (human population 21 million) now ban the docking of dog tails with some form of exceptions.

Around a dozen other nations have partial or total banning of docked tails.

[KJohnson]

Westin will both wag and "chase" his nub...
it's one of the most adorable things I have ever seen in my life.
When he is REALLY happy, his whole back half wiggles back and forth...
*chuckle*
it is too cute.

[Michael Romanos]

Within the last six months I have noticed a few times Taylor wagging whatever tail part remains with him.

[LaRogue]

Too funny Chris! Can't say I've ever met corgi owners with such poor knowledge of their own breed. I would've probably fallen down of laughter in the dog park, if it was me!

Pip also "raises" his nub when he is happy...which is most of the time. He is a nub wagger, and it's rare to see him wiggle his whole butt. My friends corgi has her whole backend is going all the time. Someone told me corgis who wiggle their butts were around dogs with tails as puppies and learned it from them. Don't know if that's true. I would think would be an instinct thing rather than learned. All I know is I think it's one of their most endearing characteristics.

[MyPemCharlie]

I have read several articles that indicate dogs with docked tails "learn" to wag their whole rear end to communicate better with other dogs, as the tail position and movement is a significant part of the total dog-to-dog body language picture. Still, I haven't noticed Charlie wagging his whole butt at other dogs. Maybe he hasn't "learned" yet. LOL

[KJohnson]

I don't know where Westin learned it, but it is definitely one of the funniest things you will ever see. Westin was raised with a Blue Heeler and a Rottweiler.... neither has a tail... lol. so who knows where he picked it up!? Maybe the blue heeler being raised with a lab had an impact!!!???