For those with intense dogs. A tail question.
- Thread starter Dekka
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Backup, the spastic freak of specialness, carries his tail in a curl when cocky.
Sloan carries her tail pretty level.
Arnold carries his tail up/slightly curled when up.
Shamoo carries her tail the same as Arnold.
ETA The last two are guesstimating, I honestly forget the last time I saw either up. Lol
Backup is too much dog for his pea brain with drive to share. Sloan has a wonderfully balanced drive, enough to get the job done and still be easily worked with most capable handlers. Arnold is a lazy cow but offer him a fight and he's an upsettingly intense dog. Shamoo could probably out do most dogs I know but at 13 she's eased up a lot.
Sloan carries her tail pretty level.
Arnold carries his tail up/slightly curled when up.
Shamoo carries her tail the same as Arnold.
ETA The last two are guesstimating, I honestly forget the last time I saw either up. Lol
Backup is too much dog for his pea brain with drive to share. Sloan has a wonderfully balanced drive, enough to get the job done and still be easily worked with most capable handlers. Arnold is a lazy cow but offer him a fight and he's an upsettingly intense dog. Shamoo could probably out do most dogs I know but at 13 she's eased up a lot.
Ah, mornings, I thought I was misreading.
Backup, again is "up" and spastic in drive, is usually in prey/play, not defensive drive when being worked-the exception being the car, it's his job to kill all those who challenge it in his mind. His tail however does not change per drive.
Sloan leans towards a more serious defensive drive but she was raised with play/prey drive building exercises. She however has a nice balance and can be quiet and serious of screamy, and crazy. Again though, when in a more serious drive I do not see a tail difference with them.
Does that help?
Backup, again is "up" and spastic in drive, is usually in prey/play, not defensive drive when being worked-the exception being the car, it's his job to kill all those who challenge it in his mind. His tail however does not change per drive.
Sloan leans towards a more serious defensive drive but she was raised with play/prey drive building exercises. She however has a nice balance and can be quiet and serious of screamy, and crazy. Again though, when in a more serious drive I do not see a tail difference with them.
Does that help?
Both of mine will put their tail up if aroused. If another dog is outside the fence, if they are "alerting" to something.
When they are "up" in drive, doing agility, chasing the frisbee or ball, or training, the tail is usually held level with the back, sometimes wagging. When Rumor is anticipating the ball throw she will duck down in a play bow with the base of her tail held level with her back and she lets the last half of it droop and wag. It's odd looking. Almost like when dogs do the "tuck butt and run really fast".
When they are serious the tail is down, with a slight curve in it. This is usually when working livestock.
When just walking around Rumor's is usually never held above level with her back, and Zen hold his with the base level with his back and the tip curved upwards, usually wagging.
When they are "up" in drive, doing agility, chasing the frisbee or ball, or training, the tail is usually held level with the back, sometimes wagging. When Rumor is anticipating the ball throw she will duck down in a play bow with the base of her tail held level with her back and she lets the last half of it droop and wag. It's odd looking. Almost like when dogs do the "tuck butt and run really fast".
When they are serious the tail is down, with a slight curve in it. This is usually when working livestock.
When just walking around Rumor's is usually never held above level with her back, and Zen hold his with the base level with his back and the tip curved upwards, usually wagging.
How intense is your dog?
--Could we have a definition of 'intense'? Over bearing? Always thinking?
How serious is your dog?
--Blaze can be serious when needed, but generally he's goofy and happy.
How does your dog carry their tail when 'on' to something? (ball, prey, etc)
--Down in the normal Border Collie J-shape. As seen here, even laying down his tail is curved.
--Could we have a definition of 'intense'? Over bearing? Always thinking?
How serious is your dog?
--Blaze can be serious when needed, but generally he's goofy and happy.
How does your dog carry their tail when 'on' to something? (ball, prey, etc)
--Down in the normal Border Collie J-shape. As seen here, even laying down his tail is curved.
Intense? BWUAHAHAHAAA!!!!
The higher and stiffer Kharma's tail is the worse it is for the object of her attention.
Unless she is being sneaky, in which case the tail is very low and only the tip twitches, like a cat stalking prey.
And her tail is perfectly capable of deceit if she wants a closer look. She can be completely into the Baleful Glare and that tail be saying something entirely different, even to the point of a relaxed swing.
Tallulah is of the tail up and stiffening persuasion. Straight up.
Bimmer is also, to a lesser extent as he's another one who will exhibit cunning behavior, but when he does that, generally he finds a way to make himself invisible and come up behind his prey.
The higher and stiffer Kharma's tail is the worse it is for the object of her attention.
Unless she is being sneaky, in which case the tail is very low and only the tip twitches, like a cat stalking prey.
And her tail is perfectly capable of deceit if she wants a closer look. She can be completely into the Baleful Glare and that tail be saying something entirely different, even to the point of a relaxed swing.
Tallulah is of the tail up and stiffening persuasion. Straight up.
Bimmer is also, to a lesser extent as he's another one who will exhibit cunning behavior, but when he does that, generally he finds a way to make himself invisible and come up behind his prey.
when intense and serious it's stiff and pretty straight. maybe some slight movement, but that's usually when excitements starts to creep in as well.
when intense on a track it's usually held higher, when just up in prey drive it can do all sorts of things, from wagging and or being held high over top as they prance.
when intense on a track it's usually held higher, when just up in prey drive it can do all sorts of things, from wagging and or being held high over top as they prance.
I would say my boys are more "up" than "serious" in drive... they hold tails straight back, pretty parallel with the ground. Sometimes actually up a little further but definitely not straight up.
Pepper I would call more serious but I don't know what her tail does... I have seen it so rarely I've never noticed. =P Sigh. That's my girl.
Pepper I would call more serious but I don't know what her tail does... I have seen it so rarely I've never noticed. =P Sigh. That's my girl.
How intense is your dog?
Talking about Riley - Moderate to high depending on what's going on. Ball and prey wise he is very intense.
How serious is your dog?
Very serious!
How does your dog carry their tail when 'on' to something? (ball, prey, etc)
Either super high and slightly curved, very stiff, or sometimes I've seen it stick straight out horizontally when he is on alert or watching something he can't get at (like from the front window). I'm not really sure what this one means...
Talking about Riley - Moderate to high depending on what's going on. Ball and prey wise he is very intense.
How serious is your dog?
Very serious!
How does your dog carry their tail when 'on' to something? (ball, prey, etc)
Either super high and slightly curved, very stiff, or sometimes I've seen it stick straight out horizontally when he is on alert or watching something he can't get at (like from the front window). I'm not really sure what this one means...
Aroused red dog tail. I don't know if you can appreciate the poofy hackle thing she has going on. It amuses me.
When she's working, her tail is lower. Only when she's tweaky does her tail go up.
Same with Steve- when he's "working" and things are Serious Border Collie Business, his tail is down in typical working Border Collie style. When he's reactive, over the top, high his tail flips over his back.
When she's working, her tail is lower. Only when she's tweaky does her tail go up.
Same with Steve- when he's "working" and things are Serious Border Collie Business, his tail is down in typical working Border Collie style. When he's reactive, over the top, high his tail flips over his back.
Thanks guys.
Dekka is the only JRT I know that carries her tail low. Esp when she is 'into' something. Not in a fight way (then the tail is as straight as an arrow). Almost BC like. But pretty much ever other JRT I have had or met carries their tails up when into something and get excited in an UP way vs a serious way. ANd that of course got me thinking about what other dogs/breeds do when they are 'on'.
I don't have any good pics but this is kind of good
she knows she is not to touch it (and it hurts when its going and you try to bite it) she hovers over it (I had told her to sit, hence the sit) there is no whining, no barking, no pawing or extraneous movement... just the stare of death that never wavers. And she is un distractable, toys food nothing. ANd the tail stays down and never moves.
Dekka is the only JRT I know that carries her tail low. Esp when she is 'into' something. Not in a fight way (then the tail is as straight as an arrow). Almost BC like. But pretty much ever other JRT I have had or met carries their tails up when into something and get excited in an UP way vs a serious way. ANd that of course got me thinking about what other dogs/breeds do when they are 'on'.
I don't have any good pics but this is kind of good
she knows she is not to touch it (and it hurts when its going and you try to bite it) she hovers over it (I had told her to sit, hence the sit) there is no whining, no barking, no pawing or extraneous movement... just the stare of death that never wavers. And she is un distractable, toys food nothing. ANd the tail stays down and never moves.
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How intense is your dog? It depends on what she is going after, if its squirrel hunting she can be very into it or intense about getting that squirrel, especially if it's Tyler taking her out and they work as a team. Its all Work. When it comes to playing tug, or ball she is still intense, but alot more goofy and playful.
How serious is your dog? Teagan is serious when it comes to what she considers "work" like squirrel hunting or rodent hunting. She can be pretty serious when she tree's a squirrel.
How does your dog carry their tail when 'on' to something? (ball, prey, etc) Teagan's tail is pretty much always straight up in the air,unless she is concerned about something or when she is relaxed.
Her tail pretty much sticks straight up in the air like a needle.
How serious is your dog? Teagan is serious when it comes to what she considers "work" like squirrel hunting or rodent hunting. She can be pretty serious when she tree's a squirrel.
How does your dog carry their tail when 'on' to something? (ball, prey, etc) Teagan's tail is pretty much always straight up in the air,unless she is concerned about something or when she is relaxed.
Her tail pretty much sticks straight up in the air like a needle.
Lilly is intense in everything she does. She intensely chews, runs, hunts, plays- everything is done with 100% focus and precision.
She is not a very serious dog until she sees a squirrel, rabbit, anything that moves, her personality does a 180 and she gets "the look". She looks like she's contemplating a life or death decision. LOL
When she is "on the hunt" her tail is straight out with a little curl at the tip- held very still and quivers a bit.
This is "the look"
She is not a very serious dog until she sees a squirrel, rabbit, anything that moves, her personality does a 180 and she gets "the look". She looks like she's contemplating a life or death decision. LOL
When she is "on the hunt" her tail is straight out with a little curl at the tip- held very still and quivers a bit.
This is "the look"