The Tale of Mutt Tails - What Your Dog's Tail Tells About Their Roots

Even though everyone says "Oh, they're just a mutt." you know you have the best dog in the world. Let's face it; you are a tad curious about just what breeds co-mingled, to come up with your unique canine companion. A good place to start is at the end... the tail end.

Most, not all dogs have tails. Some breeds such as Australian Shepherds and Pembroke Welsh Corgis are born with nubby, little flaps of fatty tissue, where their tail should be happily waving.

Most experienced dog owners know their tail tell you a lot about your dog's mood. Tails held high are usually a sign of an aware, alert dog. Tails tucked low and between their legs, usually indicates a frightened, nervous dog. Bristled tails are normally a sign a dog is on the defense.

Some behaviorists even believe how a dog wags their tail from left to right or vice-verse indicates their familiarity to what they are meeting or greeting. Left to right, means a stranger. Right to left, means they recognize you.

The setting, shape and size of your dog's tail are markers of your mutt's rather intriguing gene pool. Combinations make it even more fascinating. On position is known as high set, where the tail appears to be a natural extension of the dog's back or topline. The other, is low set, where the tail appears to begin below the topline. Terriers, Beagles or Foxhounds, like many dogs that hunt in packs, have a high set tail. Sight hounds, such as Greyhounds, Whippets, and Afghan Hounds have low set tails, which start lower than the topline.

The length and shape of your dog's tail will give you a hint of their ancestry. Tails come long, medium, short and bobbed. They are categorized as straight, screw/curled, gay, saber, taper, whip, plum, otter, brush, sickle, snap, carrot, and tuft.
Here are a few interesting clues which you may find helpful, when doing detective work on your mutt's diverse pedigrees.

Northern cold weather breeds such as the Akita, Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Spitz, Shiba Inu, Keeshond, American Eskimo Dog, Swedish and Finish Lapphunds, and Chow-Chow to name a few, have tails that normally are brushed, sickle shaped and curl forward. This is helpful, in keeping their face, especially their nose warm, as they curl up into a big C, to retain as much body heat as possible when sleeping. Oddly enough, Chihuahuas also have a sickle shaped tail.

Otter tails work like rudders for water dogs such as Labrador Retrievers and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and other Sport class dogs. Their tails are as a rule thick, medium to short in relation to body size, heavily furred and taper to a blunt tip. This style of tail is very helpful for these swimmers.

Does your mutt have a carrot tail? That would be identified as fairly short, thicker at the base and tapering to a stumpy tip? If so, odds are that tail was designed to be grabbed by a farmer, to pull the dog out of vermin holes. If your dog's tail is carrot shaped, chances are somewhere in their gene pool is a West Highland Terrier or two.

If your mutt has a tufted tail, there is a likelihood it's got some Poodle in it! Poodle tails are set high on their back, straight and well furred... with a tuft on the end!

Snap tails are also common with Northern breeds and colder climates. You'll find mutts with Alaskan Malamute, American Eskimo Dog and even little Pomeranian ancestors commonly share this shaped tail.

The regal sword tail is generally associated to Great Danes, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, American Staffordshire Terriers, and many types of Pointers.

That little nub of fatty tissue on your favorite mutt is also known as a bob tail. It is naturally found on Old English Sheepdogs, Pembroke Welsh Corgis and some Australian Shepherds.

The gay tail is one held horizontally, thick, with a slight curve and has a small, usually white tuft at the tip. It is found on Beagles, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Border Collies and Wire Fox Terriers.

Certain Herding breeds, such as German Shepherds, Collies, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Tervurens carry obvious saber shaped tails. They are long and held low. Those impish Cardigan Welsh Corgis also wear their tails low.

Your mutt may carry a gene or two of some kind of Terrier, such as Manchester, Border or Airedale if their tail is tapered. They are normally thicker at the base, set high on the back and are held straight up or out. Dachshunds also fit in this tail category, as well as Dalmatians and English Setters.

Corkscrew or curled tails are found on Bulldogs and Pugs.

Is your mutt's tail low set, whip shaped with a slight curve? They could be Whippet, Wolfhound or Ibizan Hound.

A high set tail, sort of a natural extension of your mutt's body, could be a hint to a Scent Hound ancestry. Perhaps your dog has a touch of Beagle, Fox Hound or even Airedale.

Special Report: Puppy Buying Dilemma, Pet Shop Or Breeder?

Experienced dog owners know that buying a puppy from a breeder has its advantages over buying a puppy from a pet store. Though there may be advantages to buying from breeders, some prospective buyers are turned off by the many choices and variables involved in selecting a good breeder, so they end up turning to pet stores and buying their new dog at retail.

We put together a concise article on the advantages and potential hurdles you might face when determining if you will buy your puppy from a pet store or breeder.

Life Behind Bars, The Pet Shop Way

What picture comes into your mind when you think of a pet store? Often, it is the vision of puppies for sale in tiny cages stacked on top of each other on display for a slow flow of customers browsing at animals that are often unhealthy and sold at premium prices.

These puppies often come home full of worms, sick, sniggling and most likely haven't received any vaccinations yet. Typically pets are purchases AS IS, meaning if that puppy is genetically diseased, you will not only be footing a large medical bill, you will also have no recourse if the poor thing meets an untimely premature end. All this at a price that could purchase a breeding quality or potentially a champion bloodline animal from a breeder.

Couple this with the AS IS mentality that, once you leave the pet store, you are on your own taking care of your new pet. There is often no one to call in case you have concerns about the care of feeding of your new puppy. Pet shop employees are rarely experts on a specific breed, let alone the amount of breeds carried throughout the year.

There is a positive side to pet shops. They do have a large variety of available puppies for sale and allow you to take the puppy home the day you visit. They also carry an excellent array of pet accessories that a new pet owner must hoard to pamper their precious new pet. You'll also receive pedigree paperwork on site without a long waiting period, but let's weigh the differences with a breeder to see if the risk is worth it.

Differences in Breeders

Now that we have gone over the positives and negatives of Pet Stores, let's review some of the positive and negatives of breeders. After all, not all breeders are created equally. We must make a distinction between professional breeders, both large and small, and 'backyard' breeders of 'puppy mills.

Professional breeders know their breeds. They look for complimentary animals to breed and understand the genetics of the breed or breeds that they focus on. These breeders are often either involved in the show circuit or knowledgeable about it, spending time and money to make certain that dogs they breed are an excellent representation of conformity.

On the other hand, a backyard breeder does not maintain these strict standards of breed improvement responsibility. Rather, they will breed any purebred dog for the simple thought of making a dollar. Though these puppies are often cheaper than a professional breeders, they often end up with the same genetic and health concerns that we mentioned regarding pet store animals. These puppies can also grow up with temperaments that are not common within their breed due to inept breeding standards.

If your breeder is selling puppies that do not appear healthy, do not come with their shots, are being sold before 8 weeks of age or are not sold with papers, you would be better off continuing your search elsewhere as the long term cost associated with caring for a sick animal or one with hip dysplasia can be much higher both financially and emotionally than the up front cost of a quality pet.

Though not all dogs sold by professional breeders will be champions, they will be generally healthier, have good temperaments and will conform to standards set by the AKC. The cost of puppies are associated with the quality of the puppy. This is typically classified as pet quality, breeding or show quality. Be wary however when buying show quality as it is difficult to predict the adult show potential as a puppy.

Professional breeders will always hold the puppy until after 8 weeks of age. They typically give recommended scheduled vaccinations. A quality and reputable breeder will also send their puppy for a health check as well as having the veterinarian check for certain genetic faults that are common in certain breeds.

Difficulties of Buying From a Professional Breeder

Though buying from a professional breeder typically ends in a happier pet experience, there are often other problems associated with the buying experience. The breeders often live outside of the local area, so it may be too far to visit the puppy in person. In many cases, the puppy is shipped sight unseen.

If you are looking for a puppy right away, buying from a breeder may be a frustrating experience. Many breeders pre-sell their puppies prior to birth, causing a long delay before the puppy arrives. It's also often hard to get in contact with these breeders as their contact information is sometimes hard to find.

The breeder also has to have what you're looking for. If you have a certain color, sex, and quality in mind and the breeder does not have an available puppy, you may be put on a list to wait for a potential puppy meeting your standards from a future litter. Also, when buying from a breeder, be prepared to keep in touch and receive calls and letters from a breeder who wants to get updates on the puppy as he or she grows.

Breeder or Pet Store, It's Your Choice

Whether you shop at a pet store or from a purebred breeder is your choice. We hope that this article helps you keep in mind the things that you should look out for when buying a purebred puppy from either.

Dog Behavior Problems - Have You Ever Considered This Simple Fact?

Your dog's behavior shows you what you think about yourself!

This may sound far fetched but it is a simple fact that the thoughts we hold true about ourselves show up in the behavior of those surrounding us as well as in the conditions we find ourselves in.

Our thoughts and emotions cause our actions as well as our expectations. Not only that, our thoughts and expectations also shape our perception.

The thoughts which influence the behavior of our dogs are usually subconscious. We are not aware of them most of the time and if we are we don't connect them to our dogs behavior.

Here is what I mean:

Not long ago I met a woman who was dragged along by a very naughty German Shepherd male. As soon as she saw me and my Golden Retriever she walked off the path to make sure her dog would not attack my dog.

When I asked her about it she told me that her dog always tried to bite other males which caused her to feel helpless and ashamed. She had been told by others that her own fear was causing her dog to behave like this but made it quite clear that the behavior had been there before she had developed the fear of meeting other dogs. Now of course she was frightened of any encounter because she knew there was trouble in store!

After I had explained to her that often seemingly unrelated beliefs we hold true about ourselves cause our dog to answer in a certain way I asked her this very important question:

Could it be that you believe that nobody does what you want and that your wishes don't come true? And do you also see yourself in a position where others are running your life?

She immediately agreed!

So now she could understand how her dog's bad behavior fitted in with her thoughts about herself. Since she was expecting things to go wrong in her life she had allowed her dogs behavior to "go wrong" too. The way her dog behaved was running part of her life since it meant that she could not chat with other dog owners or even make friends with them and go for walks together.

In the end it was not her fear that caused her dog to be vicious but her conviction that she herself was helpless and unable to make her life the way she wanted it.

To find the real cause for dog behavior problems takes some detective work since dogs express themselves in many different ways and the connection between our thoughts and the problematic canine behavior is seldom seen at first glance as this case illustrates.

Here is the tip:

If and when your dog develops bad dog behavior, don't blame it on him but ask yourself which of your favourite negative thoughts about yourself are being supported by him behaving like this. This gives you a chance to treat the cause instead of the symptoms.

Diarrhea in Dogs - Consider These Three Reasons

Every dog experiences the occasional diarrhea when he or she has eaten something he shouldn't have done. Getting rid of something bad fast is one of the bodies safety mechanisms.

Not all diarrhea is a sign of something seriously wrong but when it becomes chronic you do need to take it seriously and find the cause fast. For one thing diarrhea drains your dog's body of the water and minerals it needs as well as causing undernourishment in the long run.

Over the years I have had three cases of chronic diarrhea with my Golden Retrievers which I would like to share with you here.

Case One: Henry

Henry had the runs almost right from scratch. What ever we fed him - it was bound to come back out fast. There was no regularity found in this. A few hours after his meal the poor chap would have to run.

We tried him on all sorts of homeopathic treatments as well as medications we got from his vet - no improvement.

We tried different kinds of food - no improvement.

Finally one of the vets we consulted did a test for pancreatic insufficiency and found the answer to our problem.

With his pancreas insufficiency treated Henry's motions became the way they should have been all along.

Needless to say that we were very happy about this. Over the years he somehow managed to outgrow his problem so that we could feed him on a steady diet of tripe, raw meat and the occasional biscuit. He didn't need his tablets any more to be sound and fit.

Case Two: Sebastian.

As a youngster Sebastian was healthy and fit, no problems with his digestion other than the occasional runs after eating something bad.

Then, well into his third year, he started the need to go out at night. Assuming this had something to do with his food I changed his diet which seemed to work.

Not long after the same thing happened again Additionally he had developed an eye infection. Not knowing how the two could be related I treated both with different homeopathic potions which seemed to improve matters.

But the diarrhea came back - more aggressive than ever.

No change of diet, no antibiotics, nothing helped my poor dog.

Then one day my mothers partner took Sebastian along to his own vet who tested him for Canine Anaplasmosis - a tic borne disease hard to suspect and even harder to treat. The bug killed many dogs and it would have killed my Sebastian as well - had it not been for the vet who had just developed an interest in strange and then uncommon diseases.

This killer bug was responsible for his diarrhea. He had to take a long course of special antibiotics - but since then, the runs are few and far between.

Case three: Sunshine

This young fellow showed signs of diarrhea plus vomiting from a very early age. As the runs became more frequent I had him checked for the mentioned problems but luckily he was free from both of them.

Left with the question what to do next my vet insisted that I should give him a trial of one kind of meat and one carbohydrate source for eight weeks. Since this didn't sound good to me I asked for a complete allergy check to be done by a lab. Three days later we knew what was wrong:

Sunshine is allergic to beef and all cow products as well as each and every single carbohydrate source - including rice and potatoes!

He may eat venison, poultry, fish as well as lamb and mutton.

Now that I keep him on a strict diet of meat plus bananas, eggs, apples and vegetables he is doing well. Sunshine has put on weight, looking better than ever before.

Three dogs - three completely different reasons for the runs. Sometimes you need to be a bit like Sherlock Holmes to find the right cause but with the help of a good vet and some common sense you should be able to finally solve the mystery.

Canine Glaucoma - Causes and Natural Solutions

Canine glaucoma is a slowly progressive problem. It can lead to blindness.

In glaucoma the retina of the eye is affected. It is also affected in a similar condition known as retinal atrophy.

The symptoms of retinal atrophy is reduced night vision, followed by the same during daylight. The pupils are dilated. Cataracts may develop. Close vision may be more difficult than distant vision.

Retinal atrophy is more prevalent in some breeds.

Canine glaucoma is when the retina and optic nerve are damaged by an increase in the intraocular (within the eye) pressure. This pressure increases because the vitreous humour (the fluid in the eyeball) builds up.

Often glaucoma is secondary to other eye problems, such as uveitis. Uveitis is the inflammation of the uvea, which consists of the iris, the ciliary body and the choroid. Uveitis can be a sequel to a wound to the eye, an extension of a corneal ulcer or is a genetic propensity.

Acute uveitis does not lead to glaucoma, but the chronic form can, because there is a disturbance in the circulation.

It is always helpful to known how a health issue develops, what the main causes are and what the best treatment is. But what can be far more helpful is to look at the problem at an energetic level. You can do this simply by asking yourself what the outcome of the untreated problem would be.

Glaucoma can lead to blindness. Energetically this means your dog is much more vulnerable and can't see forward in life. Other senses develop more sensitivity, such as hearing and awareness.

In the wild, a blind dog would not survive. This means, that by natural selection, any susceptibility would have been bred out long, long ago. The logical conclusion seems to point to what mankind has done to the domestic dog's health.

Unhealthy breeding must be one of the top causes of any natural disturbance to canine health. You can work out if the breed is a healthy one by whether they would be able to survive, as a new breed, in the wild.

A pug may not be able to, because the very short nose would make it difficult to grasp and eat prey. The short legs may hamper the speed necessary to track down prey. The dachshund is very vulnerable with their long, weak back. And so on.

Aside from the breeding, humanity has contributed significantly to the deterioration of canine health. Vaccination generation after generation has had a significant impact on the health of dogs. One of the more serious side effects of vaccination is the disturbance to the nervous system. The eye is rich in nerves.

Poor nutrition affects every part of a body, whether it is from too much of the wrong kind of food or not enough of the right kind.

Whilst you can't do anything about the breed of your dog, you can do something about the health care and the diet. It's never too late to start to improve things, whatever the age of your dog, whatever your age is. By making some simple changes, you may prevent canine glaucoma from happening in your dog.

If your dog already suffers with canine glaucoma, you may be able to prevent it worsening. And reduce any veterinary medication.

The healthiest diet is a quality, natural one. The healthiest form of health care is a natural one, which supports the action of the body's best efforts. Homeopathy probably offers the deepest action and the widest scope and ability in treating every condition, every disease.

Click on the link below for more on the natural health care of dogs.