Curly tails

I was on another forum where there's a discussion about tail docking/ear cropping, and everyone seems to justify it by saying that their ears and tails will get caught on things and tear up and bleed. I was thinking... why don't they just breed dogs whose tails and ears don't bleed whent hey run through the bush? Anyway, then I was looking at Tojo's tail and thinking of how curly it was (it looks like a tight little cinnamon bun) and his little ears. I started thinking... maybe that's what the Japanese did. I used to wonder what the purpose for a curly tail is, but perhaps it keeps the tail from banging against things, as it rests on the back and doesn't really move around much. Of course, this is based on Tojo and pictures I've seen of shikokus... maybe their tails go down whent hey run (Tojo's tries to go down, but it can't uncurl). Also, the tail is covered in thick, protecting fur, no? Dobermans (one breed who is supposed to get its tail cropped so it doesn't get damaged) have thin, straight tails with hardly any fur. What do you think? I've heard it said of shibas that their thick neck fur and loose skin is to protect them from bites and such from the animals they're bringing down.  Could be the same idea. 

Comments

  • edited July 2007
    I think that’s probably a good guess, but obviously it would have to apply to all Spitz breeds and not just Japanese breeds. So I don’t think it was the Japanese that would have selectively breed to get a curly tail it was probably just an artifact carried over from another spitz-type dog that the Japanese breeds where based off of.



    I think you make a good point tho - after all, at some point, all dogs came from some type of native Canis  [like the Dhole] and where selectively breed for certain qualitative and purpose.
  • edited November -1
    Yeah, you're probably right.  I think it's probably a natural evolution which was forcibly bred out in pointers and dobermans and other such breeds.  That's why I appreciate the primitive breeds, more natural.
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