Posted by If you have a dog such as a Goldendoodle, its tail can tell you so much about your dog. Tails are known to be pretty and they are also an important trait to dogs. As an owner of a dog, you may be wondering what to do to know if your dog has a normal tail or if something is off or different.
What should the tail of Goldendoodle look like?
According to Paws and Learn, the tails of Goldendoodles should be long and fluffy. The reason is because they are the crossbreed between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. It should be noted that it is possible for the tails to vary, depending on which breed it favors.
Most Goldendoodles have tails that curl nicely over their backs. However, there are also some others with tails that extend behind similar to a Golden Retriever. It is stated that some Goldendoodles have tails that stand straight up. If the dog that you have at home has a very short stub tail, it is possible that its tail has been docked, even though there is a possibility of Goldendoodles being born with a smallish stub tail.
If you realize that there is only a very little hair on the tail of your Goldendoodle, keep calm and stay still. It is not something to be worried about. In fact, there are some Doodles that have long fluffy and furry tails and the ones that have very little hair on its tail and it is fine. Everything depends on which genes are more dominant.
How long are the tails of Goldendoodle?
On average, Goldendoodles have tails that are 12 to 14 inches long. Apparently, it is not common for this breed to have tails that are 3.5 inches all the way to 16 inches long.
Do the tails of Goldendoodle curl?
Usually, Goldendoodles do not have curl tails. If a dog has a curly tail, it can be considered as its flaw in genetics as the AKC states that both parents of this breed, which are Golden Retriever and Poodle, have a strict standard for how a tail should look. For both Golden Retriever and Poodle, the tail should be erect and held behind the hocks of the dog not curled at all. For Poodles, according to the AKC standard, the tip of the tail when erect should be at the same height as the top of the dog’s head. About ¼ to 1/3 of the end of the tail is docked. Keep in mind that the length of the tail may be different, depending on the size of the Poodle (whether it is Mini Poodle, Toy Poodle, or Standard Poodle). As for Golden Retriever, the tail of this breed should be the correct length extending to the hock. However, it should be never below. When the dog feels chill and is not in pressure, the tail hangs down naturally and it does not curl.
Do the tails of Goldendoodle get docked?
According to the general rule, the tails of Goldendoodles are not docked. In the past, the tail was docked in order to prevent injury for working dogs. As Goldendoodles are the kind of breed that is used as companion dogs, there is no need for their tails to be docked.
However, there are some breeders who have worked a lot with Poodles dock the tails of their Goldendoodle litter as they follow the Poodle breed standard. In fact, this kind of thing is actually not necessary.
Apparently, there are a lot of pros and cons about docking tails. It is worth noting that as far as Goldendoodles are concerned, there is no need for the Goldendoodles to have their tails docked as this breed is not traditionally recognized by AKC. Not only that, it has no conforming appearance standards to uphold.
Some tail styles for Goldendoodles
If you have a Goldendoodle, you may want to try a lot of fun and stylish cuts for the tail of your dog below:
- Pol tail or lion style
Pol tail or lion style is good for a Goldendoodle that has a more traditional Poodle type look. One of the good things about this style is the fact that it is easy to groom as there is less hair at the end of the tail to get tangled. Besides, the chance for the hair to get stepped on or stick in something is also low.
In order to get the pol tail or lion style, trim 2/3 of the tail, starting at the base. Make sure for the tail to leave a long plume of hair at the end. For those who arch the tail of the dog over its back, the spot where the tail starts to bend is approximately where the plume has to start.
- Flag tail
As you can guess from its name, the flag tail is named that way because it looks like the outline of a flag. This one is good for those who want their Goldendoodles to have a nice neat look and do not want to lose their beautiful natural look. To keep the mats from forming, you will have to brush the tail if your dog has this kind of style.
In order to get the flag tail, the base of the tail and around the anus should be cut short for the first 2-3 inches. Then, the rest of the tail should be trimmed into a rectangle shape.
- Plume tail
Plume tail is best for those who prefer their Goldendoodles to have a natural look but only want for the tails of their dogs to be trimmed up just a bit to look more neat and tidy. If a dog has this style, the owner has to brush it 2-3 times a week.
In order to get the plume tail, most of the parts should be left natural with the exception that it is trimmed up a little around the anus and trimmed just enough to straighten up the edges.
