Lab tails

IceyBlueSibes · 01-01-2007, 07:09 PM

Just a question of curiosity. Seeing that there are 75% labs that come into work for day care and boarding, I've noticed a difference in the "types" of tails the dogs have. They are either "fanned" looking, or they have an "otter" looking tail (broad at the base and going to a tip, not feathering).

What is the prefered tail for the lab? Is there a reason for the variation?

Just curious -- having this job exposes me to so many breeds and personalities. Although, some of these people reeeeeallly need to train their dogs LOL

DogLover8 · 01-01-2007, 07:42 PM

That is funny. I never noticed a difference in the tails of labs.

You must encounter some interesting dogs at work.

Kuchi · 01-01-2007, 08:50 PM

AKC prefers the ottertail. It should come over the back and it should be in proportion of the body.
I would think the variation is from breeding non-show labs. I have seen a lot of tails going over the back or some feathering it wasn't until I went to a dog show and was like, "is that what a lab is 'supposed' to look like?" And before dog shows I never thought they were supposed to be the broad in shoulder and built. I've seen a lot of skinny ones and tall ones.

***Rivsky*** · 01-01-2007, 11:57 PM

I would have thought the otter type tail would be more to standard as well - after all it would serve a better purpose when they're swimming which is what they were bred for!!

I know what you mean about some people needing to train their dogs - I've gotta say there is NOTHING worse than an untrained labrador - I regularly get jumped all over by this lab at the park - and I swear this dog weighs more than me and his owner has absolutely no control over him whatsoever

Doglover1988 · 01-02-2007, 01:06 AM

All I know about lab tails is that they hurt when they wag and hit you in the legs or butt. lol I was recently at my sisters and got wacked several times. I'll have to check out Chloe's tail next time I visit.

Ritz459 · 01-02-2007, 10:30 AM

I think it is the otter type tail that is the correct one. Sadie's tail is like that (thick and then it tapers), but she also has some slight feathering too. I think her tail is pretty.

I see such a variation in Labs that come in to be boarded and/or bathed. Some are tall, some are small. (For example...Sadie is on the small side at eighteen-nineteen inches...a dog came in to be bathed that was probably around 26inches tall. That dog was HUGE!) Other's are extreamly thick, others all legs. Huge heads, narrow heads....kinda makes you wonder what a Lab is supposed to look like!

Another questiong about Labs: For eleven years we have been trying to figure out if Blackie is a pure bred Lab, or if he is a mix. He looks pure, but he has this "mane" (I don't know how to discribe it) of thick hair going around his chest and neck area. He also has brown markings high up on his hind legs (sorta on his thighs). I know that labs can be mismarked, so the brown hair doesn't really set anything off, but I have yet to see another lab with such thick hair around the neck. Sadie doesn't have it and she is pure, and alot of the other Labs I come into contact with all have a "thin" thick coat, if you know what I mean. Could he have hair like this just because he has been an outside dog all of this life, bad breeding, or is he a mix? He looks pure and is about 21inches tall and 85lbs. Since we found him as a stray, there is no way to be sure.

PawNclaws · 01-02-2007, 03:02 PM

Yes, the "Otter" tail , is what a labs is *supposed* to have . Yes, they do hurt some thing awful lol. Beau just wiggles his butt, tail behind him smaking what ever is within reach.. He's wacked me more times then I keep track of lol.
My friends Lab has a very thin and long tail and she is all legs , I'd bet more then a few have though her to be a gray hound and lab mix.

Well, I would think she'd be crossed, just because of the longer hair ; but it could just be one of them faults(possibly poor breeding). The coloration, Rain also has chocolate coloration under her neck, belly and inner hind thighs in the summer. We, at one time, thought she could of been a very dark chocolate due to it. I did see some thing about this one time but lost the web address.

Kuchi · 01-03-2007, 04:51 PM

He could be from 'poor' breeding. 22.5-24.5" and 65-80 pounds is desirable for show quality labs. The mane sounds like it could be a mix, but maybe one of his parents had that. Its hard to tell with mixes.

IceyBlueSibes · 01-03-2007, 06:46 PM

Thanks for the info. I thought the "otter" tail would be what they were looking for. Labs do come in, looking so many different ways. Some are small, some are very slender, some look like they're mixed with dane or hound, and some are just very "odd" looking. LOL

Elli · 01-04-2007, 12:07 AM

my lab has no tail!......well half a tail anyways.....

01-01-2007, 07:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
IceyBlueSibes Eyes = Mirror to the soul Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Jupiter, Fla. Posts: 7,757 Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 273	Lab tails Just a question of curiosity. Seeing that there are 75% labs that come into work for day care and boarding, I've noticed a difference in the "types" of tails the dogs have. They are either "fanned" looking, or they have an "otter" looking tail (broad at the base and going to a tip, not feathering). What is the prefered tail for the lab? Is there a reason for the variation? Just curious -- having this job exposes me to so many breeds and personalities. Although, some of these people reeeeeallly need to train their dogs LOL
	__________________ Sheiba, Denali, Ike, Nitro (Siberian Husky), Kelso (GSD x), Lugar (Boxer/Pit x), Willah (Shepherd/Husky x), Tibby, Cheech, Chong (Chihuahua), and any foster we have in the house! 9 Kitty cats!

01-01-2007, 07:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
DogLover8 Collie owner Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 3,023 Rep Power: 110	That is funny. I never noticed a difference in the tails of labs. You must encounter some interesting dogs at work.
	__________________ -Dave-

01-02-2007, 01:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
Doglover1988 3 mutts 1 boston terrier Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Dallas, Georgia Posts: 2,441 Rep Power: 114	All I know about lab tails is that they hurt when they wag and hit you in the legs or butt. lol I was recently at my sisters and got wacked several times. I'll have to check out Chloe's tail next time I visit.
	__________________ And-2 cats -1 cockatiel -6 Zebra finches -1 syrian hamster -2 mice -1 rabbit -3 bettas "If you want the best seat in the house ... move the dog"-- Unknown Lindsey

01-02-2007, 10:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
Ritz459 "Nothing is ever easy" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 5,722 Blog Entries: 3 Rep Power: 235	I think it is the otter type tail that is the correct one. Sadie's tail is like that (thick and then it tapers), but she also has some slight feathering too. I think her tail is pretty. I see such a variation in Labs that come in to be boarded and/or bathed. Some are tall, some are small. (For example...Sadie is on the small side at eighteen-nineteen inches...a dog came in to be bathed that was probably around 26inches tall. That dog was HUGE!) Other's are extreamly thick, others all legs. Huge heads, narrow heads....kinda makes you wonder what a Lab is supposed to look like! Another questiong about Labs: For eleven years we have been trying to figure out if Blackie is a pure bred Lab, or if he is a mix. He looks pure, but he has this "mane" (I don't know how to discribe it) of thick hair going around his chest and neck area. He also has brown markings high up on his hind legs (sorta on his thighs). I know that labs can be mismarked, so the brown hair doesn't really set anything off, but I have yet to see another lab with such thick hair around the neck. Sadie doesn't have it and she is pure, and alot of the other Labs I come into contact with all have a "thin" thick coat, if you know what I mean. Could he have hair like this just because he has been an outside dog all of this life, bad breeding, or is he a mix? He looks pure and is about 21inches tall and 85lbs. Since we found him as a stray, there is no way to be sure.
	__________________ ~Blackie, Rose, Chloe (dogs), Pheobe (cat), Casey, Dameon (ferrets), Joey ('Tiel), Dot, Louie (cavies), Pickachu (hamster), Rush (R.I.P. 15yrs), Lucy (R.I.P. 4yrs)~

01-02-2007, 03:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
PawNclaws Labrador Crazy Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: North West Posts: 1,929 Blog Entries: 2 Rep Power: 112	Yes, the "Otter" tail , is what a labs is supposed to have . Yes, they do hurt some thing awful lol. Beau just wiggles his butt, tail behind him smaking what ever is within reach.. He's wacked me more times then I keep track of lol. My friends Lab has a very thin and long tail and she is all legs , I'd bet more then a few have though her to be a gray hound and lab mix. Well, I would think she'd be crossed, just because of the longer hair ; but it could just be one of them faults(possibly poor breeding). The coloration, Rain also has chocolate coloration under her neck, belly and inner hind thighs in the summer. We, at one time, thought she could of been a very dark chocolate due to it. I did see some thing about this one time but lost the web address.
	__________________

01-01-2007, 08:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
Kuchi Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 379 Rep Power: 48	AKC prefers the ottertail. It should come over the back and it should be in proportion of the body. I would think the variation is from breeding non-show labs. I have seen a lot of tails going over the back or some feathering it wasn't until I went to a dog show and was like, "is that what a lab is 'supposed' to look like?" And before dog shows I never thought they were supposed to be the broad in shoulder and built. I've seen a lot of skinny ones and tall ones.

01-01-2007, 11:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
*Rivsky* Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Australia Posts: 3,791 Blog Entries: 6 Rep Power: 141	I would have thought the otter type tail would be more to standard as well - after all it would serve a better purpose when they're swimming which is what they were bred for!! I know what you mean about some people needing to train their dogs - I've gotta say there is NOTHING worse than an untrained labrador - I regularly get jumped all over by this lab at the park - and I swear this dog weighs more than me and his owner has absolutely no control over him whatsoever

01-03-2007, 04:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
Kuchi Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 379 Rep Power: 48	He could be from 'poor' breeding. 22.5-24.5" and 65-80 pounds is desirable for show quality labs. The mane sounds like it could be a mix, but maybe one of his parents had that. Its hard to tell with mixes.

01-03-2007, 06:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
IceyBlueSibes Eyes = Mirror to the soul Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Jupiter, Fla. Posts: 7,757 Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 273	Thanks for the info. I thought the "otter" tail would be what they were looking for. Labs do come in, looking so many different ways. Some are small, some are very slender, some look like they're mixed with dane or hound, and some are just very "odd" looking. LOL
	__________________ Sheiba, Denali, Ike, Nitro (Siberian Husky), Kelso (GSD x), Lugar (Boxer/Pit x), Willah (Shepherd/Husky x), Tibby, Cheech, Chong (Chihuahua), and any foster we have in the house! 9 Kitty cats!

01-04-2007, 12:07 AM	#10 (permalink)
Elli Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Chilli Ohio Posts: 58 Rep Power: 0	my lab has no tail!......well half a tail anyways.....

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