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Have you ever seen an Australian Shepherd without a tail? If you have, then you may have been wondering if they are born with tails or not.
The answer to that question is yes – Australian Shepherds are born with tails (sometimes, we’ll get into that later).
However, the misunderstanding surrounding their tails often leads people to believe they don’t have them.
In this post, we’ll discuss the different types of tails that Australian Shepherds can have, the common problems associated with their tails, and how to properly care for them.
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
Why Are So Many Australian Shepherds Without a Tail?
Contrary to popular belief, Australian Shepherds do have tails. However, most will have their tails docked shortly after birth. In fact, AKC only recognizes Aussies with a tail shorter than 4 inches in length.
So while many are born with a tail, many breeders dock their tail because it’s seen as more desirable for owners.
Also, Australian Shepherds have something unique in their genes that causes them to be born with a bobbed tail. Which essentially means they’re born with a very short tail that’s either barely visible or up to a few inches in length.
Difference Between An Australian Shepherd With a Natural Tail & a Bobbed Tail
An Australian Shepherd with a natural tail is born with a long, curved tail. Below is a picture of an Australian Shepherd with a long natural tail:
As previously mentioned, Aussies with these long tails are not recognized by AKC’s standards because they exceed 4 inches.
However, if you’re looking for an Australian Shepherd to be your family pet, there’s no serious need to dock their tail.
Their long natural tails do require more maintenance because the long fur on them can get knots and matted like the rest of their coat.
But, the only other reason for docking is to prevent injury, and that’s more related to working dogs and not totally necessary for companion Aussies.
An Australian Shepherd with a bobbed tail is born with a short tail that’s either barely visible or a few inches long. Below is a picture of an Australian Shepherd with a bobbed tail:
Again, some bobtails are barely visible, whereas others are a few inches in length, as shown below:
The bobtail gene is recessive, which means that for an Aussie to have a high chance of being born with a bobtail, both parents must carry the gene.
Now, even if only one parent carries the gene, there’s still a 50% chance that their pup will be born with a bobtail.
However, if neither parent carries the gene, then their pup will be born with a natural tail.
It’s also difficult to distinguish between a docked tail and a bobbed tail. To know for sure, you’d have to have the Aussie take a DNA test to see if they have the bobtail gene or not.
Why Are Some Australian Shepherds Born With a Bobbed Tail?
So we know that Australian Shepherds can be born with either a natural or bobbed tail. But why are some born with a bobbed tail?
It all comes down to their parent’s genes. As we mentioned before, the bobtail gene is recessive, which means that for an Aussie to have a high chance of being born with a bobbed tail, both parents must carry the gene.
The gene breakdown of tail length looks like this:
tt = Natural long tail
Tt = Bobbed tail
TT = Dog likely to be born with spine deformities (typically causing their life to be cut short)
As you can see, the only way to produce a bobtailed Aussie is to have at least one parent that’s carrying the gene.
And if both parents have the Tt gene, then their pup has a 25% chance of being born with a long natural tail, a 50% chance of being born with a bobbed tail, and a 25% chance of having spine deformities.
If neither parent carries the gene, their pup will be born with a natural tail.
But if both parents have the TT gene, they will be born with fatal birth defects.
Why Breeding Bobtailed Aussies Is Frowned Upon
While Australian Shepherds with a bobbed tail are seen as more desirable to some, it’s actually quite frowned upon in the Aussie community.
This is because there’s a high chance of producing puppies with spine deformities when breeding two bobtailed Aussies.
As we just looked at, if both parents carry the TT gene, their pup will be born with fatal birth defects.
And even if only one parent has the natural bobtail gene (Tt), their pup still has a 25% chance of being born with these deformities.
So while breeding an Australian Shepherd with a bobtail means there’s no need for docking, there’s too much risk when breeding focuses on producing a bobtailed Aussie.
Which is why there is controversy around breeding bobtailed Australian Shepherds.
Why Do People Dock Australian Shepherd Tails? Why Not Leave Them?
We’ve now looked at why some Australian Shepherds are born with a bobbed tail and why breeding them is frowned upon.
But what about docking their tails? Why do people do that? And more importantly, why not leave them the way they are?
Let’s take a look at the 3 reasons why Australian Shepherds have, more often than not, had their tails docked:
1) AKC Australian Shepherd Standard
When looking at the Australian Shepherd Standard, you’ll see that a docked tail is actually preferred.
The standard reads: “Tail is straight, docked or naturally bobbed, not to exceed four inches in length.”
So you can see that a docked tail is ideal, but a naturally bobbed tail is also acceptable.
However, according to AKC’s standards, a naturally long tail is not ideal.
While the standard isn’t set in stone, it gives us a good idea of what breeders strive for when it comes to the perfect Australian Shepherd.
And that is an Aussie with a docked or naturally bobbed tail.
2) To Prevent Injury
For years, Australian Shepherds were used on farms for herding and protecting their family’s livestock.
And during these activities, their long tails were at risk for what their owners considered unnecessary or easily avoidable injuries.
Docking their tails prevented these injuries from happening and allowed them to continue working without worry.
Nowadays, Australian Shepherds are more often used as pets and companions than they are for herding.
So while their tails are still at risk for injuries, like getting stepped on, getting caught on something, or being pulled, it’s not to the same extent as it was in the past.
And many people believe that if an Aussie does sustain an injury to their tail, it’s much easier (and less expensive) to treat an injury on a docked tail than it is on a naturally long tail.
So while injury prevention is still a reason for docking Australian Shepherd tails, it’s not as common of a reason as it once was.
3) Helps With Hygiene
Another reason people claim docking an Australian Shepherd’s tail is a good idea is for hygiene purposes.
A long tail that’s constantly dragging on the ground is more likely to get dirty and pick up germs than a docked tail.
And if an Aussie’s tail is constantly getting wet, it can lead to skin irritation and infection.
Also, their tail has the same length of fur on it as the rest of their body which means it’s likely to get matted and knotted if not brushed often.
Which has all the same adverse effects as matting on the rest of their body.
With all that being said, because the vast majority of Australian Shepherds are pets, each of these reasons doesn’t make as much sense as they once did.
Which begs to question, should an Aussies tail be docked if they’re brought into a family as a companion?
Should You Have Your Australian Shepherd’s Tail Docked?
The answer to this question is a personal one that you’ll have to decide for yourself.
There are pros and cons to docking an Australian Shepherd’s tail. But ultimately, it’s up to you whether or not you think the pros outweigh the cons.
Some things you’ll want to consider before making your decision are:
- How active your Aussie is
- If you plan on showing them in conformation
- How much time and effort you’re willing to put into brushing their long tail
In general, an increasing number of people are choosing not to dock their Aussie’s tail because it’s not needed. And if it’s not going to negatively affect their life (or has a small chance to), then there’s no need for them to go through the pain of docking.
However, suppose you do decide to have your Australian Shepherd’s tail docked. In that case, it’s important that you find a reputable breeder who has experience performing the procedure.
It must be done when they are only a few days old. Which means if you brought your Aussie home at 8 weeks and they still have a tail, it’s too late to dock it.
FAQs
Are Australian Shepherds supposed to have tails?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. It’s ultimately up to the owner whether or not they want their Aussie to have a tail.
Most Aussies are born with tails, but they have the chance to be born with a bobbed tail. Which just means they are born without their natural long tail.
Also, for a long time, it was common practice for an Australian Shepherd’s tail to be docked, which is why people wonder if they are supposed to have tails.
If an Aussie isn’t being used for work purposes, they have no functional or medical need to have their tail docked.
Are Australian Shepherds born with long tails?
Most Australian Shepherds are born with long tails, but there is a chance they will be born with a bobbed tail.
The reason many Aussies you see don’t have their long tail still is because, for a long time, it was common practice to dock their tails.
What kind of tail Do Australian Shepherds have?
Australian Shepherds naturally have long tails. However, some Aussies have a genetic condition that causes their puppies to be born with a bobbed tail.
Which simply means they are born with a very short tail, ranging from hardly visible to a few inches long.
However, show-quality Australian Shepherds have to have their tails docked, as AKC doesn’t recognize Aussies with a tail over 4 inches.
Do Aussies have naturally docked tails?
No, Aussies do not have naturally docked tails. In fact, most Aussies are born with long tails.
Aussies can, however, have naturally bobbed tails. Which gives their tail a similar look to it being docked.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into understanding an Australian Shepherd’s tail situation.
They can have long tails, bobbed tails, or docked tails. All Aussies are born with tails, but some are born without their natural long tail.
The decision to dock an Aussie’s tail is a personal one that you’ll have to make based on your individual situation.
It’s important to do your research before making any decisions about their tail, whether that be docking it or not.
And remember, even if you do decide to dock their tail, it’s crucial that you find a reputable breeder who can do it safely and correctly.
Other posts you might find interesting:
Do Australian Shepherds Shed? (114 Owners Asked + Tips!)