Having noticed that there are a few Deerhounds out there with ring tails, I wondered whether
this is just the way the tail is carried or is it the bone in the tail that makes it have its "ring"? Never having felt one!!

My Maizie has a ring tail, it is the bone that holds it in that shape. We did have prpblems with her hitting it and making it bleed but we have sorted it now. What a mess a tail injury can make.
Is it you that has Stag Rangers sister if so could you send me some pictures as I would love to see her?
Dela

Sorry to be dumb - but whats ring tail in a deerhound,
i know what it mean's in other breeds (i think), as one of mine's tail curls right over,
but havent seen it in a deerhound before.

Maizie tail curls upward in a j shape very different form the rest of my deerhounds. I don't know if they can curl all the way round?

Ha right yes i know what you mean now lol.

Our fatty Fergal's tail curls almost into a ring but when he is stacked for showing it seems to sort its self out.

I don't think Maizie has a ring tail - she's carrying it with a slight curve in the photograph, but nowhere near a ring. And strangely enough, I've never seen a Deerhound run with its tail ringed - they all seem to straighten out at speed and act as a rudder in the normal way.

The ANKC Deerhound breed standard states that "a curl or ringtail is undesireable".

Yes it does, but I can't understand why, I thought they were judged on their ability to do the job they were bred for? same as having too much white on them? some of these rules are silly, unless someone can tell me why!

I think that there are some slight differences - I have seen deerhounds with " kinks "in their tails( and own one of those ) ; those can look like a ringtail and they are caused by " fused bones " in the tails - these tails are permanently in this " kinked " position . And then there are those "ringed tails" , where it seems to be just the carriage - their tails are fully stretched out when running - my youngest has a tendency to carry her tail ( almost ) curled at the end . I personally think , that the tails with " kinks " in them can be detrimental to their hunting prowesss , as they use the tails so much as a rudder and for balancing themselves when in full speed. Ringtails ( which are as far as I have seen them , fully flexibel and can be stretched out - and will be when at top speed ) don't seem to be that bad - in fact , I somehow like them , they can look quite elegant, just a continuation of the gentle curves a deerhound is supposed to be made up of .

Dela forgot to say, when you said "ring tail" - this is what i thought you ment.



to me thats a ring tail, a lot of dogs carry there tails with a slight curve,
as its easer for the dog, means its not getting dragged through all the mud
and gorse.

i do have to admit i do like the slight curve in a deerhounds tail,
it wouldnt affect performance one bit, so dont see why they have a problem,
but then again now a days - performance is last on the list
as far a the KC are concerned.

Lurch the white on a dark dog as i understand it - is undersirable for hunting,
it means the dog can be spotted more easaly, or thats how it used to be anyway.

I have never seen a deerhound with that kind of a tail - which I would call a curled tail- the ring seems to be at the very end of the tail with dhs .

ring tails are a problem as if they are not bred away from you end up with dogs which get tail injurys. Tail injurys can be a nightmare so it is a confirmation fault to be avoided, they bleed worse than ears. I had one poor chap who spent most of his child gah puppihood wearing a piece of hose. Worked but really why would you want to!

All breed standards are designed to maintain integrity of each breed. A ring tail is undesirable ... where then do you draw the line. How much of a ring would you like to see? A loop like an Afghan..certainly not. A ring does not provide stability. Just as in Borzoi, a gay tail is wrong, again..can't act as a proper rudder..yet there are those who have them in their bloodlines.

Sid wrote:


Then came Lockie...


Thankfully his tail falls straight when stacked. He tends to curl it more when on the move and carry his tail higher than I would like but he does have correct tail setting.
I think his tail his double jointed

I would guess , that Lockie also " unrings " his tail when he is running - I wasn't thinking of trotting , but faster speeds. Of course one wouldn't want to breed ringtail to ringtail , still , I think those " kinked " tails , caused by 2 or more fused bones and thus rifgid in those places ,are far more undesirable and impacting .

Carys has a ring tail and it's very pronounced but when she is running it is straight and waves back and forth like a whip - when she is wet after going in the water it feels like a whip

I cannot see how it affects her in anyway. Good thing that I am not interested in showing her