Hi all:
I’m fairly new here and really impressed with this site. It’s just a gold mine of information for dog owners like me. There is one thing that I can’t seem to find any information on though and maybe I’m just not searching right. My GSD carries his tail quite high.

He is a rescue that I brought home at 10 months. He’s a fear biter that was set for destruction (2 bad bites under his belt) when I was contacted. I had the vet neuter him instead of the lethal injection and he’s turning out to be the most incredible dog I’ve ever worked with. Aloof to strangers, will tolerate but doesn’t engage dogs other than my pack, however – no tolerance, very sharp and weak nerved around children. A single mother bought him at 8 weeks as a play mate for her six year old. He was thrown into an urban back yard, teased and neglected for 10 months and she wondered why the breeder didn’t tell her the dog hates kids. In any case, we are dealing with that just fine. I had Michael Ellis assess him and he’s not cut out for the protection sports – too serious and I’m good with that. His obedience is top notch on and off leash (largely thanks to marker training) and he’s showing some promising signs in tracking (I’ll just make sure he never has to search for a child).

All my boys get along great (Newfoundland, Malamute, Husky and the GSD), I don’t tolerate dominance of any kind and am very cognizant of tail twitches, heights, etc. A bit ironic with the two northern dogs but a natural curl and high carriage are two different things.

But, I’m just wondering, taking the GSD from neglected solitude and integrating into my pack, could he be picking up this high tail carriage from the husky, the malamute is young yet and doesn't have a high curl.

I’ve done a lot of confidence building with him (praise, reward and exposure to many different situations) and I know he’s a very proud boy. Generally when we’re working obedience it’s at a low carriage but the minute the toys come out for retrieve or he’s just meandering around the yard, up goes the tail. He’s almost getting a full curl, puts the husky to shame and doesn’t look very shepherd like.

Any ideas on how I could tone this down?

How long have you had him?

I could be completely wrong, but it looks like that mix has some husky/akita/mal-type breed in it. Which would explain the carriage. I would study his posture rather than the tail for a better read on the dog until you get to know him better.

This might be the pessimist in me and PLEASE don't take this the wrong way but.. Only thing that makes me hesitate- Off leash obedience for a dog with two bites under his belt? I hope you are training in an enclosed isolated environment? Like a fenced-in yard, etc? And you are ok with leaving him loose with your other dogs?

If you are unsure about his attitute due to the tail confusion, then how will you be able to spot the warning signs for an impending dog fight? Or if he gets away from you doing off leash?

My male is almost always on the edge of excitment & always ready to instigate a spat if he gets the chance with my female. (She is a very reactive dog & will engage him if he starts it up). He carries his tail high most of the time, even inside. (he is a full GSD no mix here)I am always aware of his other postures & eye contact with her in order to short circut any confrontations that may erupt. He is also quick to get his hair up in excitment even when playing fetch with or without my female playing also. He is just easily stimulated. He has been that way since a 8 wk old pup. I don't over analyse it, but I do keep an eye on it. He is not a dominant dog but is a VERY PUSHY dog & is always testing the boundries.

Hi Jessica:
As far as I know, he was sold to the previous owner as a purebred. There were some other inconsistencies in the information she provided so I left it at that and never delved any further.

I’ve had him for 11 months now and trust him completely (well as far as you can trust any animal that you’ve worked with closely – there’s always the unexpected that we never really know). There have been 0 fights in my pack and should a child enter the picture (nieces, nephews, children playing) he’s crated immediately or placed in a secure area. Knowing his past this is not only for the safety of the children but for his trust issues as well. He truly fears children. Hears the high pitched squeals, hackles go up, tail between the legs and trembles. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated too but I’m not willing to put any child at risk in order to test the behavior. I’m sure he’s just as happy not having kids in his life – he has no problems with the crate and seems to be very appreciative of the separation when they’re around

However, he has no dog on dog, territory, food or resource issues. He is very prey driven, loves toys but is also mindful when they are in the hands or teeth of others. His recall and focus are incredible, does not take his eyes off me and would rather be by my side than off at any distance, hence the off leash. This is generally done in the security of my 1 acre, completely fenced yard or with the added security of an e-collar when out on our country walks. I corrected him once for running at a cow and he won’t even look towards livestock now. Other than that, no off leash corrections have been necessary.

He is so eager to please and truly needed to be rescued from the situation he was in. A high energy working dog that was left to his devices as far as filling his day went. The only human interaction was a young, rambunctious boy that thought he was a toy.

So this tail – you think it may be breeding? That would explain a lot. He’s not showing any signs of dominance and actually prefers to be off on his own when not engaged in training or other activities. He generally seems very happy and easy-going. I’m probably just being picky, wanting my shepherd to look like a shepherd but perhaps he’s showing off another mix as well. Hmm.

I thought I may get some kind of duct tape as a response but that actually makes a lot of sense Jessica, thanks.

Cj, sounds like you've got all of your bases covered when it comes to training! When I first read your post, it sounded like a fairly new dog to me. That seems to not be the case at all : )

My neighbor has a GSD that is VERY similar to yours in body structure, shape, etc. He holds his tail the same way too. It has a lot of curl to it, so that when he's excited it almost curls up over his back. Your dog's is the same, set on the top of the rear, whereas my own dog's is set very low, almost down between his legs. I should mention that his dog and mine are so starkly different, its hard to believe that they are the same breed. And you'll have that with GSDs. Everyone and their brother seems to be breeding them nowadays. And not everyone is selective about which dog is bred to which. So we end up with a huge spectrum....

I will snap a pic at the neighbor's dog the next time I get a chance.

And Welcome!

Thanks for welcome. And as usual, you’re a wealth of information.

I just went out and lined the boys up for tail inspection. I’m sure they thought I’d fallen off my rocker as the “stand” doesn’t usually involve me inspecting where their tail bones meet their butt. But how interesting was that. I’d never thought of it. Vince, the GSD, has a much higher connection than the Newfoundland who carries his tail down and has a much lower connection.

So I would totally have to agree with you that this is genetics, breeding or what have you. Perhaps it’s just more comfortable for him to carry it higher; hence when he’s relaxed or training in the comfort of a natural drive.

And here I thought my husky was to blame. You’ve given me a whole new outlook on this one.

Before my GSD pup, I never had dogs with full tails. All of my past dogs have been docked.

So this waggling business is sometimes still very strange to me! lol No wonder I have learned to tune out tail movements for body posture.

I have to admit that the visual you've created of lining your dogs up for "tail inspection" has got me giggling. Along with general "hows it hanging?" references....

You have a gorgeous little boy there and yes, tails can be an interesting.

You know, heading out to do the “tail inspection” felt like a real “aha” moment, “I’ll bet she’s right”. After getting the twisted heads with the “what the heck is this” look and reading it in writing, I had to laugh too. But hey, it’s put my mind at ease. I won’t worry about how to rig up the duct tape and stop blaming the husky. Thank again for your insight.