Hey Woofa’s,

A dog’s tail is pretty impressive!

It can tell us a lot of what is going on with our dog.

I recently witnessed a dog owner pull their dog’s tail because he wanted to move it away from where the dog was headed.

Thankfully the dog didn’t turn around and bite the owner, however he did turn his head rather abruptly and I don’t blame him.

Sometimes you have to choose your battles, but when it comes to animals who can’t speak up for themselves, I do say something.

So I mentioned that it probably wasn’t wise to pull his dog’s tail.

I received a filthy look and  ‘it’s my $%^&#* dog, I’ll do what I want’!!!!

Needless to say I felt sad for that dog, to have an owner who thought pulling his tail was okay.

I’ve also seen kids pulling their dog’s tails and I advise them, in a kind way, that it’s probably not a good idea to do that.

Here’s my concern, your dog’s tail is attached to its spine!!!!

WHY NO-ONE SHOULD BE PULLING YOUR DOG’S TAIL?

I’ve been around dogs since the age of 7, my dad use to show and breed English Stafford Shire Bull Terriers.

I watched my dad show our very first Staffy, Igg, right up to an Australian Champion.  It took a lot of work and many years of dog shows to get to that status.

Watching dogs in the show ring, you can’t help but pick up on how they move and express themselves.  I always knew I was aware of the basic make up of the dog’s anatomy.

That is until I was studying for my Canine Bowen Therapy course.  I became very intimate with the dog’s anatomy (without becoming a vet surgeon lol).

Just like us, theres a lot that goes into the anatomy of a dog.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR DOG’S TAIL?

Your dog’s tail is basically attached to their spine.

It has 13-18 vertebrae in it, so when someone pulls on it, it’s also pulling on the spine!!!

Diagram picture is from – Goody, Peter C. – Dog Anatomy

In the diagram, from number 20 right down to 24 is your dog’s tail.  At 20 it’s basically fused into the sacral vertebrae in the pelvic region.

Then if you follow from 20 towards the head to number 16 that is basically the thoracic vertebrae, the spine along the back.

From 15 to 12 is the cervical vertebrae, basically the neck.

All this is interconnected!!

So can you see how pulling you dog’s tail will hurt them, and could possibly do damage anywhere along the spine?

Yes the tail is more flimsy, because it doesn’t have all the extra muscles, ligaments, joints and body etc to contend with.

However, it’s not something to be pulled without any consequences.

I know people with back pain will get this.  Our backs do a lot of work for us (we don’t realise this until we hurt it, then you become scared to sneeze)!

Our dogs backs including right down to the tip of the tail are the same.

BE AWARE!

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

DO NOT let anyone pull your dog’s tail!

It’s joined to their spine and could do damage.

Would you like YOUR SPINE to be pulled on????

Keep your dog safe and healthy.