Why a curly tail for a pug (don’t give it a tug)
Dear Pet Talk: Why do pugs have curly tails? — Natalia, Seal Beach, Calif.
Dear Natalia: The curly tail is the result of a spinal deviation. Vertebra (the bones that make up the spine) are wedge-shaped, and since dogs’ tails are made up of both bone and cartilage, pug tails will have a natural curl. Breeders have turned a deficit into an asset, and the “breed standard” for pug dogs is for a curled tail.
The American Kennel Club requires that “the tail is curled as tightly as possible over the hip. The double curl is perfection.” The AKC also only recognizes two colors for pugs — fawn and black — although pugs can come in a variety of colors and patterns, including silver, apricot, black with markings and brindled. (Brindled pug dogs are a very old variety of pug, as there are paintings from 300 years ago showing these markings.)
It is very important that owners (or their children) never tug or pull on a pug’s tail. Their tails are more fragile than those of other dogs. But you can definitely “read” the movements of a pug’s tail as you would that of any other dog! Pugs will wag their tails when happy or excited, and their tails may droop if they are feeling ashamed or sad. Some pugs will have a “loose” tail that droops all the time. If this is the case with your dog, or if the dog’s tail suddenly “uncurls,” this is a question for a vet, and could indicate a medical problem.
Pug personalities are in the range of friendly, sociable, playful and attentive. They can be excellent famirough ly dogs as long as children are old enough to understand they cannot play with the dog’s tail.
Sally Cragin is the director of Be Pawsitive: Therapy Pets and Community Education. She welcomes questions about pets. Send them to sallycragin@verizon.net or text 978-320-1335.