Hi, we are thinking of purchasing a puppy from a breeder and one of the pups actually has a kinked tail. She said the vet said the mother might have stepped on it accidentally or it didn't have room in the womb and got squished. He doesn't have any medical conditions according to the vet and the breeder. We actually don't mind a kinked tail, it actually shows character and he is different. What are your guys thoughts and suggestion? Should I proceed with the little fella or go for his other litter mates?
Questions and concerns on a puppy with a kink tail
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Kinked tail,,not,a,big deal...not likely mom,stepped on it. More,likely congenital.
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Ask if the pup is any pain from the tail problem. My boy Reilly came home with a broken tail as a pup. His tail hurt whenever you touched it. I couldn't brush it. Worth asking.
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Are you going to breed or show him? If not, I'd say go for it. 
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Oh, good point! I wouldn't have thought of that!
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Many dogs do not like having their tail brushed...a behaviorial thing...some of mine ar better than others...
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Maybe ask if you can take him to a vet you trust to look at it. And if they say anything is wrong if the breeder will pay for it.
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A friend had a litter with several puppies with kinks in the tail. It was evident after birth. It happened in the womb. They all went on to have normal lives. I would not be concerned.
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The only 4 dogs that I have "groomed" did not mind the tail brushed. I always started as they laid down and finished up in a stand.
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My Jacks has a kink in his tail. It feels like two vertebra that fused together towards the end of his tail. It may well have been an injury due to the mom stepping on it and breaking the tail. Who knows. And he was the only one in his big litter that had that broken tail tip.
I was told right up by somebody who was trying to encourage me to show him that it would not be a problem.
If it is a nice litter, nice breeder, everything else is up-up, and you like the puppy - go for it. Because they have all that hair on the tail, you don't really notice the kink anyway. They wag the tails just the same as any other dog.
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Just for fun - you see where the tail is bent in the middle? That's the kink. It's still there and still feels the same. Doesn't bother us or him.
I was told right up by somebody who was trying to encourage me to show him that it would not be a problem.
If it is a nice litter, nice breeder, everything else is up-up, and you like the puppy - go for it. Because they have all that hair on the tail, you don't really notice the kink anyway. They wag the tails just the same as any other dog.
Just for fun - you see where the tail is bent in the middle? That's the kink. It's still there and still feels the same. Doesn't bother us or him.
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How old is the puppy now? Do you have a vet (either from previous pets or thru friends) that you could take the puppy to? And I do not mean to disrespect the breeder's vet but IMHO I like to have a vet that knows my dog from the first thru the last day; therefore to me that vet's opinion weighs more in my decision making.
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10,535 Posts
Most kinks are due to an issue with the vertebra in the tail, like a birth defect. Although I was once told that there could potentially be neurological issues, I have never seen or heard of that. I had a girl years ago who seemed to produce one or two in each litter. Rarely was it noticeable as an adult. One of her puppies even produced a boy who was born with a stub for a tail. He was fine as an adult and looked a bit like a giant cocker spaniel
I wouldn't let a kink put me off an otherwise nice puppy, whose parents and ancestors have all 4 required clearances.
I wouldn't let a kink put me off an otherwise nice puppy, whose parents and ancestors have all 4 required clearances.
Oh thanks so much for all the advise, everyone. The litter is 8 weeks old now so we can finally take one home. We are going to see how the pups interact with the rest of the family and bring along our vet before the final decision. We really appreciate all the help!
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I just found a kink in my puppy's tail she is nearly 8 weeks old I think I trod on it on a lttle walk she squeaked a bit seamed to be okay all four paws she seams fine biting my ears and nose
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