10/11/2026
I cannot believe we are actually arguing over the term “Gay Tail” in dogs, but here we are. 🙃 Enjoy Holly Dolder stupidity she refuses to be educated. She is so loudly wrong and very confident about it. Let’s be embarrassed for her, I surely am. What a troglodyte brained h***y.
For those who apparently think this is some new terminology someone just made up, let me educate you a little.
The term “Gay Tail” was being used in canine breed standards as far back as 1899. That’s over 125 YEARS AGO!
It was referenced in the original German Shepherd Dog breed standard as a fault in tail carriage.
The word “gay” historically meant cheerful, lively, or spirited. In the dog world, it refers to a tail being carried unusually high, generally above the topline, depending on the breed standard.
It has absolutely NOTHING to do with sexual orientation, and I cannot believe that even needs to be explained.
Now, before someone jumps in with “Well, my dog raises its tail when it’s excited!”
Congratulations, so do millions of other dogs.
There is a difference between a dog temporarily raising its tail due to excitement, arousal, or environmental stimulation and a dog that habitually carries its tail incorrectly according to its breed standard.
Not every breed is supposed to carry its tail the same way, either. What is perfectly acceptable in one breed can be considered a fault in another.
This is why BREED STANDARDS matter. This is why understanding anatomy, structure, genetics, and the original purpose of a breed matters.
And I don’t care if you’ve been around dogs for 50 years, worked in veterinary medicine, or owned every breed under the sun. Your personal lack of familiarity with a term does not mean that term doesn’t exist.
You can have decades of experience and still have something to learn.
What gets me is the number of people who will argue with someone over terminology they could have researched in less time than it took them to type their comment.
The dog world existed LONG before Facebook, and so did the terminology used to evaluate these animals.
You don’t have to know everything, but you should probably know what you’re arguing about before telling someone else they’re wrong.
And for the record, 1899 is simply how far back we can document this terminology in that breed standard, not necessarily when the term originated.
Some of you really need to crack open an actual breed standard instead of relying on what you’ve personally seen in your backyard.
There is a whole lot more to dogs than just owning one. 🙃
-Cora
Y’all are on my last nerve 🤔
Ps: Holly, MY GOD. 😂 You keep explaining what a croup is as though nobody here understands canine anatomy.
Nobody is disputing what the croup is or that its structure can influence tail set and carriage.
What you’re apparently struggling to comprehend is that CROUP and GAY TAIL are TWO DIFFERENT TERMS describing TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
One is an anatomical structure. The other describes tail carriage.
“Gay tail” is established terminology in canine conformation. It has been used in breed literature for well over a century.
And your assertion that ANY dog carrying its tail vertically MUST have a very short croup is not anatomically accurate. Tail set and carriage are influenced by multiple factors, including structure, breed characteristics, musculature, and arousal.
You’re arguing anatomy with someone who isn’t disputing anatomy in the first place.
And the irony of telling people to study conformation while insisting an established conformation term is something someone invented is absolutely astounding.
You can understand the croup AND understand what a gay tail is. They’re not mutually exclusive.
Please, for the love of everything, OPEN A BREED STANDARD. 🙃
