Low Tail Setters

[DogNewbie]

Hello,

I'm curious as to whether there is a specific line of setters that are known to have the traditional low, flat tail on point? Or is this something that you train into the style of a dog? Just curious,

Tim

[Wildweeds]

Those would be full blown bench show ring dogs and old hemlock/ryman type dogs.Excessive training pressure will cause flattailing in the hot field bred dogs,poor confirmation in the hip area regarding the mount of the tail will net a lower tail as well.

Hello,

I'm curious as to whether there is a specific line of setters that are known to have the traditional low, flat tail on point? Or is this something that you train into the style of a dog? Just curious,

Tim

[Brittguy]

I don't feel you can train style into a dog.

[Ruffshooter]

Most of the time those low tail setters and pointer, (points) are just showing their old ancestry before we Americans decided for different reasons we liked the high tail and bred for it. I think you will find there is more of this across the pond. Perhaps Dave C. would chime in on that.

A low tail on a dog that has had to much or incorrect pressure looks much different than a natural low tail point.

[mountaindogs]

Poor conformation in tail "set" does not have much to do with how high the tail is "carried." The tail just has to curve around to go up rather than being straight off the back ....
A proper tail "set" can also still be carried straight out in the older style.

[Trekmoor]

Pointers and setters don't point with high tails here, generally speaking it isn't liked in Britain.

Bill T.

[dan v]

Most of the time those low tail setters and pointer, (points) are just showing their old ancestry before we Americans decided for different reasons we liked the high tail and bred for it. I think you will find there is more of this across the pond. Perhaps Dave C. would chime in on that.

A low tail on a dog that has had to much or incorrect pressure looks much different than a natural low tail point.

A short slide show of a trip to some FT's in Norway/Sweden in 2010.

http://www.wyndancer.com/norway2010.html

[JKP]

If you do enough searching on the internet, you'll discover video clips of young longtails that are bred such that their tails are always upright....much like some hounds...whether running or pointing, the tail is always upright or nearly so. I would think that came through selective breeding because it was decided that was the "look" folks wanted. Both the Pointers and Setters I have seen in Europe point with a lower tail...they are also quite different physically.

When it comes to "looks", I have always maintained that the show girls and the FT boys are that far apart...looking good is very important.

[ezzy333]

Those would be full blown bench show ring dogs and old hemlock/ryman type dogs.Excessive training pressure will cause flattailing in the hot field bred dogs,poor confirmation in the hip area regarding the mount of the tail will net a lower tail as well.

Hello,

I'm curious as to whether there is a specific line of setters that are known to have the traditional low, flat tail on point? Or is this something that you train into the style of a dog? Just curious,

Tim

There are a lot of low-tailed setters that don't fit the above criteria at all. All of our dogs came from low tailed dogs and though we breed for higher carried tails today there are many that still carry them lower. Not sure what conformation has to do with tail carriage but it can effect the tail set. I hunt behind a Lew that carries his down between his legs almost, heck of a good dog but ugly in my eyes.

[DogNewbie]

Thanks everyone! All very interesting.

Pointers and setters don't point with high tails here, generally speaking it isn't liked in Britain.

Bill T.

Bill, do you find that those British dogs have low tails due to breeding or is the style encouraged by the trainer?

[nldd]

super pics Wyndancer , and thanks for the info you provided about the field trials and dogs .the bird cover and land are the same here in newfoundland where i hunt willow ptarmigan,,,i saw two on the wing in one of your pics......as to the tails on the dogs ,i like them the old way,,no 12 oclock or esp,, curled over the back :roll: ....ps most of the bird dogs here are english or gordon setters but many are a mixture of both.

[Trekmoor]

Bill, do you find that those British dogs have low tails due to breeding or is the style encouraged by the trainer?

Nobody I've met so far in Britain or Ireland tries to "style" the dog to hold it's tail in a certain way or at a certain height. I suspect that any dog that held it's tail high in U.S. style simply would not be bred from. Like most other folk in Britain I find the tail pointing up at the sky manner of pointing unnatractive . It , to my eyes, spoils the dogs natural "line."

Bill T.

[DonF]

Bill, do you find that those British dogs have low tails due to breeding or is the style encouraged by the trainer?

Nobody I've met so far in Britain or Ireland tries to "style" the dog to hold it's tail in a certain way or at a certain height. I suspect that any dog that held it's tail high in U.S. style simply would not be bred from. Like most other folk in Britain I find the tail pointing up at the sky manner of pointing unnatractive . It , to my eyes, spoils the dogs natural "line."

Bill T.

I like a high tail but can't take those that look like a stick coming out of a dog's butt. I like my Bodie's especially well. It doesn't come out straight up but rather about two o'clock and then curves to twelve o'clock. Squirt's is usually lower but is above level. As a pup, Squirt had a cycle tail. That I really don't like.