We already mentioned tail carriage a few months ago in the tramp. Lately we notice more and more of them not wearing it in the correct way as the standard mentions. What is happening?
Let’s take a step back! A long time ago, the tail of the Poodle was cut off from the newborn puppies at the first vertebra or a third of its original length so that it would not remain too long. It was thought that the Poodle, being born as a hunting dog to retrieve ducks, might be in the way and prone to injury. Many cut it to win beauty contests and to increase the commercial value of the dog. With the ratification of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, which came into force on 1 November 2011, the European states signed up against the amputation of tails and ears, which should only be carried out as therapeutic and not as aesthetic procedures.
A judgement states that anyone who cuts off a dog’s tail or ears commits the offence of mistreatment of animals and risks imprisonment for 3 to 18 months and fines of 5,000 to 30,000 euros!
That said since then many tramps seem to no longer carry their tails properly. The FCI standard n172 says that the tail of the tramp should be inserted high at the level of the kidney line (ideal deportment at 9.10 o’clock in relation to the back line). What am I to think that in those days they were so well cut that they were thought to be correct? Tails too flattened on the back, curled, too base etc is what we see today in competition and around!!!!
It occurs to me that there is a hereditary factor if we find this problem too present. It should be noted that by covering two subjects with correct tails, the offspring tend to carry them well, if one parent is in the standard and the other is not the litter will be mixed, usually!!!!
It is up to the owners and breeders to try to eliminate this problem as much as possible by not covering carrier animals. They should not be exhibited in beauty contests as they do not comply with the regulations and not be traded. We must try to improve the breed with a strong selection and with more controls on the products obtained.
Private individuals should also be better informed and warned about what they take so that they do not end up with problematic puppies. Respecting the standard is everyone’s duty!!!!! Many countries are doing it, let’s hope that also Italy will do its part.