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10 Cute Dog Breeds that Are Born Without a Tail

We all know dogs with floppy ears and beautiful tails similar to the appearance of a wolf. But over the many years of domestication, certain dog breeds are born without a tail.

What may look weird to some people is actually very cute and wanted by others. Dogs that are born without tails or with small ones fall under the category of bobtailed breeds.

Responsible for the most known bobtail breeds is an ancestral T-box gene mutation (C189G).

Dogs with a bobtail are naturally born with this trait and should not be confused with docking.

Modern tail docking is done for aesthetic reasons and often practiced without anesthesia which makes it extremely painful for the dog.

Docking and cropping are banned in many countries like Germany, Australia, Italy, Norway, and the list goes on and on. You can find the complete list on Wikipedia.

Dogs with short tails ≠ Dogs with no tails.

There’s a difference between a tailless dog and one that has been equipped by nature with a little stub, even though many people assume that some breeds are cropped or just don’t have one.

Dogs with short tails are being achieved through selective breeding and are natural.

Below you will find a list of 10 dog breeds that are naturally born without a tail.

You may also find bobtailed dogs within normally tailed breeds.

Due to breeding, there are actually over 170 breeds among which dogs with short tails (bobtails) can occur.

The mutated gene is a dominant gene so we may see more dogs without tails in the future.

A little side note: Three of the breeds mentioned here are actually among the 10 Favorite Breeds in the US too.

So what are the breeds born with a short tail or no tail at all?

There are actually five breeds often mentioned as having no tail, when in fact they do have short tails (called a nub or stumpy tail):

  1. French Bulldog
  2. Boston Terrier
  3. English Bulldog
  4. Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
  5. Miniature Schnauzer (long tail or bobtail)

Whereas some are born with short stumpy tails, these are the only breeds that can be born without tail:

  1. Brittany Spaniel
  2. Braque du Bourbonnais
  3. Pembroke Welsh Corgi
  4. Brazilian Terrier
  5. Croatian Sheepdog

Do French Bulldogs Have Tails?

Beige French Bulldog in a bright orange harness.
Photo by Samuel Sng on Unsplash

The French Bulldog is born with a very short and stumpy tail that covers the anus (according to UK breed standard).

French Bulldogs were originally used for ratting and selective breeding gave them this short and cute tail.

The French Bulldog is probably the first breed that came to your mind when thinking about dogs without or with short tails.

Brittany Spaniel

Brittany Spaniel in the snow.
Photo by Anna Kimbell on Unsplash

Brittany Spaniels were historically bred as gun dogs and are still being used for various sports.

While most dogs in this breed have short tails, some are actually born tailless.

It is not known whether the short tails occur through natural mutation or breeding with other Spaniels.

Boston Terrier

Boston Terrier laying on the bed.
Photo from Unsplash

Are Boston Terriers born with tails? Yes, they are and the little tail on a Boston Terrier is called a “nub” and is mentioned as a standard characteristic.

A long or docked tail disqualifies a Boston Terrier from registration which makes it hard for long-tailed dogs to be recognized as purebred.

English Bulldog

French Bulldog exploring the forest.
Photo by Bryan Hanson on Unsplash

Do Bulldogs have tails? Yes, Bulldogs are naturally born with a short straight or screwed tail while the straight one is more desirable according to the breed standard.

Just like with any other breed, there are abnormalities and bulldogs can be born with a long tail.

However they are just as great as companions.

Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

Grey Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog laying in the grass.
Photo by allison christine on Unsplash

Opposite to the Australian Cattle Dog, this breed is naturally born with a stumpy tail (as the name suggests) that is no longer than 4 inches (10 cm for our metric friends).

The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog was specifically bred to withstand the harsh environment of the Australian outback while herding livestock.

This rare breed is only being officially bred in Australia and Canada.

Braque du Bourbonnais

Three Braque du Bourbonnais on leashes.
Photo by MJ Klaver on Flickr

The mutation of the Braque du Bourbonnais’s tail has been discovered as being identical to the Brittany Spaniel.

This breed was also called “short-tail pointer” and originated in France although it’s mostly being bred in the USA today.

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Pembroke Welsh Corgi smiling into the camera.
Phoo by Florencia Potter on Unsplash

Are Corgis born without tails? A short or missing tail is a very desirable trait in the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and really distinguishes it from the longtailed Cardigan Welsh Corgi.

Corgis were being docked for a long time until it became illegal in many countries and breeders had selectively bred for this trait.

The tiny tail on the Corgi is caused by a recessive mutation in the T-gene.

Brazilian Terrier

Brazilian Terrier posing on a dog show.

The tail length of the Brazilian Terrier can vary from long to completely missing but the docked tail is seen as the breed standard.

The origin of this small tri-colored dog is not completely discovered and different theories mention the Jack Russel Terrier and Fox Terrier as ancestors.

Croatian Sheepdog

Croatian Sheepdog sunbathing on the pavement.

The Croatian Sheepdog used to be naturally born with a long and curly tail which was usually being docked.

After docking became illegal in Croatia, selective breeding was the only way to keep passing on this trait.

Today, most dogs are born with a very small or no tail at all.

Miniature Schnauzer

Two Miniature Schnauzer in the yard.
Photo by Sebastian Coman Travel on Unsplash

Just like the Croatian Sheepdog, Schnauzers are naturally born with a long tail. The natural mutation of the T-gene allows breeders to keep the desirable bobtail.

Traditionally, Schnauzers were always docked like many other small farm dogs as a part of the AKC terrier group.

Tail Docking

Docking is a very old practice to remove parts of or the whole tail of a dog.

Like I said, naturally occurring bobtail breeds should not be confused with docked breeds.

Tail docking occurs in two different ways:

  1. The first way involves surgical removal of the tail with scissors and is often practiced with dogs older than 6 months which makes it an amputation.
  2. The second involves a tight band that is being wrapped around the tail when the puppies are 3-5 days old until the tail falls off.

Looking back into history, tail docking had the purpose of adjusting the agility and health of dogs so they could perform baiting, fighting, and ratting.

Today, tails are docked for cosmetic purposes to alter the appearance of the dog. Over the past 20-40 years, many countries completely banned docking and cropping.

A lot of criticism was directed at the AKC for promoting tail docking as some of their breed standards, making it impossible to register an undocked dog.

Organizations like the American Veterinary Medical Association are fighting for the removal of these unnatural breed standards.

Are Rottweilers Born without Tails?

Yes, Rottweilers are naturally born with a long curled tail. It is extremely rare that you will encounter a Rottweiler that has been born with a bobtail, it will most likely be docked.

I own a Rottweiler myself and love her long tail swinging around. It’s essential for communication.

You will see a docked Rottweiler in the USA more often than a German Rottweiler because docking and cropping have been banned here.

A docked tail also does not align with the (original German) breed standard and is totally unnecessary.

So no, you will not find a Rottweiler without a tail.

Next time somebody asks you “Are Rottweilers born with tails?” please shout YES.

It saddens me how many people think it’s natural for a Rottie to be tailless due to the docking practices.

There’s actually a full article on Rottweiler tail docking.

Are Boxers Born with Short Tails?

Boxers are not being born with short tails, and certainly not without tails either. They are traditionally docked at a young age to meet the AKC breed standards.

An undocked Boxer is even being penalized for not having a short tail. This docking is purely for appearance and serves no other purpose.

Some bobtail boxers were being bred over time and exported to other countries but they are extremely rare.

You will find them most often in countries like Australia where breeding clubs demand them to be bred this way.

The regular Boxer should have a long tail.

Are All Dogs Born with Tails?

Although most dogs are born with long or small tails, some breeds may come into this world completely tailless like the Brittany Spaniel and the Welsh Corgi.

In the beginning, all of the old and original dog breeds had tails but selective breeding and gene mutation altered this appearance.

Share your thoughts on tail docking with me in the comments and let me know if you have encountered any of those bobtail breeds.

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Disclaimer: This blog post does not substitute veterinary attention and does not intend to do so. I am not a veterinarian or pet nutritionist. If your dog shows any sign of illness, call your vet.

About Danielle

Equipped with 5+ years of expertise as a Rottweiler owner, I partner with licensed veterinarians and trainers to share research-backed and actionable advice for you and your furry friend.

LaToscha

Thursday 28th of April 2022

Hello-I just had a litter of puppies (Chihuahua's) I noticed chi's weren't listed so I wanted to list this. x3 out of the x5 puppies were born with no tails . It's very much genetics-The mom has a long tail and the dad has a nub or bob-tail, which gave me "no tail" chihuahua's. My husband thought I was just making this up, so I'm glad I came across your post and it gave me clarity about these puppies who have no tails. So if it's not documented or somehow I can prove that they do to the world...well here you have it Chi's can be born tail-less as well! -Thanks for this!

Phil Rowe

Monday 7th of March 2022

I have a mixed breed whose mum was a Border Collie crossed with a Poodle, and his dad was a Jack Russell. He's short haired black and tan and was born with a bobtail. Half the litter were bobtail and half long tailed. People are constantly mistaking him for a Rottweiler puppy and I often hear people remarking that he must have been docked when in fact he was born that way.

Debi

Wednesday 14th of April 2021

You did not mention the Schipperke. They are almost always born with just a nub, and it is so cute when they try to wiggle it.

Faith

Wednesday 13th of January 2021

My friend is helping us find a puppy and she found one born November 16 female chihuahua; I really wanted to know if she will have any problems or concerns I should be aware of? I had to put a puppy down because he had a genetic disorder that didn’t allow him to feel ability to urinate and he didn’t make it; he died at 10 months old! Thanks so much

Danielle

Thursday 14th of January 2021

Hey, it's really sad when puppies this young don't make it, especially if it's due to a preventable genetic disorder. If you're buying from a breeder, read my article on breeder questions which should be a good start for you. There's more to picking the best puppy for you than health (although the most important aspect).

General genetic disorders can be avoided with the right health tests as well as making sure that the reputable breeder has x-rays of the parents' hips/elbows, heart and eye tests and breed-specific issues - the Chihuahua club as well as other veterinary sites/foundations should have resources on that. Great breeders are quite rare but will do anything and everything to ensure they're breeding healthy puppies.

Cheers, Danielle

Herman

Thursday 17th of December 2020

My Jess just had a litter of 10 now and one pup was born with no tail, not even a stub.

Anna

Wednesday 6th of January 2021

Hi Herman,

What type of dog is Jess?

Thank you,

Anna

Danielle

Thursday 17th of December 2020

Hey Herman, it can occasionally happen that dogs are born tailless, even though they usually have one. Just depends on the breed and individual puppies. Hope your pups are healthy and well :).