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Curly tail

Curly tails aid dogs in balance and stability, facilitate movement in working breeds like Basenjis and Akitas, provide warmth in colder climates, and convey emotions and intentions through their position and movement, such as indicating confidence or fear.

Affected Genes: ACE, others

Inheritance: Complex Inheritance

Variant(canFam6):
ACE_chr9:12461897: A>C
Curvy_Tail chr1:78870578: T>C

Curly tails can help dogs with balance and stability when moving in difficult areas, such as on furniture or window ledges. They can also help dogs move while working, as in breeds like basenjis and Akitas. In colder climates, curly tails can provide extra warmth. Dogs can use subtle tail movements to convey a range of emotions and intentions to communicate. For example, a tail held high and slightly curved over the back can indicate confidence, alertness, or excitement. A lowered or tucked tail may signal fear, nervousness, or submission.

References:
Heinrich J, Berger C, Berger B, Hecht W, Phillips C, Parson W. The LASSIE MPS panel: Predicting externally visible traits in dogs for forensic purposes. Forensic Science International: Genetics 2023 66:102893.

Plassais J, Kim J, Davis BW, Karyadi DM, Hogan AN, Harris AC, Decker B, Parker HG, and Ostrander EA. Whole genome sequencing of canids reveals genomic regions under selection and variants influencing morphology. Nat Commun. 2019;10(1):1489.