Dog breeds with short tails
Some dogs are born with a short or missing tail, while many others have theirs shortened by docking. This list covers breeds whose natural tail is a bob, stub or screw tail, so docked breeds with long natural tails are not included.
10 of 162 breeds in our database
Australian Shepherd
Large, 40–65 lb
Short natural tail: naturally bobbed or docked
- Coat
- Medium, double
- Nature
- Smart, Work-oriented, Exuberant
- Lifespan
- 12–15 years
Boston Terrier
Small, 12–25 lb
Short natural tail: short, straight or corkscrew
- Coat
- Short, smooth
- Nature
- Friendly, Bright, Amusing
- Lifespan
- 11–13 years
Brittany
Medium, 30–40 lb
Short natural tail: naturally bobbed or docked
- Coat
- Short, wavy
- Nature
- Bright, Fun-loving, Upbeat
- Lifespan
- 12–14 years
Bulldog
Medium, 35–55 lb
Short natural tail: short, straight or corkscrew
- Coat
- Short, smooth
- Nature
- Friendly, Courageous, Calm
- Lifespan
- 8–10 years
French Bulldog
Medium, 16–28 lb
Short natural tail: short, straight or corkscrew
- Coat
- Short, smooth
- Nature
- Playful, Smart, Adaptable
- Lifespan
- 10–12 years
Miniature American Shepherd
Medium, 20–40 lb
Short natural tail: naturally bobbed or docked
- Coat
- Medium, double
- Nature
- Intelligent, Good-natured, Devoted
- Lifespan
- 12–13 years
Old English Sheepdog
Large, 60–100 lb
Short natural tail: naturally bobbed or docked
- Coat
- Long, double
- Nature
- Smart, Gentle, Adaptable
- Lifespan
- 10–12 years
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Medium, 22–30 lb
Short natural tail: naturally bobbed or docked
- Coat
- Short, double
- Nature
- Alert, Affectionate, Smart
- Lifespan
- 12–13 years
Rat Terrier
Small, 10–25 lb
Short natural tail: naturally bobbed or docked
- Coat
- Short, smooth
- Nature
- Friendly, Inquisitive, Lovable
- Lifespan
- 12–18 years
Schipperke
Small, 10–16 lb
Short natural tail: naturally bobbed or docked
- Coat
- Short, double
- Nature
- Alert, Curious, Confident
- Lifespan
- 12–16 years
Good to know
The AKC glossary defines a bobtail as "a dog born without a tail, or a dog with a tail docked very short," and a screw tail as "a naturally short tail twisted in more or less spiral formation." Docking simply means "to shorten the tail," so a short tail on a dog is not always a natural one.
The 10 breeds above are the ones whose tail is naturally short or bobbed in our data. 7 of them are described as "naturally bobbed or docked," so a bob is possible but not guaranteed.
Another 41 breeds in our data have a standard that calls for or allows docking, but they are born with full-length tails (examples: Affenpinscher, Airedale Terrier, Boerboel, Bouvier des Flandres). They are left off this page for that reason.
Sources
- American Kennel Club: Glossary of breed standard terms
- American Kennel Club: Dog breeds directory and breed trait ratings
Breed traits come from AKC breed standards and trait ratings. Individual dogs, and especially mixes, can differ from their breed.