Internet Can't Cope With Dog's Tail After 'DNA Forgot To Turn Off' Growth

Newsweek

6 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, sporting unique coloring and personalities, but one recent social-media post quickly captured the attention of internet users after an owner showed off her dog's unusually long tail.
Reddit user u/juleslizard shared the post to the subreddit channel r/WhatsWrongWithYourDog with photos of her rescue dog, who came from an animal shelter in Mississippi. She was told that her canine is a Great Dane mix; she believes he has some German shepherd somewhere in his makeup due to his fur.
But what stands out to the owner, and the thousands on Reddit who saw the photos, is the canine's unusually long tail. The July 15 post joked that the animal's "DNA forgot to turn off" the part for tail growth.
The dog's tail is about the length of his entire body. One picture shows him standing in the shower with his tail down, barely above the tiled floor. It is hard to get a spot on the couch with him, as his tail stretches out across an entire cushion. The owner said it will grow longer as her pet is still a pup; the animal shelter said he recently turned 1 in April.
The Great Dane mix's unusually long tail is seen on a couch, left, and on grass, right.
The Great Dane mix's unusually long tail is seen on a couch, left, and on grass, right.
juleslizard/Reddit
Many viewers advised the owner to count the vertebrae on the tail and she said there were 21, but she is not a professional and went only by the feel of each one, she told Newsweek via Reddit messaging.
A dog's tail is an extension of the spine, containing multiple bones. Canines can have anywhere between five and 23 vertebrae, with an average number of 20. This tally varies with different dog breeds.
The owner wrote in a comment on the post: "Based on his gigantic clown shoes, we think he's still going to get bigger, certainly heavier. The vet said he is underweight and 'in his gangly teenager stages.'"
And despite many thinking his long tail gets in the way, the owner added that it is the "most graceful part," although there have been a few spilled drinks here and there.
The vet's only comment on the Great Dane mix's unusually long tail was that it matches his outsize paws.
Viewer Reactions
As of Thursday, the Reddit post reached over 17,000 upvotes and more than 275 comments, with viewers flocking to the comment section in awe.
"Dude is half kangaroo," posted one person, while another added: "That's a whip!"
A third user commented: "That isn't a tail, that's a rudder. Bet he's one hell of a swimmer."
One comment read: "He looks like a massive kangaroo mouse! I've never seen such a long tail on a dog. He's really adorable."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [e-mail] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.