The Pug tail is supposed to curl tightly and sit right over the back end. If a Pug is champion quality and competing in the ring, they are scored for the quality of their tails. The Double Curl is ideal and gets more points. If a Pug tail is loose and not tightly wound in a nice curl, points are deducted. 

Henry’s tail is a double curl. It is very tight and sits high upon his back end. Louie’s tail was somewhat loose although not too bad. I would say it was a single curl. I have seen Pug tails that do not curl at all.

Pugs express many emotions with their tails. The wagging tail of happiness we all know, as well as the happy butt shake, but did you know that when a Pug is insecure or unhappy they communicate this very clearly by dropping their tails?

A dropped Pug tail is a sure sign of uncertainty. Henry’s tail often drops while he is waiting for me to sit down and provide a lap. If I am ignoring him because I am busy and do not have time to “assume the position” his tightly wound little tail just collapses.

Nothing makes a Pug look more unattractive than a dropped tail hanging down. Gone is it’s former beauty, the tight spiral of confidence and happiness. In its place hangs a shaggy looking, crooked thing that doesn’t even resemble a tail.

Because the Pug tail is built to curl, it looks might funky when unfurled. Every time I see Henry’s tail droop I ask him what is wrong. What can Mama do to make it all better? Usually, whispering some sweet nothings and giving him a few strokes down his back breaks his unhappy trance.

The minute a Pug is reassured and feels better, the tail pops right back up! Voila!

Perky curled tail, perky happy Pug!