See this tail? Of course you do.
Has my tail ever been pulled? Yes. Has my peep ever picked me up by my tail. No. Would my peep ever pick me up by my tail? Probably not.
But, that’s not the case for many Scotties here in the U.S. Many of my brethren and sistren are picked up daily by the jaw and tail to be hoisted up on the grooming table.
Nothing wrong with that. And it’s not cruel. At least I don’t think so.
But Rebecca Cross is in a heap of trouble because she couldn’t break her U.S. habit of picking up Knopa by the jaw and tail.
That’s not the way they do it across the pond. OK. I’ll grant them their own customs and habits. But Knopa doesn’t deserve to have her title stripped just because her handler didn’t follow the customs.
Knopa followed the rules. She won.
What say you my furiends?
Isn’t it more of a crime to poison dogs and beat them than to pick them up the way they’re accustomed to and expect?
Your turn. Bark me your opinion in the comments.
The Scottie Chronicles - Winston's World 
I don’t like that method for moving a Scottie around BUT I definitely do not think they should take Knopa’s title away!!! Why?? The Scot did nothing wrong. I’m telling you – everybody needs to grow a spine and just quick knuckling under to all the complainers. Again, it pains me to even watch that move with the jaw and tail but under know circumstance should the title be taken away or that poor woman be in any hot water. That’s just my two cents for what it’s worth
“Grow a spine” – gotta LOVE THAT!
Ahahaha, my Tereza does this with me sometimes, but she does it so gently that it doesn’t hurt.But I only let HER do this, otherwise I bark……auauauau!
Yeah, my peeps pull on my tail all the time. I love it!
If this is animal cruelty, then all the dog shows in the States should be ticketed. This is how it’s done over here. In fact the terrier’s tail is what was used to pull them out of holes when they were chasing fox and other vermin. As for holding the jaw, this is just a counter-balance to the tail. She is certainly not choking the lass. Mum doesn’t pick us up this way, but she does tug on our tails when we play “go get-im”. It doesn’t hurt and we are not amused by all the complaining. It’s not Knopa’s fault. The title is Best In Show, not Best in Picking Up The Dog.
I was kind of surprised on Twitter earlier when I said, “hey wait, that’s the way you’re supposed to pick us up! that’s what our tails are for!”
Oh dear.
Say what???? The dog gets penalized for something the human did. Typical peep-centric attitude.
I wouldn’t pick you up by your tail.
Good move-you don’t want your eyes pecked out.
You’d do that to moi? Yeah. I guess so.
SHE winced when the tail and head grab was used. Guess a highly groomed dog like that can’t get the body mussed. We’re so proud another scottie has won…
Yep. That’s the important part. She won!
Both Scotts and Doxies are built for tail pulling, especially when stuck in a hole while hunting.
You’re right about that. Thanks for setting everybody straight.
well said, Stu. Mum doesn’t handle me this way as I am not accustomed to it, but she doesn’t think it’s cruel either, especially as nordhuesn said up above, our tails are meant to be used.
Edgar and his mum
Hey Edgar, hope y’all are fine and dandy. I think we should all just chase our tails.
It has been bred into us Scots to have tails the size and shape they are, with specialized musculature so that in case we get “stuck” underground, we can safely be pulled out by our tails.
My tail is a sturdy little handle Yes indeed!
Sweet William The Scot
That’s a good way to put it…..a sturdy little handle. Yes!
That’s what my peeps call it too. Great minds…..Great Scots.
Well, I have been rescued by the tail….once when I jumped off the dock and it was the last thing she could see and grab as I went under. Once when I was escaping up a mountain in the dark for a lark…she went all football on me and grabbed me by the tail. And several times Kenz and I don’t hear her when she is calling us at night cuz we are all a twitter in the hedge row and the only thing sticking out is our tails. She doesn’t think it’s a big deal cuz we gots big muscles in our tails and we have never complained, snapped or even whimpered. She isn’t being mean…and according to all the books she has read, it says the Scottie was bred to have a safety handle on their butts. She doesn’t pick us up that way, she says we are too hefty for that….she always supports our rears when she picks us up. But she doesn’t think it would be a problem with those thin show model Scottie’s….they are very svelte, unlike us who more resemble beer kegs on short leggies. She says if she was in the habit of showing Scottie’s in the USA, she wouldn’t think it out of line. And quite frankly, didn’t even pay it any attention in the Crufts show. We think it’s much a do about nothing. She has no idea how the groomer picks us up and we’re not telling.
Bonnie n Kenzie
HANDLES FOR TAILS!!! Yes. And I’m so glad you’re OK. From that near sinking experience off the dock. WHOA!!!! Here’s to Scottie Tails!
Stu Kangaroos here and Tasmanian Devils are picked up by their tails..when they need to be handled safely…..their tails are all muscle and it is the safest way to handle them for the person but also the painless for the animals..get Ma to googles it and you will see how it is done and why..Roos use their tails to balance and move very strong muscles and Tassie Devils are all muscle! I say if it is safe and painless I see no issue.not like people who let their dogs cling onto something and swing them around thinking it is fun when in fact helicoptering is super dangerous….I think the sweetie should keep her title..loves Fozziemum xx
That’s my tail! All muscle! I knew it was true.
Yep! see even Down under we know the way it goes Stu! 🙂
Knopa won the title after being judged against the Scottish Terrier breed standards. It was not only physical characteristics like her size, head, muzzle, teeth, confirmation, bone and coat that is taken into consideration but also how she ‘shows’, her walk and attitude. What would disqualifying her for something so unrelated to the basis of her win accomplish? Her title should stand, PROUDLY!
I have never used the method of tail pulling but I certainly would if it was the only way I could save my dog from danger, as Bonnie shared what happened to her with us. And thank goodness for tails!
God gave dogs tails for a reason besides showing us how happy we make them!
McDuff & Mom
Yes! Tails for a reason! ARrOOOOOOOOOO!
Our Peeps have never picked us up by the tail….Bites does get in wrestling matches with dad an there is some playful tail pulling….as for the Crufts bunch…Snottie Brits!
The Mad Scots
Oh. I love me some tail pulling.
Mac here…. I ‘love’ it when my peeps and I are watching TV and I am getting a rub down followed by a little tail tug…. Lucy here…touch my tail and I get upset !!
As for the show thingie…. our mom peep has seen that for years at shows…and the handler doesn’t keep that hold on for more than a few seconds. And remember…those Scotties don’t carry any extra ‘weight’ . And yes, that handle has been used to ‘save’ us a few times. !!!!
Wink Wink ….L&M
It is good to see so many talking SENSE on the tail issue, the peep and I have read a lot of ROT from over acting hoomans since Knopa won.
I love the idea of the tail being a handy handly… ArrrooOOOooo!!!
Forget the tail…Crufts.URGHH ! All that washing and grooming ,rolling around in the mud down the park is much better fun ( I pretend not to hear Dad when he tells me to stop ) and I like the way I smell afterwards! Well done Knopa . xxx to all Bonny from Blighty
I was shocked by the reaction. We do it here to show how sturdy scotties are. Didn’t know it wasn’t done everywhere
Knopa didn’t do anything. She won and deserves that title. The handler well she didn’t win – Knopa did. As for handling by picking them up by the tail – no way. I couldn’t ever imagine mom or dad picking up Houdini like that or me for that matter – snorts! XOXO – Bacon
Why Knopa has to pay for the human? that’s not fair… and it has nothing to do with the fact that Knopa was the best dog of the show. I’ve read the sad news about Jagger and two other pups who may be poisoned by rivals/haters…. I still hope it was an accident and no one did that with purpose… but this two cases say a lot about the humanity…
EVEN IF that’s the wrong way to handle the dog, there’s no reason to strip the Best in Show title from them. Fine the handler or suspend her or something, but stripping the title makes NO sense. And I don’t think it’s cruelty anyway. You’d never pick up a boxer that way, but that’s a common way to handle Scotties!
They are a bunch of sore losers. I admit to gently lifting by the tail on occasion. None of the dogs have ever protested.
If they want to change the rules they shouldn’t take the prize off the person who won it in good faith! ❤
We occasionally tug on Jacques’ tail but I can’t say that I would pick him up that way. But I agree, the Scot should not lose the title because of the handler. But I think the more troubling and almost terrifying thing is the poisoning of those poor dogs. It made me so sad to read that… Those poor innocent pups murdered over a trophy. Someone needs to rethink their priorities in life if winning means that much to them.