Lifestyle
Golden Retriever With Cool ‘Black Raccoon Tail’ Is Way Too Cute
Golden Retriever With Cool ‘Black Raccoon Tail’ Is Way Too Cute originally appeared on Parade Pets.
No two dogs are the same. They can look pretty similar, but every single dog has something about them that makes them special. That’s why we typically start out with one, but we end up with several more dogs as life goes on! One is never enough!
Recently, one Golden Retriever went viral for the thing that makes him special. He has a genetic condition that effects him in lots of ways, but the best way is his adorable “raccoon” tail. You’ve probably never seen a Golden Retriever like this before:
Yogi the Golden Retriever is quite possible the best Golden Retriever I’ve ever seen. Not only does he have a rare tail: he’s so well-behaved, too!
Related: Golden Retriever Siblings Reunite in Forever Home and the Cuteness Is Out of This World
Yogi is about five years old, and his tail has been this way ever since he was born. It’s a side effect of his condition, which is a genetic disorder similar to Down syndrome. He has an extra chromosome. According to his mom, they may never have known if not for his tail!
There are several side effects of the condition:
A lack of muscle control in the face/excess skin.
Potential heart complications.
The tail is typically the biggest indicator, seeing as the heart conditions and and lack of muscle control may not become clear until they get older.
He’s not letting anything stand in his way, though. Yogi is living life to the fullest and having the best time:
The presence of an extra chromosome can occur in just about any living animal, but that is not referred to as Down syndrome. Down syndrome is a specifically human condition: also known as “trisomy 21,” it’s caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21. Only humans have that.
If your pet or any animal has an extra copy of a chromosome, you could say they have a trisomy, but specifically calling it Down syndrome is incorrect.
Yogi’s mom has it right! She claims his condition is similar to Down syndrome, but you’ll never catch her saying he has Down syndrome. What he does have, however, is a very cool tail!
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Golden Retriever With Cool ‘Black Raccoon Tail’ Is Way Too Cute first appeared on Parade Pets on Jul 15, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade Pets on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.