How is the Swedish Elkhound's tail characteristically carried when the dog is alert?

Invariably carried tightly curled or bent over the dog’s back

The tail is a significant indicator of both the breed’s spitz heritage and the dog's current emotional state. It is characteristically thick where it joins the body and tapers toward a point. However, the defining manner of carriage is that the tail is set rather low on the back and is consistently carried tightly curled or bent over the dog's back when the animal is actively alert or in motion. If the dog becomes relaxed or is resting, the tail might hang down, although it is noted that it rarely drops completely straight, unlike the carriage seen in hound breeds.