Shorten a dog's caudal appendage (7)

I believe the answer is:

curtail

'shorten' is the definition.
(I know that curtail is a more specific form of the action shorten)

'a dog's caudal appendage' is the wordplay.
'a dog' becomes 'cur' (a cur is an aggressive or scruffy dog).
'caudal appendage' becomes 'tail' (I've seen this in another clue).
'cur'+'tail'='CURTAIL'

(Other definitions for curtail that I've seen before include "Impose a restriction on" , "Dock" , "Reduce in length" , "Cut short like canine appendage" , "'Cut short, restrict (7)'" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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