I use underglaze for mine, then fire to cone 04 and then do a clear glaze. And trust me, i've had plenty of tails and feet fall off. learning to attach right is a challenge. with the tail, maybe thicker and wrap it around so there is some connection to the rest of the piece for stability. Amaco and mayco underglazes can add some vibrant color so you would have more options. just make sure to match your clear glaze to the clay body (low fire/mid fire/high fire). I think you've done an amazing job sculpting for the first one. I use paint brushes with water to smooth the surfaces.