Tail Docking

[seffieuk]

I must admit to being a docked tail lover - my breed is dobermanns and I really don't like the look of an undocked dog. Will some breeders ignore the change I wonder? I have seen little puppies have their tails docked and they barely notice it being done. I know the argument that it is not natural but - I have also seen many a dog with a thinish tail that has been split or even broken and it never seems to mend properly - what do you think?

 

[black angel]

Just a reminder that if it turns into a heated debate this will get closed, and please remember everyone has their own opinion.

Im a lover of docked tails but do see the other side of it being unnecessary to some breeds now.

I have a docked german pointer and i believe this breed if used for work needs the tail docked. Isnt removal of the dew claws more painful?

 

[seffieuk]

thanks for reminding people - just wanted to stimulate some discussion, not have a heated debate!

 

[raptorrex]

well there is no getting round the fact that my first [size=-1]Rottweiler, who's tail was docked, was a fine looking animal. but my second one was not docked, i have noticed some things, having had such a close comparison. when rotti two walks or runs, he does so with his legs in-line. rotti one always ran with a little bit of under steer. rotti two is much happier navigating in small areas. it did take a while to get used to the look. but now i would never have a docked rotti again.. but if you consider the mess of most CC reg dogs genetics are in through the inbreeding and constant introduction of faulty genetics, to acheave a type of look. docked tail, is far from most dogs biggest problems. [/size]

 

[l.michelle]

Sorry to sound ignorant, but aside from looks, why do they dock dogs' tails? Are there any advantages to it? I know that seffieuk's argument is:

I have also seen many a dog with a thinish tail that has been split or even broken and it never seems to mend properly

I have never seen a dog with a thinish tail, nor one that has been split or broken. I have never had a dog with a docked tail and that has never happened to any of my dogs before, nor any dog I have ever seen without a docked tail. So is there really any advantages to it?

 

[raptorrex]

Sorry to sound ignorant, but aside from looks, why do they dock dogs' tails? Are there any advantages to it? I know that seffieuk's argument is:

I have also seen many a dog with a thinish tail that has been split or even broken and it never seems to mend properly

I have never seen a dog with a thinish tail, nor one that has been split or broken. I have never had a dog with a docked tail and that has never happened to any of my dogs before, nor any dog I have ever seen without a docked tail. So is there really any advantages to it?

well for working dogs and hunters the advantages are there, one less thing to get hurt.

to be fair it is done no more for looks than anythig else, most of the uses a tailess dog has are now illegal.

 

[babybell911]

There are good reasons to have a dog's tail docked. Working dogs especially. Springer's will run through brambles barbed wire, infact most things when they're out working having a tail is a disadvantage in this as it gets caught and ripped on things. Same with most working breeds to be honest.
Also some dogs just should be docked. I knew a boxer with a tail long thin one and she used to get so excited when she was wagging it she'd take out everything in the surrounding area, whip your legs and bang it on things causing cuts and damage to her tail.
I also think some dogs just look better docked.

 

[raptorrex]

There are good reasons to have a dog's tail docked. Working dogs especially. Springer's will run through brambles barbed wire, infact most things when they're out working having a tail is a disadvantage in this as it gets caught and ripped on things. Same with most working breeds to be honest.
Also some dogs just should be docked. I knew a boxer with a tail long thin one and she used to get so excited when she was wagging it she'd take out everything in the surrounding area, whip your legs and bang it on things causing cuts and damage to her tail.
I also think some dogs just look better docked.

lol but if we had not messed with there genetic make up they would have a tail that was not so frail. in the end they dont have a tail to please us, it has a use, balance being one of them, but i suppose it dosent matter that a dog needs a tail, as long as we think it looks better of all the reasons to have a dogs tail docked, the most stupid and indefencable is coz it looks nice.

 

[KathyM]

To be honest, the majority of "working" breeds don't work at all, so I'm not a fan of that as an excuse for docking really. My feeling is that the ban is a wonderful thing if it is enforced properly. I also feel that docking is unecessary in any dog unless there is a history of repeated or severe injury to the tail. Many working dogs work fine undocked.

On the subject of thin, whiplike tails, this is a common excuse used for docking the breed I love, the Boxer. However, their tail can be compared to a greyhound's tail (one of the few breeds I have seen with an injury to their tail - from over-kennelling) and we don't dock greyhounds as a matter of course.

I think really it's all about looks to many docking supporters, and everything else is secondary. Personally, having owned two docked dogs now (not docked out of my choice - rescued as adults), I'd much prefer for them to be able to retain their tail as it's one of their primary means of communication and the "side effects" of docking include other dogs not being able to read some docked dog's "signals" properly.

 

[geo7x]

I completely agree with Kathy on this subject

I own an undocked springer spaniel, and i have never seen a dog run through the undergrowth like he does, and he does it all the time on a walk, hes not one of those dogs who trots along next to you on the path, if you take him for a walk, you wont see him for much of it. He has never had any injuries to his tail.

'Working' dogs are nomore, we don't go out in the fields to catch our dinner do we? We don't need guns and dogs anymore, and if we do then its for sport which IMO is just stupid and pointless anyway, and even if it wasn't I don't see why the dog should be docked, as i say, me dog is fine and i cant see how a dog can tear through the brambles anymore than he does, and why should he have to suffer and lose a part of his body in the name of 'sport' anyway??

I am totally with the ban and I see no point in docking whatsoever, and I am so glad its going right out, and thats how it should be. The only reason that has any meaning or proof to it is that dogs are docked is because some people think it looks nice, well i just think thats plain selfish to be honest. Why does it look nice? Why does something completely unnatural look nice? Docking removes a whole part of a dog's body, and it's not a pointless part that you can just chop off, it's a large part of how the dog communicates through body language, and to be honest I can't help but feel sorry for those poor dogs who have nothing to wag but the tiniest little stump.

if there is a valid reason to have dogs' tails docked then i would like to hear it, as to me, all the evidence and facts are stacked against docking. It is completely unnecessary.

 

[grahamsokel]

well without putting my head on the block i am going to say I am anti docking always have been and always will be.
We even had a mini poodle get a 3rd at crufts in a class of 10 and she was a home bred undocked.
I just cant see the point in it.
My vet would never dock and when the gundog owners used to come in and want tails docked she always said she wouldnt but if the pups ever had a tail injury while working she would treat it free of charge.Not once did she get a tail injury come in.

 

[Bloo]

I had a very civilized and long thread on croping and docking - though unfortunately the poll feature doesn't work any longer with the new forum version.
Seffie - you and I seem to have very similar tastes for our Bengals and Dobermanns ! You have good taste

I wonder if it's a case of what you're used to see (??), but I too dislike undocked Dobermanns - however absolutely hate the cropped ear look.
For the rest, I'm not getting involved in this topic where neither party will ever agree OR convince with the other. People don't sit on the fence on this topic and I'm not getting involved in an argument

 

[killifish1]

tail docking is cruel end of!

 

[mollymad]

I am for tail docking, but am not distraught that it has now been stopped because I do believe that most reasons for docking are not now relevant. I breed mini Schnauzers and am struggling to come to terms with tails but hey nevermind give me time.I certainly will not flought the law and all my pups from now will be left . People say working dogs need to be docked without thinking why.Spaniels are used as Flushers especially the Cockers where going into undergrowth undetected and running round like loonies on command to flush out birds was their job but very few Cockers are now worked and everyone who knows a Spaniel will tell you that with a tail you would hear them a mile off!!! Also I have heard (it sounds daft I know) that there used to be a tax on tails like a tax on windows and so people cut them to avoid tax!! ( I told you I sounds daft) I have had my Labrador bust her tail so many times that she now does not grow hair on the end Labs need their tails for swimming so figure that one. I have seen pups docked at 3to 5 days old and they dont loose any blood and barely notice but a 2 week old pup was bitten on the face and it screamed uncontrolably for 30 mins thus reinforcing that their nevous systems are not fully developed at 3 to 5 days. These are some of my thoughts ,thankyou for reading.

 

[K.J.]

I'm not in the UK. But does tail docking hurt the dog? Unless it actually serves a working purpose, I think it's pretty stupid. It's like getting your, say, toes amputated for looks.