tail docking

[Bigeye74]

What was the basis of the ban?

[Illyria54]

I think the basis is that it is for cosmetic reasons only, something that humans decided would 'look better' if specific breeds had 'cleaner lines' when in the show ring, this is how I perceive it anyway, however I am not against working spaniels being docked as there is an element of risk when out in the field that they may injure their tails, though Labradors aren't docked, but I suppose that is because their tails aren't wispy like spaniels, sorry I am rambling and thinking out loud really.
I a nutshell, docking tails in unnecessary.

[tufty7]

Dogs are born with tails and thats where they should be on there back side not in some unscrupulous vets bin ....

happy dog wagging tail unless it is for correct medical reasons not beacuse of its for show and vanity .

[Bigeye74]

To be honest, I was wondering what was sited when the law was passed.
About a third of the men on the planet were born with something that is cut off and no on e passes laws on that.

[chelsea78]

well dog breaders were docking the tails them selfs even though they had no licence to do so and alot of the pups got infections from careless owners,i think vets are the only people that are aloud to dock pups tails now, there was a thing on tv a while back and you saw picures of the poor pups it was awfull

[Dagman]

I know of a person who shows dogs and to avoid prosecution, goes abroad to have the docking done, therefore the law is as usual an ass. I have a dog myself. Wouldn't dream of docking tails for any purpose other than if medically required. As for the lame excuse of 'tails can get damaged!' etc, what a load of pap. What do those dogs do that others don't that warrant a reason? Nowt! You see loads of collies on farms, police dogs etc what more dangerous a place can they be than that and they're not docked! Gun dogs chasing game, what's gonna happen, get tangled in a wire fence? As said, it is cosmetic and, down to people being led by stupid tradition as usual. You people who show dogs, grow up and leave em alone.

[Bigeye74]

Dagman, I�m fairly sure that you can�t show dogs with docked tails now. Also, Denmark has a total ban and has documented a marked increase in cases of tail damage on dogs since the ban.
Still no closer to enlightenment to the actual reason for the law.

[Bellringer]

As in a lot of laws. Some overpaid politician trying to justify their existence by climbing on the animal welfare bandwagon. Granted, a lot of it is done for cosmetic reasons which is pointless but have you ever seen a spaniel who's tail has been broken. Not a pretty sound or sight. They are more enthusiastic than most and the tail (or stump) never stops wagging. I am too old to shoot now and my present spaniel has all her tail as he is only a pet but even so I wonder how she has not hurt it against radiators, doors etc.

[fredpuli47]

How about leaving pups with their tails and, if the adult suffers severe injury to its tail and the vet deems amputation the only treatment, have it amputated then?

There's such nonsense talked about injuries to tails. What kind of preventative medicine is it that dictates a pup's s tail be cut off, just in case, on the off chance, the tail could get seriously hurt in later life?

By the same reasoning, it ought to be legal to crop a dog's ears, just in case its ears get torn in a fight or it's at a disadvantage in a fight (the opponent being able to seize the full ear). Interestingly we did make cropping ears illegal over 100 years ago .

[Bigeye74]

I understand that dogs have a lot of balance problems if their tail is docked in adulthood.
As far as chopping bits off, one word - foreskin.

[Dagman]

Bigeye74, ok, anything you cut off then ban will increase in damage reports, so it's an empty reason. Dogs get damaged ears, noses, tongues,legs, paws etc but we don't cut em off just cos there's a slight risk! Bellringer, I've seen dogs with damaged tails, and broken legs, cuts to the body, faces hit by cars etc but as I said we don't pre-cut bits off to stop it happening it aint right. I've just read that ears are sometimes docked too, come on, is that in the 'risk' category too? They're supposed to have them.

[Noweia]

It's rare that vets see tails damaged by a dog working - in most instances it's long tails being wagged too vigorously (ironically most often ib breeds that were never traditionally docked, e.g. the labrador) and damage due to car accidents.

So the argument that docking was to prevent injury goes out the window!

[ganesh]

I agree with dagman and norweia,and I love to see spaniels with happy ,waggy tails and it would be nice to see more dobermans and rottweilers too in their natural state. Unnecessary docking is barbaric.
As far as foreskin is concerned you do not have to have it cut off either unless you have a medical problem so that argument is irrelevant.
The kennel club have a lot to answer for though,as they are primarily concerned with appearance,not with welfare of dogs!

[Bigeye74]

Ganesh,
the circumcision (?) is on the whole a religious procedure, which blows that arguement out of the water. In fact I can quote a chap that worked for me and stated that I was a good muslim boy as i'd had the chop.