Docking tails in Dogs. What do you think?

[icemaiden]

I personally think that dogs look better with tails. Its natural after all.

I have witnessed Cocker Spaniel puppies tails being docked and the noise was extremely distressing.

I'm pleased its going to be banned.

[Bellringer]

I agree it should be banned for cosmetic purposes.
But, for working dogs it is better they are docked than having surgery in later life. I have seen spaniels & terriers with broken tails. They then have to have general anaesthetic to be docked and take ages to get over it.

[winny]

I think they should only be docked on working dogs where they can cause problems. Then they should be done properly by a vet. Cosmetic docking is wrong. (well in my opinion anyway)

[horsestache1]

Border Collies!!!!!!!!!! Working dog, never seen their tails docked.

As you can no longer hunt with dogs, why should their tails be docked!

Leave their tails alone, after all they stopped docking horses tails over 100 years ago

[teash]

I`m the owner of JRT`s and a rotties and they`ve docked tails, and i`ll make damn sure the off springs are all docked regardless of if their being used as working dogs or not

[Solarjunkie]

Teash -
why?

[shivvy]

Don't expect teash to answer solarjunkie cause there is no real argument for docking dogs tails. It is all about the looks and nothing to do with their lifestyle. When was the last time any of us with full-tail dogs had to rush our mutts into the vets for an emergency tail removal?

[amonty1144]

I agree that collies are working dogs and do not have docked tails, however as a former sheep farmer, they do not usually work in thick cover(gorse etc) and therefore are not susceptible to tail damage.

In this context , working dogs relates to those used in field sports. It is now illegal to hunt with dogs, however you can hunt foxes if they are flushed to a gun.
Working dogs also relate to those used on shoots, for flushing or retreiving game. These dogs are susceptible to tail damage in cover as are dogs such as terriers used in vermin control.

Tail docking should continue as should fieldsports.

[leelapops]

teash-your comment lacks substance, I don't understand the point of docking purely for cosmetic purposes-it is cruel and uneccessary.

I hate to see dogs without tails. For working dogs, there may be an argument, yes, but in pets, thoroughly pointless.

Lisa.

[clair3934]

It's not all about looks actually!

I have a Weimaraner with a full tail and he cost me a lot of money a few year ago not to mention the worry. He hurt the end of his tail while out on a walk and then kept banging it and damaging it even more, bandaging made very little difference (have you ever tried to bandage a dogs tail?) it nearly got to the point where he might have had to have an amputaion not very nice as you may or may not know.

basically these dogs whether worked or not have very short fur that doesn't give them much protection when it comes to running through bushes etc and most these dogs do this on every walk so damage is unavoidable.

The best way to stop these dogs from suffering pain is to remove most of the tail. At such a young age they really don't feel that much pain the sqeeling noise is just cause they have been taken away from mum.

I would not say that I am pro docking as I have an undocked dog that is traditionally docked but I am pro choice, after going through what I went through with my boy.

[teash]

Liza, I dock the tails because 95% of the puppies that I sell go to people who use them to catch vermin etc, i`m situated out in the sticks so as you can imagine most buyers either live on a farm or us them for hunting

[icemaiden]

I think you were very unlucky clair3934. In your case the only solution was to dock his tail.

Just a thought though, Dalmations have the same type of tails as Weimaraners and their tails are not docked.


Regarding puppies making noises due to separation, the noise I heard when I witnessed a breeder docking tails was because of the pain and not the separation from mum.
I say this because they were silent and content until the breeder started cutting off their tails!

[icemaiden]

Sorry clair3934, your dog didn't need to have his tail docked.
I read it wrong. Glad it got better tho.

[DMFannnn]

Having owned a "non working" terrier with a tail, and having seen him go through tremendous pain after getting caught up in bushes/wire I personally would dock tails from all "working dog" type breeds as although they may not be bought for working its in their natural instinct to do it. I have also witnessed young pups having their tails docked and, to be honest, it doesnt appear as bad as everyone is saying. One little yelp and thats all I heard, then back to mum to give a lick and everythng seemed forgotten. Certainly less stressful than what I had to witness with my dog - the pain which lasted a few days even after he had had his tail amputated. I definitely 100% support docking

[thugulike]

I've had a boxer and 2 rotties and I like the way they look with docked tails. I've had a neapolitan mastiff with a three-quarter tailand now one with a full tail and I'm amazed at how I can better gauge the mood and health of my dog. It wasn't until I had dogs with full tails that I appreciated how much a dog can communicate with a full tail. I would never dock a tail again for cosmetic purposes

[horsestache1]

I own and work 2 BC's and a JRT all have tails, non have problems. My Jack is a fantastic ratter, and even keeps the rabbit population down. My BC's also rabbit (by their choice)

amonty1144, Retrievers, have always kept their tails, and have little or no problems. Now a days most Springers still have their tails, and work very well with them. I have no objection to docking if its for a medical reason, but not just for the sake of it. Hunting hounds all have tails too, again no problems, now they really do go through the thickest of bracken, over and under barbed wire etc, even though we cannot hunt fox anymore, drag hunting does not make the dogs go round obsticles, tails wagging all the while.

Hmmmm come to think of it the Fox goes absolutley everywhere, do we dock its tail!!!!!!

[clair3934]

Ice maiden It's not only to do with the type of tail its also the way they carry them Weims, boxers, rotties etc all carry there tail very high over their backs breeds such as dalmations, grey houds and whippets all carry their tail very low this is why these breeds don't damage their tail. There really is more to tail docking than you think.

It's really sad that people make assumptions to quickly about something without knowing all the facts about these different breeds I wish this weren't the case I wish they had not brough the ban in just regulated docking a little better. ie only vets allowed to do it etc but then we still go out in to the field with sheep and bank their tails to dock them, the same thing can be done to pups to dock their tails, it's quite painless and I've never seen any thing nasty happen using this method I should know I used to work on a sheep farm and have banded thousands of lambs tails

[amonty1144]

It is yet again another knee jerk piece of legislation from a government that feels it must involve itself in things it does not understand. Just look at the Dangerous dog legislation.
In Sweden , where they have had a docking ban for some time, they have found more tail injuries and now genetic tail deformities coming out in breeds that were previously docked.

In respect of the undocked spaniel issue, my partner had his spaniel caught on a barbwire fence with a 3/4 docked tail. And a fox, has a completely different tail altogether

[icemaiden]

It's interesting to hear peoples opinions on such a contraversial subject.

I take on board all your opinions that you have, but surely all dogs are at risk of tail injuries. Do we dock them all to avoid this?