tail docking.

[sako 243]

I read in the papers today that MSP`s are trying to introduce a total ban on tail docking for dogs.As an owner of a dog who suffered badly as a result of cutting its tail every time he was working,how can they claim it is in the dogs best interests not to be docked.surely they can see that working dogs will suffer years less pain if docked.Are MPs born lacking common sense or do they get special training?

[andyjevs]

I have two English Springers and both have their tails docked.
Even though they are pets, they still retain their working dog traits and are in and out of the bushes and brambles flushing the birds out at every opportunity.

Heavens knows how much damage they'd have if they had tails.

It's a painless excercise which causes the dog no distress at all

[sako 243]

it is too easy for people with no experience of working dogs to "claim" there is no need for it without them seeing the damage,andy.i wouldnt say it was totally painless but there is no comparision to a lifetime of pain.

[brackenbird]

couldnt agree more,trotting around a ring with a brush in your hand and lifting it on to a table for inspection need i say more! these people only know about showing and not working whitch is the dogs natural envirorent and where the damage is done.i have had numerous spaniels which have been docked, more lately one dog whitch the vet wouldnt dock ended up with such an infected tail it ended up being docked , i wonder what pain the dog went through before the docking?

[brackenbird]

couldnt agree more,parading around a ring with a brush in your hand and lifting it onto a table, need i say more!is not the dogs natural enviroment and where the damage is done.i have had numerous spaniels all which have been docked,more recently a young dog which the vet wouldnt dock ended up with such an infected tail that it had to be docked.i wonder how much PAIN it went through before this?

[sako 243]

spot on brackenbird.you would have received 3 star rating but grammar very poor.work on it a wee bit.

[Toureman]

How can you critisize other peoples grammar sako? Your two short posts have 10 grammar mistakes in them!

[lankeela]

Can you tell me what sort of work a Yorkshire Terrier does that necessitates it being docked? And why do English Pointers have full tails, when German Pointers are docked?

Before you get on your high horses, I am NOT against docking for the right reasons, but am fed up to the back teeth of people trying to justify what is pure and simple cosmetic surgery because they think a dog looks better without its tail. All I ask is that you are honest about it.

A warning to all those of you out there without any particular opinion on this, this thread will run and run, like it has on every other dog related site I am on, with arguments for by the pro dockers and against by the anti's. Even those of us who don't care one way or the other like to have our say! Whether they like it or not, docking will be banned, whether it is for the right reasons or not, as so many MP's are against it.

[Kimmiebear]

For the sake of saying my piece, I refuse to be present when there are tail docks done at work. The pups scream and the whole joint ends up smelling like blood. For the right reasons, docking is fine, and I don't think that an all out ban is the answer, however for the show ring or for couch potato dogs let them have their tails and their ears for that matter.
Cheers
Kim

[sako 243]

toureman, i can critsize him because he is my brother and i was having a joke,so if you are not going to answer the question please go and waste someone elses time. lankeela,you say all you want is me to be honest about it .can you not read about the dog i have that until it was docked suffered badly every time it was working.i agree on there is no need for cosmetic purposes but an outright ban will not distinguish between nessecity and looks and is very unfair on working dogs. kimmiebear,afraid you will never rise to the dizzy heights of being an mp as you show signs of having far too much common sense

[Eels]

Tail docking should never, ever be done for cosmetic purposes - Yorkies, Boxers and Dobermans should never be docked. IMO working Spaniels and very occasionally working Terriers are the only breeds which should be routinely docked.

The real problem here is that vets are currently on very thin ice in terms of tail docking, and most of them aren't daft enough to risk their career by doing it, because their governing body is quite anti.

If a ban does come into force, tails will continue to be docked, but not by vets. They'll be done in back yards with dirty equipment and pups will suffer and die as a result.

The only way to address it sensibly is to fully legalise docking but only for prophylactic reasons (so that the breeds allowed are specified) and only by qualified personnel.

[clair3934]

Personally I like to see full tails on dogs but i have a Weim that nearly had to have his tail amputated because be kept bashing it when he got excited and started wagging his tail he is only a pet and I love the look of him with his tail and really didn't want the op done but if it would have helped him I would have done it but luckily my vet was very good and told me that he would do anything to save the tail as amputation is very painfull for the dog and they normally have to prescribe a strong painkiller post op. not 2 months on he still has his tail and is a very happy chappy!

In pets unless it is very nesessary I can't say that I like it much but in working dogs I really think that it is a very good Idea the last thing any owner wants is an animal in pain and if the dog gets its tail snagged etc. it could get infected and cause more pain than the docking when only a pup.

[woofgang]

and......it got banned!! :-)