Tail Docking

I'm not saying I like it or dislike it, I was just asking why it is being done in some breeds but not others. 

I didn't really feel like searching too hard, but here are a few past discussions about it. I know we've talked about it several times.

http://community.dog.com/forums/p/9221/117999.aspx#117999

http://community.dog.com/forums/p/10133/129238.aspx#129238

A friend who breeds gorgeous and top winning Dobes said the tail on a Dobie has become so thin and fragile that it breaks easily and is horribly difficult to heal.

As for other breeds the original reasons for most docking and cropping was to avoid injury in  fighting, war, and even routine farm jobs.  I know poodles have ridiculous tails,   all that work grooming and then if not docked there is this ratty looking tail that just looks like it was pinned on!

 My PWC, was docked at 4 days old and the reason their docked is because when they were first in  Wales the farmer didn't have to pay taxes if his dogs tail was docked.

 It's usually done just for the breed standard or because it makes the dog look 'typey'. It's done young for minimal trauma.

Tail docking has recently been made illegal in this country, and is illegal in many others.








 

I have no problem with docking as long as its done right at a few days old. I'm not a big pembroke fan but love Cardigans(not because of the tail). different breeds have different length required; Pems have that bear tail look(no longer than 2" ), Weimaraners are about 6", Dobermans should be docked around the second joint, miniature Schnauzer's should have small ones only long enough to be seen over the backline of the body(standard schnauzers not more than 2" but no less than 1";)..each has its own standard.

 I've heard of boxers tails breaking in countries where docking is now illegal. :(

 *this is Velvet

I like my aussie's docked tail personally. As long as it's done while the pup is a couple days old, I don't see a problem with it. 

do you mean - why is it done for pet dogs AND show dogs/working dogs?

i am of the opinion that its a personal choice and if you dont like it then seek another breed - or a rescued version that isnt cropped or docked. but for the most part some breeders are looking for dogs with show potential and if the standard calls for a docked tail then it MUST be docked(i think thats just silly, but thats a subject for another thread) my opinion is also that if the person is JUST a breeder selling pets then they have no bloody business cropping and docking "pet" dogs. and yes i am only talking about puppy millers and hobby breeders. the show dog breeders dont and wont know if the puppy is show quality or not until its grown up a bit.

and yes there is the historical factor.... it used to be a tax deduction if your dog was cropped and docked because only working dogs were cropped and docked. 

I have two rat terriers.  Breed standard is to dock.  Some are born with natural bob-tail.  My first RT was docked by the breeder at 3 days.  My second is a shelter rescue, picked up stray at a very young age.  She has her full tail.  I love both tails, actually.  So I think if you don't like docked tails, you should avoid those breeds that are traditionally docked or arrange with a breeder NOT to dock the tail of a pup.  Many RT owners have done that, they tell me.  Here are my two girls....(sorry Zipper's full tail isn't standing so you can see it better.) 

Here's a pic of an aussie with a full tail. That's one LONG tail!

I'm going to be precise and to the point here, as I feel very strongly on this topic.

 I am 100% totally against the docking of all animals. Dogs are no exception.

I await the day it becomes illegal in Canada to do, and I do feel that it is inevitable. Too many countries are doing it now for it to be ignored for too many more years.

I don't think there is any purpose for it whatsoever, for pet, show, or working dog. I have seen too many working dogs WITH tails to ever believe that it's necessary. Yes, a dog could have its tail injured. But any dog could have its tail injured doing absolutely anything, and tail injuries in working dogs (in those countries where it is illegal) are extremely low to almost nil, contrary to the docking activist websites. In all countries, there are dogs with similar tail structures, that work similar jobs, over similar terrains. Yet some are docked and some are natural. This evidence supports the theory that it's simply for aesthetics and nothing more. If docking was as beneficial as people claimed, ALL working dogs (this includes BC's, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, GSD's, Goldens, etc) would be docked.

The tail serves far too many functions in a dog's life for it to be removed at the hands of humans.

Those are my condensed thoughts on the topic.

Kim for the most part i agree with you. i have said the same thing about removing dew claws. some feel that they SHOULD be removed because its painful IF the dog rips it off... but i have owned many many dogs in my lifetime and never had one rips its dew claw off.... i even had a dog with double dews.... and never a hint of a problem.

but while preparing for the IF factor lets remove a whole of other things... reproductive organs MIGHT get cancer - thats the scare tactic people use to convince the naive to spay and neuter.... whats wrong with just quoting the statistics of unwanted pets? i've also owned a lot of intact dogs and never once had one develop cancer... or very many puppies for that matter...

lets also remove ears because they could get ripped, and/or get ear infections,  tails can break, or get badly cut and cause infection.... toe nails sometimes give problems because the quick grows to the very tip end so everytime you get the dog's nails clipped he bleeds like a stuck pig AND it hurts! so lets have them declawed while we're at it.

and whiskers! now... i'm not sure WHY show dog people shave the whiskers off their dogs.. but i'm sure there is a very good reason for it.

honestly its pure ignorance on some parts... people want to prevent injury... emphasis on prevent because if you are hunting and your dog has his ear and half the skin on his face ripped off while you're out in the middle of buginfestednowhere then. ... that was a lot of pain you could have prevented..

ETA .. then again there are a lot of people who want to ban hunting too.... cant do anything for that except keep voting against them. 

i'm not sure WHY show dog people shave the whiskers off their dogs.. but i'm sure there is a very good reason for it.

Gotta be honest...there isn't. It's really just to give the dog a cleaner look through the face, and no whiskers are less distracting.