Liesje
Posted : 7/19/2007 5:59:50 PM
My Aussie friends tell me their tails are docked so they don't get caught in brush or fences, but then I wonder why Border Collies, who also herd lower to the ground, always have tails? It doesn't really matter to me, since I'm not an expert on either breed, I've just always wondered why one had a tail and the other didn't.
I really don't know anything about dew claws or whether my dog has them. I guess I will have to check on Saturday!
Personally, ear docking makes me kind of uncomfortable b/c I don't really see the necessity, but hey I've got two cats that don't have any front claws (removed just prior to me adopting them) so who am I to talk?
Aesthetically, I can't really decide what I like better. We've had several purbred Dobes at our shelter recently, half w/ docked ears and half natural. I like the looks of both for different reasons.
Is there a reason Rottweilers have docked tails? Is it true it's popular to leave them undocked in Europe? I read that they feel it's far easier to "read" a dog that has a tail, and since the breed has a bad rap, they don't want it looking any more scary or unpredictable than it already is (so people think).