Docking Tails (dogs- want your oppinon).

[monarc23]

Quote:
I've never seen it done...however i was ina vets office when a litter of corgi pupies were getting their tails docked and dewclaws removed...i couldnt help but bawl in teh waiting room. Their shreaks and yelps where so loud even behind closed doors it was LOUD...and just overwhelming.

 

[redhen]

just follow your gut instinct...its usually right....

...peace, Wendy

 

[turnerstar31]

Well speaking for the cattle dogs I really hate seeing them docked. Most people think that they should be and that is not the case. They use their tails much like a cheetah does and it helps them to better move when they are trying to herd cattle. All mine have their tails and its gives them charcter in my opinion. If you also watch ACDs being shown they have to have their tails in order to be shown. Also docking is not all that nice for little puppies. They say that they do not feel it but a friend of mine breed weimeriners and they have to have their tails docked in order to be shown and she said it was awful you could hear the poor pups screaming. They cut off part of the tail than have to take a chunk of another she was telling me. They also do not heal properly sometimes and can cause some problems I guess. For me I really think it is uneccessary to dock tails. They are born with them for a reason.
Edited to add
My cattle dogs have their tails and have worked cattle lots of times and they have never hurt their tails so again for me not really a valid reason to dock.

 

[al6517]

Well let's shed some light on the true reason for docking tails.
CAUTION: if you are a show dog person do not read this as it might hurt your sensitive little feelers.

almost all of the alterations to the appearance of dog's have come from the minds of fancy pant's competion show dog breeders and judges, if for nothing but looks.

So many breeds that once had a real purpose, have had most of those instincts bred out of them for the show ring, looks included. but i do not have the time or the inclanation to rant at this time. but here are a few of them.

Pit Bulls= ( ear docking ) cannot be easily bitten in a fight.
English bull dog= has breathing problems, has been bred to bite the nose of a bull and still breath before going to the bull fighting ring.
Poodle= originally a retrieving water dog, now what do you think.

so you get the idea.


I think you should not have the tail docked, as in this particular breed the tail has a purpose, it helps the dog's balance and mobility.

Here are some of the unfair reasons why people dock the tails.

1. Ugly tail appearance
2. causes some sort of a problem with the functionality of purpose.
3. some show judge, show person or breeder says you have to or you cannot breed or sell the animal.

I think your heart and mind are in the right place, and your concern is only for your dog, good hunting.

AL

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
Thanks Al you said it well!!! Though Im not against show breeders (im not one myself) i see their passion, but i just disagree with it for myself. It's so interesting you say that most purebreds dont even look like what they formerally looked like and were bred for! SO TRUE!!! Cockers Case In Point.

Todays show cocker could barely make it in a hunt, it would need it's fur trimed down drastically, as well as it may not even be able to pick up a bird with as short of mussles as they're breeding on them plus most are way too small! I have learned in my research that Purebred dogs are bred to whatever FAD that decade has for them. Its been said that a certain judge will favor a certain characteristic, and people will breed for this certain characteristic to please the judge and win, then other people start jumping the band wagon and exaggerating these apperances that are "LIked" and before you know it, the breed has been transformed...

CHeck this out (these are ALL GC AKC American Cocker spaniels):

Take a gander at what oneof the first AKC GC cockers looked like 1882:

1896:

1911:

1921:

1937:

1940:

1941:

Close up of a fellow breeder friend of mines female a long while back ( she didnt put a year):

1988:

1997:

2001:

Switzerlands 2007 Champion (they only allow tails there that's why i used this one though i wish they didnt buzz the tail makes it look ratty lol):

Americas accepted version of today:

anyone suprised? Not suprised? I was suprised...LOL. Showy cockers are pretty,but they defeat the purpose of what the breed was originally bred for. Not against show people or show cockers, but I deffinatly see why hunting people taht use cockers make a distinction between the two and say "working cocker".

 

[redhen]

also..if someone "really" loves cockers..they wont care about a tail or not.....i'd take one with a tail(or not) in a hot second!!...

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
My thoughts exactly, say someone says they don't want a pup from my litter because it has a tail...well I'll point to the door behind them and tell them "that's fine, you dont diserve my tailed beauties anyhow, go find a breeder who docks then."

 

[redhen]

..

...you got it!!

 

[maco5]

I work for a miniature schnauzer breeder.
She docks tails between 3-5 days old.
I have held them for her while she does it, and have very mixed feelings about it.
The method the breeder uses seems to be quick, and within seconds the puppies stop crying and appear to be OK.
No anesthesia or pain killer is used.
I have seen other methods which seem worse!
I know a corgi breeder who uses rubber bands to dock, and she says the pups seem to take it OK.
Obviously they have no choice, so what else can they do?

I do like the appearance of a docked tail, however I do wonder what the long term effects are from having it done.

Some of the mini's I groom can be very difficult, and I wonder if all the altering has anything to do with it.

The ear cropping again I do like the look, but don't like the way it is performed by most breeders.
I think it should be done under veterinary care where the animal can be properly monitored, and proper anesthesia can be used.
Most breeders do teir own cropping using ketamine and ace promazine.
These drugs only tranquilize!
So the brain is still working, but the body can't react!

I know they feel every cut and stitch, and have seen puppies squirm and cry while it is being done.
It turns my stomach and really bothers me.
I no longer help the breeder do this.

It is a money issue from what Ive been told.
There are vets who wIll crop according to the breeders instructions, however, it will cost , so alot of breeders prefer to do their own to keep the cost down.
Apparently this is legal!
This makes no sense to me, since they charge $1200-1500 per puppy.
Shouldn't the health and well being of the animal be more important?

Anyway, not all breeders think this way, so please don't think I am categorizing them all the same!

Bottom line....I think tail docking should be left up to the individual pet owner, however, unless the pups are sold prior to birth, once they reach 5 days old, it is too late to perform unless it is done by a vet.

 

[silkiechicken]

Being a person who has never owned a dog...

I think that if the dog is a pet, what's the point in docking. I wouldn't do it if it was a pet.

However, if this dog was a working dog, where a tail would for some reason get in the way or be a working hazard/safety hazard where docking would serve a reasonable purpose as to prevent possible future pain due to working damage, get it docked.

As for showing... I kind of think docking is like braces, or false advertising. LOL

I don't don't do the show thing.