Ask Me Help Desk - Tail docking?

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Originally Posted by shazamataz

Both my Poodles have had their dew claws removed.

My Crested has his intact.

For large breeds I think it is necessary, smaller breeds not so much.

I think it also comes down to what is the animal going to be doing and where. If you have an animal that is going to be going through rocky or brushy areas, dew claws can get caught in bad places. If you have an animal that is going to be kept in relatively clear places, then it's not quite the same danger. Unless they get them caught a lot on their 'Mommy's' clothing and jewelry. (yes, I am referencing the people who use dogs as 'fashion accessories'.)

Very true Cat.
I was thinking along the lines of small dogs tend to be watched more closely as they are more 'fragile' but there are quite a few people who take small dogs out camping or bush walking with them.

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Altenweg agrees : Packing my bags. I call middle of the bed. ;)
Aurora_Bell agrees : Can I come too? Puhleaaase?

So that's 4 people, 4 bunnies, 1 bird, some fish and 5 dogs we are going to have on the bed.
You still want to be in the middle of that Alty? :D

I bet more than 5 dogs! I have 2, you have 3, and Alty has 2!

Only one of mine sleeps on the bed ;)

He's a pain in the butt, I always wake up with a dead leg lol
Prada has to sleep in a crate because of her incontinence and the puppy... well he's just too evil not to be crated :D

Ok well Max is too old to get up in bed anyway, and Lady is quite happy on her furry rug beside the bed. So that eliminates another 2, and I think only Chewy sleeps in bed with Alty, so there's another one. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by shazamataz

Very true Cat.
I was thinking along the lines of small dogs tend to be watched more closely as they are more 'fragile' but there are quite a few people who take small dogs out camping or bush walking with them.

So that's 4 people, 4 bunnies, 1 bird, some fish and 5 dogs we are going to have on the bed.
You still wanna be in the middle of that Alty? :D

Why are the fish on the bed? :confused:

Fish need love too, they would feel left out on the floor :D

Like rabbits, they would do much better in the oven.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catsmine

Like rabbits, they would do much better in the oven.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

ALTY!! CATS NEEDS A WHOOPIN!! i

In EEC docking and ear-clipping is forbidden since 3 years, by law.

Docking has been done over centuries for various and nonsensical reasons. e.g. the Romans, as they thought it prevented rabies. Centuries later in the UK a working dog could be exempted from taxation and for identification it was docked. Since then it grew into a tradition with working dogs. When dog shows commenced, breed standards were set up and the docking of the tails became built into the standards for many of the working breeds (although none of the UK Hound breeds are docked). Breeders created clubs and agreed their own standards for that breed which were rubber stamped by the Kennel Club(s). They are from time to time modified. Nowadays there is a distinction between "working" dogs for legislation and those who fall into the category for showing. Cropping was banned by the Kennel Club in the UK in the early 19th century as the then Prince of Wales disliked the practice and was himself a dog fancier. Many countries have now banned docking (and cropping) and some have also banned the showing or importing of docked dogs.
Most docking has been done for "cosmetic" purposes and Show breeders preferred the outline it created. Some who are involved with field sports claim that docking is done for prophylactic reasons in working dogs i.e. to prevent a possible injury. However all the scientific evidence to date disproves this theory and of course the act of docking itself causes an injury in the first place; one that the dog may never have had in its life time. The evidence is that more working dogs suffer from lameness or other injury than they do to tails (but no-one opts for legs to be removed at birth!)

I would have to disagree with you.

I own sporting dogs. They require tails to be docked. If their tails are not docked, they hurt themselves. They have very active tails and bust open the ends of their tails all the time. In the field, they typically work in low brush.. because of their active tails, they would flush out all the birds before the hunter even got there...

My breed is centuries old... the tails were docked for working purposes.

Tail docking can be cruel if done on your own. Seeing the professionals who know what they're doing is perfectly fine with me.

All I have to say is I'm for tail docking. Maybe not ear cropping, but I see no harm in tail docking. I've had 5 litters get their tails docked, and trust me, they don't remember a thing and live long happy lives with no side effects to the docked tails. I don't think government should ban tail docking. There are so many more important issues out there that are related to the well being of animals that aren't even being addressed. I think the stop of animal cruelty should be priority... not tail docking.

Not to mention the fact that it feels like a horse whip when they get happy.

I'm on the fence. I keep teedering back and forth.

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Originally Posted by Aurora_Bell

I'm on the fence. I keep teedering back and forth.

A Boxer tail can fix that. Those are weapons.

ADA, I notice you discount guard dogs in your reasoning. Is this an oversight?

I see you also overlooked the Swedish German Shorthaired Pointer Clubs' data on the 51% rise in tail injuries in that breed in the three years following the 1959 ban.

The American Veterinary Medical Association says more study is needed, but it likely won't be performed due to unpopularity.

Edit: Pardon the typo, the Swedish ban was '89

Anyone here ever owned a Great Dane?

They are not a docked breed yet they hurt their tails and they are used for hunting.

If docking really were because hunting/working dogs hurt themselves ALL working and hunting breeds should be docked... not just a few select ones.

My neighbours used to have a rottie without it's tail docked. Do rotties "need" there tails docked, like the sport dogs who injure them and such, or are rotties tails docked because there guard dogs and it gives less to hang on to?

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Originally Posted by Emily94

My neighbours used to have a rottie without it's tail docked. Do rotties "need" there tails docked, like the sport dogs who injure them and such, or are rotties tails docked because there gaurd dogs and it gives less to hang on to?

Rottweilers are one of the Guard breeds, like Doberman Pinschers and Boxers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emily94

My neighbours used to have a rottie without it's tail docked. Do rotties "need" there tails docked, like the sport dogs who injure them and such, or are rotties tails docked because there gaurd dogs and it gives less to hang on to?

Only if they are specifically being used as a guard dog.

Pets have no reason to be docked.

(Sorry Cats)

Quote:

Originally Posted by shazamataz

Only if they are specifically being used as a guard dog.

Pets have no reason to be docked.

(Sorry Cats)

No apologies necessary. I was speaking in general terms. There really aren't enough Guard breeds to form a Group yet, but we keep trying. Other Guard breeds would include Chows, Mastiffs of various breeds, Akitas, and even Schnausers. Just as the Herding dogs were split out of the Working group a short time ago, I have hopes to see a Guard group in my lifetime.

Chows are a guard dog? Never would have figured, everywhere around here its either huskies, rotties, or the occasional pit bull.