Why Dogs Tails are Docked!

Audiofuzzy said:
A hallmark of the breed, some Aussies are born with naturally bobbed tails (NBT).

I used to have two Aussies, sadly one have died of pancreatic cancer :tears:
one and half year ago.
She had her tail docked, the other -a male- does not, has a full length, long thick fur tail.

But let me tell you, aside from Aussies looking great tailless,
having a dog without a tail is SO convenient.

No more tipped over spilled glasses, stuff thrown off the tables, low shelves etc., no more being painfully hit in the eye by a wagging tail!

I am torn between docking and not docking.

On one hand yeah, done wrong it hurts and may get infected, which brings on more pain later on.
But then, if done correctly it's hardly noticed by a dog - it's like being vaccinated or having ears pierced for a child, really.

Children in general are amazing healers, they heal faster and without so much pain as adults, and so does puppies.

Certainly I don't care for ear cropping. let them be...

Fuzzy
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I miss hearing my daughter's dog banging her tail on the stove when I pat her!! Alley has gone to be with Finlay and I sure would love to hear tail wagging again!
 
Sometimes I tease my service dog, Leah, about "be(ing) careful" with her tail as she is going to hurt it someday since it rarely stops wagging and is always hitting some hard wall or surface. At one time, sure enough, she actually did hurt her tail and it was a trip to the vet to treat her (poor silly girl, but all better now).

This happened TODAY (Oh, I am SO mad!)! I was out shopping at Kmart in Fairfax, VA with my service dog. I was waiting at the end of the line to pay for my items and the line was long enough to continue past the register and a little into the aisle. I had instructed Leah to lay down and she was clearly visable right next to me and out of the way (not blocking the rest of the aisle). I didn't see her as she was out of my visual range at the time, but a woman with a shopping cart was trying to get past me (coming from my left and going to my right), but rather than give me and my service dog room and go around a couple feet to her right (a couple feet behind me), she almost runs over my service dog's tail (not just the tip, but close to the base) and injures her and nearly runs into me as well (if Leah hadn't been there, she would have). Luckily, Leah was quick and got up, but I was startled that Leah disobeyed the command (I am happy that Leah disobeyed the "stay" command to protect herself), so I looked and saw the woman and could see what almost happened. I had a look of clear shock and awe on my face, but the woman only paused to look at what she almost did and see that she was able to get Leah up, doesn't excuse herself or apologize to me, and she continues on since Leah was up. She clearly had no respect for me or my service dog. Now, I still don't think that I ever would dock her tail, but its situations like that where it would have been "handy".
 
I had to stop people from walking on my hearing dog Finlay when he was laying down. People said they thought he was a toy! WTF!!! Who take a 50 lbs toy dog to store! Some people are just plan rude and disrespectful !
 
Now, I still don't think that I ever would dock her tail, but its situations like that where it would have been "handy"
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That's what I am saying. I don't know if I would have the guts to say out loud
"CUT!", but -as you see- in some instances it does come handy, doesn't it...

So I admit-I dunno,
maybe I wouldn't protest if I knew the facility that was doing the tail docking was doing it properly, humanely and took
all the steps necessary to avoid injury and infection and did it as painlessly as it is possible
but being handed the puppy and asked do you want its tail docked?
I would be like :eek3: :ugh3: :iough:


On the other hand yeah it is nice seeying and hearing the tail doing the happy tap dance.

Fuzzy
 
Audiofuzzy said:
That's what I am saying. I don't know if I would have the guts to say out loud
"CUT!", but -as you see- in some instances it does come handy, doesn't it...

So I admit-I dunno,
maybe I wouldn't protest if I knew the facility that was doing the tail docking was doing it properly, humanely and took
all the steps necessary to avoid injury and infection and did it as painlessly as it is possible
but being handed the puppy and asked do you want its tail docked?
I would be like :eek3: :ugh3: :iough:


On the other hand yeah it is nice seeying and hearing the tail doing the happy tap dance.

Fuzzy
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I was asking some veterinarians what breed they thought Marty was beside being part poodle. I said he has a long tail and I do not what small breed has a tail like that. One of the vet said I could have his tail cut off! HUH! I told her I like his long tail it is cute!! How horrible that would be to cut of Marty's tail when he had all this time!! He loves to wag his tail and his hold it up high when he feeling real proud !
 
FireTiger said:
There are breeds when tails are left whole the tail tends to break and need surgery- some of the real working dogs (drug, arson, search and rescue. cadaver, mobility, service... - have it done to keep them safer.)

Consider a wheelchair dog with a long tail... Or a rescue dog in and out of unsteady rubble piles - Ouch!
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Yeah that why my dog tail is docked, and dew claws was removed. My dog is very active, she loves to hunt and explore the woods. For active dog, I totally support this because ripping dewclaw and snapping tail would be way more painful.
 
FireTiger said:
There are breeds when tails are left whole the tail tends to break and need surgery- some of the real working dogs (drug, arson, search and rescue. cadaver, mobility, service... - have it done to keep them safer.)

Consider a wheelchair dog with a long tail... Or a rescue dog in and out of unsteady rubble piles - Ouch!
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I seen search and rescue dogs on TV after 911 and they had long tails.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
I seen search and rescue dogs on TV after 911 and they had long tails.
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Retrievers and some Labradors are left with tails (most common for S&R), not all the dogs are Lab/Retrievers.

Also dogs not usually in the field were being used in those next days, arson dogs, bomb dogs, and cadaver dogs. I saw mixes being used.

The lab I was socializing was minus dewclaws but had his tail and ... everything else... :naughty:
 
FireTiger said:
Retrievers and some Labradors are left with tails (most common for S&R), not all the dogs are Lab/Retrievers.

Also dogs not usually in the field were being used in those next days, arson dogs, bomb dogs, and cadaver dogs. I saw mixes being used.

The lab I was socializing was minus dewclaws but had his tail and ... everything else... :naughty:
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I when to a shelter with a boyfriend as we wanted a cat . We saw one that we liked but there was a sign on it cage that said it was dewclaw and neutered and to be care as it bite! The poor cat no wonder it bit , it had is claws and balls removed!
 
Had I found my english springer spaniel before the breeder docked her tail, I would've commanded them not to. I always feel sad when looking at her little nub. It's harder to gauge her emotions without a visible tail wag. :(
 
This, I can understand:

"For dogs that worked in the field, such as some hunting dogs and herding dogs, tails could collect burrs and foxtails, causing pain and infection and, due to the tail's wagging, may be subject to abrasion or other injury while moving through dense brush or thickets."

But, I'm against doing it for any other reason. It's an interesting post.

There is a good PBS program about dogs where the narrator interviews a breeder and the guy says: "I have this fantasy that one day someone will actually try to breed a pet". Most people get dogs as accessories for their life style, and truly, that is what draws people to dogs. It's hard not to be attracted to a certain dog because of it's history.

I'm thinking of getting an American Bull dog, but the chance of me getting any cattle for it is slim.
 
VacationGuy234 said:
This, I can understand:

"For dogs that worked in the field, such as some hunting dogs and herding dogs, tails could collect burrs and foxtails, causing pain and infection and, due to the tail's wagging, may be subject to abrasion or other injury while moving through dense brush or thickets."

But, I'm against doing it for any other reason. It's an interesting post.

There is a good PBS program about dogs where the narrator interviews a breeder and the guy says: "I have this fantasy that one day someone will actually try to breed a pet". Most people get dogs as accessories for their life style, and truly, that is what draws people to dogs. It's hard not to be attracted to a certain dog because of it's history.

I'm thinking of getting an American Bull dog, but the chance of me getting any cattle for it is slim.
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This in bold: English Setters are hunting dogs, so they still have tails. We have one but living with my parents. Many hunting dogs still have tails even it's a breed of its own.
 
Abby Nicole said:
Had I found my english springer spaniel before the breeder docked her tail, I would've commanded them not to. I always feel sad when looking at her little nub. It's harder to gauge her emotions without a visible tail wag. :(
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I know just what you mean! I took my last Finlay out in our yard once and two pit bulls dog came at us and I was yelling for the owner to get their dogs . I could not read the dogs body languages as they had no tails and their ears where cropped off too! The male dog head was huge and his mouth when from one ear to the other! There a field behind my condo and a farmer used it and brought it dogs too, he lived in my condo at the time. I had no idea what the pitbulls where going to do!
 
I have a border collie mix and I just cut the hair off her tail. In the summer, she has to have a full shave. Then people think that she's a Dalmatian even though she looks nothing like a Dalmatian. My "friendly pug-looking thing" has short hair so it's easier ot manage her hair.
 
sallylou said:
I have a border collie mix and I just cut the hair off her tail. In the summer, she has to have a full shave. Then people think that she's a Dalmatian even though she looks nothing like a Dalmatian. My "friendly pug-looking thing" has short hair so it's easier ot manage her hair.
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Border Collie Breed Profile
this said on this web site border collie do not need to have their fur cut.
I have heard of people having their dog fur cut so short the poor dog end up getting a sunburn. Someone had a Samoyed and they had the dog fur cut every summer and the dog got cancer from sunburns. I hate when groomers shave dogs that should not been shaved or needed to be shaved or cut. I see dogs shaking when brought to the groomers and it not fair to made a dog go through something they do not need.
 
I give my Aussie a buzz cut every Spring, too, but I am aware of dogs might getting sunburn too, so we do not let the dog out in full sun when he has the buzz cut.
Anyway by the time the weather gets real sunny the hair grow back long enough to protect better from the sun.


Fuzzy
 
Had I found my english springer spaniel before the breeder docked her tail, I would've commanded them not to. I always feel sad when looking at her little nub.
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My other Aussie, the one with the docked tail, had the cutest little nub ever,
and we could always tell by the way she made a sudden, definite, upright
hairy bump at the end of her backside if she was going to get alert,
excited or dominant - there was no mistake,
and when she was happy or welcoming, her little nub was wagging so fast
at making crazy happy dance,
so fast it looked like her entire end rear was vibrating,

and it was such a sweet and funny sight we always ended happy laughing :)

Fuzzy
 
whatdidyousay! said:
Border Collie Breed Profile
this said on this web site border collie do not need to have their fur cut.
I have heard of people having their dog fur cut so short the poor dog end up getting a sunburn. Someone had a Samoyed and they had the dog fur cut every summer and the dog got cancer from sunburns. I hate when groomers shave dogs that should not been shaved or needed to be shaved or cut. I see dogs shaking when brought to the groomers and it not fair to made a dog go through something they do not need.
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I think Sallylou still lives in Houston....It would be almost cruel not to shave a dog in that heat.

I always heard they docked the tails on small dogs because the tail could cause back problems. That could be totally false though. :dunno: I always left the tails on.
 
Audiofuzzy said:
My other Aussie, the one with the docked tail, had the cutest little nub ever,
and we could always tell by the way she made a sudden, definite, upright
hairy bump at the end of her backside if she was going to get alert,
excited or dominant - there was no mistake,
and when she was happy or welcoming, her little nub was wagging so fast
at making crazy happy dance,
so fast it looked like her entire end rear was vibrating,

and it was such a sweet and funny sight we always ended happy laughing :)

Fuzzy
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Lol, vibrating rear end indeed. :laugh2: In substitution of wagging a full-fledge tail, our docked dogs compensate with their butts. I call my dog "wiggle butt" when she does this happy dance.
 
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