Should we ban Docking?

[RubyB]

Now I know vets are still allowed to dock dogs but is it right? I mean if the dog has to be docked for medical reasons thats ok but that's as far as it should go I think! It makes me quite angry!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Cheshirekatt]

Well, I don't think it's ok for all of the dogs, but I can understand it for some breeds. For boxers and pointers and stuff I can see why they do it. If their tails aren't docked they beat them on brush and walls and stuff and they get abrasions and bleed to no end. Now for rotties I don't understand it. There's no good reason. They dock the tails when the pups are a day or two old and while it's not pleasant for either party it's not nearly as bad as cropping ears.

And as for cropping ears.....I don't endorse that at all. There's no reason whatsoever for that and it's a long and drawn out procedure and painful recovery. :(

[Ann]

I'm all for banning it.

[KYS]

We had this debate not to long ago on a different thread.

I have mixed feelings about docking.

Cropping ears, I am against, and like the ears natural.
Now if docking the tail is not purely for cosmetic reasons
and for safety reasons for breeds such as hunting/sporting dogs etc. than I am not against it.
So my vote, if it's cosmetic don't do it, but for safety
and it's done when they are puppies, I am not against it.

JMHO

[mugsy]

If God intends for a tail to be short then it will be short. So, no, I am totally against docking either ears or tails, unless there is a medical problem.

[Kfamr]

Originally posted by Ann
I'm all for banning it.
Me too.

[primabella]

i don't really know, to be honest. i am against docking the ears for sure, but for the tail..it all depends on the reason.

[Jessica12345]

Originally posted by KYS
We had this debate not to long ago on a different thread.

I have mixed feelings about docking.

Cropping ears, I am against, and like the ears natural.
Now if docking the tail is not purely for cosmetic reasons
and for safety reasons for breeds such as hunting/sporting dogs etc. than I am not against it.
So my vote, if it's cosmetic don't do it, but for safety
and it's done when they are puppies, I am not against it.

JMHO

well said:p

[lovemyshiba]

Ears--no way!!
tails--only for medical reasons, not just cosmetic reasons

I think it is mean to want your dog to look the way YOU want him or her too, how would we like it if our dogs didn't like our fingers, and could have them docked????

[Cheshirekatt]

This is the only personal experiece I have with the subject. I have a boxer/pit mix, but really he's mostly boxer. We have a constant problem with his "happy tail". He's always knocking it on things and it bleeds and bleeds. To amputate his tail now would be a major, painful and expensive orthopedic procedure that can have serious complications. Whereas, if it had been done when he was a puppy it's a simple thing that requires one stitch. I personally think it's no worse than people that circumsize their baby boys. JMHO

Now....having said THAT, I persoanlly like a dog with a tail and I would never choose to dock a tail simply for cosmetic reasons. And as I stated before, in my opinion cropping ears is just wrong.
:D

[CountryWolf07]

I'm all for it.

[micki76]

Originally posted by lovemyshiba
I think it is mean to want your dog to look the way YOU want him or her too, how would we like it if our dogs didn't like our fingers, and could have them docked????

:eek: Excellent point!!

[Twisterdog]

They dock the tails when the pups are a day or two old and while it's not pleasant for either party it's not nearly as bad as cropping ears.

I agree with this. Anyone who thinks docking is a horrible, brutal process that requires a long recovery time has obviously never seen it done. It is very quick, very simple, and is healed in a matter of days.

I own several dogs with docked tails. I didn't get their tails docked, they were already done when I rescued them. But, I do like the look on my dogs. I would not have an adult dogs tail docked. I would, however, not hesitate a moment to have a newborn puppies tail docked, if I was buying the puppy, and it was a breed that was normally done. (However, I would never buy a puppy, so it's a moot point.) I would NEVER crop ears.

My opinion is that the dog people who are in a big uproar all the time over cropping and docking are barking up the wrong tree, so to speak. If someone loves their dog, treats it well, gives it a good home and lots of love for its entire life ... say, seventeen eighteen years .... who cares that the puppies tail was docked when it was 12 hours old?!?! There are MUCH bigger issues in the dog world to deal with ..... dog fighting rings, homeless dogs, starving, abused, neglected dogs, millions of dogs euthanized at shelters. Whether or not a loved, well-cared pet has a tail that is three inches long or eight inches long should be the LEAST of our concerns.

[wolf_Q]

Ok I don't get this...

If the tails are docked because they are "hunting dogs" then we do we not dock Golden Retriever tails? Labs? German Shorthaired Pointer tails are tradionally docked...but most English Pointers are not. :confused:

I don't think tail docking is even CLOSE to being as bad as ear cropping. I wish they'd ban ear cropping in the U.S....I've seen dogs right after having ears cropped, and it looks so painful! At least when the tail is docked, the pup is only a few days old.

I am all agaist docking ! A friznd of us got a Cocker Spaniel a few months ago . It is a gorgeous animal , but ... the tail is docked ... It is not a nice sight!! A Cocker Spaniel has such a beautiful tail , so why remove it ???:mad:

[oodlesofpoodles]

I am pro and con on docking. Tails and dewclaws should be done between 1 to 5 days old. After that should only be done if medically necessary. As for the ears I prefer natural, but if it must be done,because the owner wants it- 9 to 12 weeks,

I have seen many ear crops surgeries and most of the time it heals nicely, but then theres ones that don't listen to the go home instructions.

When I have my litter of st. poodles next year, I will have tails docked and dewclaws removed. but will done at 2 days old. and I might add WILL ONLY BE DONE AT THE VETINARIAN OFFICE where it is sterile and sanitary.

[Pam]

Originally posted by Twisterdog


My opinion is that the dog people who are in a big uproar all the time over cropping and docking are barking up the wrong tree, so to speak. If someone loves their dog, treats it well, gives it a good home and lots of love for its entire life ... say, seventeen eighteen years .... who cares that the puppies tail was docked when it was 12 hours old?!?! There are MUCH bigger issues in the dog world to deal with ..... dog fighting rings, homeless dogs, starving, abused, neglected dogs, millions of dogs euthanized at shelters. Whether or not a loved, well-cared pet has a tail that is three inches long or eight inches long should be the LEAST of our concerns.

I have to agree with Twisterdog on this one. I have two poodles. Bella came from a breeder and her tail was already docked as were all of my other poodles in the past. Ripley was a rescue dog and his tail is intact. I would never dock Ripley's tail :eek: :eek: at this point obviously but don't see the problem with doing it when they are a couple of days old. Ripley also came "intact" in other ways too :o but that has been taken care of. :)

When I have my litter of st. poodles next year, I will have tails docked and dewclaws removed. but will done at 2 days old. and I might add WILL ONLY BE DONE AT THE VETINARIAN OFFICE where it is sterile and sanitary. Oh my Oodles of Poodles, a litter of standard poodles!! I am going weak in the knees!!!!!!!

[oodlesofpoodles]

Yes, I will be breeding Riley and Gannie next year, Course right now My House is in an uproar. Gannie Came in to heat ! 1st time she is 17mth old and Riley is in a tizzy. I am having to Run all dogs seperate. Pearl thinks it can of neat. she get longer playtime in the yard. Riley has been moved to my bedroom and gannie to the Spare room. I hope to breed in the spring. but that will depend on Gannie, I will not breed her till she has had two heats or at least 2 to 2 1/2 years old.

[Pam]

Oh it is good that I don't live closer, or my furkid total would mount! :eek: I think if I got another dog the cats would rebel big time! They liked the dog/cat ratio better before Ripley came! :D :D I know I am at my limit but I would sure love to visit those cuties (actually when I got Bella I was only going "to look." :rolleyes: :rolleyes: )

[oodlesofpoodles]

Me Too, I took Reba out to the Agility field, and the owner Kelley had a Litter of standards I just went to look and play on the field Five hours later A lot $$$$ Shorter I came home. Riley's Father has 5 or 6 Titles in agility. His name is Wildefire's Jon Henrie AX AXJ

[Fuzzy317]

I agree docking should be stopped.

On a related topic, I think congress in California, US has proposed making it illegal to de-claw cats in the state. I wish that law was happen in my state too.

[Brie]

I think the US should follow in the footsteps of England and make docking for any reason (except medical) completely illegal.

No cosmetic.
No hunting/sporting. I don't agree with it.
If a medical condition requires the removal, then, so be it. This is the only way I'll ever agree with it.

[Dakota's Mommy]

Personally, with some breeds, I think they look better with the natural ears than with the cropped ones! Many of you may notice that we kept Dakota totally natural. We think that she looks better than way and thats the way we wanted our baby. I have no clue about the docking of the tails, but I'm definately for leaving the ears natural!

[Fuzzy317]

I was leaving PetsMart today, getting more cat food. A dog and owners were talking to someone from PetsMart, apparently the dog had just been docked. I am not really sure its breed, I just noticed the bandages on the ears. :mad:

[RogueFerret]

Most of the dogs that have their tails docked are german breeds, such as boxers, rotties, and dobermans. The reason they docked thier tails is because they were used at first as hunting dogs. If they left thier tails on, they would constantly cut their tails on the thick briars and brush. As the years went by, Germans found other uses for the dogs. Dobermans and rotties were (and still)
used for law enforcement, and boxers for bull baiting. But they still cropped the tails out of habit.


With that in mind, you have to realize that these dogs have went many generations not having a tail. So, in the same way that border collies have hearding instincts even if they haven't been trained, the german dogs have no instinct on how to deal with a tail!

So, if you do not crop a dobermans tail, he will hit it, cut it, and get it caught into everything. They can get infections in the tail that could be life threatening!

[ParNone]

I don't see myself ever cropping or docking personally.
I do have to say though, that if Oz keeps whacking Murph
upside the head with his tail, Murph's gonna perform his
own version of docking to Oz's tail.