Should we ban Docking?

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.

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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.

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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!!!!!!!

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.

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: )

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

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.

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.

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!

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:

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!

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.