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!!!

[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

[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.

[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????

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.

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 ???