would you ever dock a dogs tail?

[Canis-Lupess]

When puppies are docked, they tend to do one of two things. The first is simply to chop the tail off with scissors, the second is to tie elastic bands around them so tight the blood circulation is cut off and the tail dies and drops off. Can you imagine doing this to the little finger of a human baby?
I can't imagine the pain being much different really. They can't use anaesthetic on puppies that young so they have to deal with whatever pain they feel.

In the UK, most vets won't dock and they can't anyway because the royal college of veterinary surgeons is opposed to it and will strike any vet off their register if they are found to have docked puppies for non therapeutic reasons.

Docking by the lay man, unqualified person, is illegal but thats mainly who docking is done by here now because most of the vets refuse to do it. Breeders do it themselves and insist they are doing it right but, how would they know, they aren't qualified or had any professional training?

At the end of April, docking is being banned in England apart from certain working dogs that are being exempt. Scotland has gone for a complete ban. They'll not be allowing dogs to go over the border into the UK to be docked and taken back either.
No docked dogs will be able to be shown at any paying dog show either.

I don't mind dogs that are born with naturally bobbed tails because they don't have to actually have it chopped off. I know there are some breeders in Europe breeding specifically for naturally bobbed tails in several breeds in countries that have already enforced a ban on docking. If it turns out ok, then all's well but I do worry a little about what other impacts such select breeding could have on the dogs.

[TFTpwnsYou]

I voted yes because well I do own one with a docked tail. I read about the proceedure because I just thought that would hurt. It really doesn't. Puppies don't have the feeling pain capability as just a few days old when the docking takes place. Now I cannot personally dock a tail because a.) I don't breed, and b.) I would not trust myself to do it even if I did. To me that is better left to a vet who knows what they are doing.

Docking has very good reasons though. Especially for field and hunting dogs. I saw the damage done to a tail of a non-docked hunting dog. Now that would hurt. Now a small breed like mine I never understood, but it is the standered, and I truthfully look at him, and I think he'd look funny with a tail....lol.

[cali]

I would and have adopted a dog with an already docked tail. but I would never dock or drop myself, I have one breed(Blair) who is supposed to be both docked and cropped, I have him completly natural, and I prefer it that way.