Is Docking right?

[ChrisH]

Originally posted by Twisterdog
I think that there are many, many more important issues that dog lovers should be concentrating on, rather then bickering about tail docking.

Of course there are many more important issues, I totally agree and I try to do something to help allievate/eradicate the problems, within my limited ability to do so. For you to imply that to care about the docking of tails is not to care or do anything about other issues is most unfair.
Labrador Lover asked this: My friend has just bred a litter of dobermans and is wondering whether to dock them or not? What would you say?
I gave my reply, in two posts I admit, but only on the subject of tail docking, which was what the thread was about after all.

[Rio and Me]

I to am from UK and dont agree with docking or croping!!! Breeders dock the working dogs tail yet most of them are sold for pets so what is the point!!!! and cropping there is no point, any dog (like a dobie) is still seen as a dobie just better!!!!
Ky and Rottie x (fully tail)!!!

[cali]

I dont agree with either, and not all breeds with docked tails and cropped ears are exitable, or hunting dogs, a pyr shep for example are a herding breed and they are supposed to have cropped ears and docked tails, happy breeder(they breed border collies, belgens, and pyr sheps) they cropped one dogs ears, and there other pups came with docked tails, and after that she said she is NEVER going to do that again her pup sare born with nateral ears and tails and no matter what they look lik ethey will STAY that way. you loose a lot by docking a tail, and I see NO reason to. so they are exitable, big whoop, border collies are exitable, and so are a lot of other breeds, but they are fine with nateral tails, labs and goldens are extremly exitable, and their tails hurt, but they both have nateral tails. health reason is the ONLY reason to dock a dogs tail, and the're is absolutly zero reasons for cropping a dogs ears.

[RICHARD]

I get docked when I am late to work or leave early....


for dogs.....no.

[Cheshirekatt]

Normally I don't agree with docking or cropping.

Now, having said that....

As an owner of a boxer/pitty cross with a natural tail (a mighty, mighty happy tail I might add!) I wish it had been done when he was a puppy.

Now, we have to deal with the constant bleeding and injury he does to tail by whacking it on cabinets and walls. Hopefully we won't have to deal with 'happy tail' amputation later down the line.

And believe you me, he can show his happiness just fine without a full tail! He has full body wags!

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by Cheshirekatt


Now, we have to deal with the constant bleeding and injury he does to tail by whacking it on cabinets and walls. Hopefully we won't have to deal with 'happy tail' amputation later down the line.

I had an american bulldog when I was 5, and it was just like this. He was constantly whacking me in the face and hurting me, knocking things off the walls, litterally bruising your legs. That tail was like a whip, and it hurt so bad. One time he got me on the lip and my tooth went through the skin under my lip. Now I have a small scar there.

[Cheshirekatt]

Originally posted by wolfsoul
I had an american bulldog when I was 5, and it was just like this. He was constantly whacking me in the face and hurting me, knocking things off the walls, litterally bruising your legs. That tail was like a whip, and it hurt so bad. One time he got me on the lip and my tooth went through the skin under my lip. Now I have a small scar there.

Who knew 'happy tail' could be so dangerous!

[carrie]

No to docking and no to cropping.
These are hugely important issues. The fact that we feel we have a right to surgically alter the way an animal looks for cosmetic vanity says an awful lot about the way we view domestic animals. It is the way that society at large feels about their animals that enables so many to neglect, abandon and mistreat them with little or no thought, why so many litters are born without planning and why the pounds and rescue centres are always full. Surely if we are allowed to cut bits off them then we are putting a very low value on them?

[Twisterdog]

For you to imply that to care about the docking of tails is not to care or do anything about other issues is most unfair.

I didn't imply that at all. I simply stated my personal opinion, which is that tail docking is a petty issue in the big scheme of things, sort of a "can't see the forest for the trees" type of issue. I have my opinion, you have yours. I didn't imply that you, or anyone else, cared about nothing else but docking. How did you get that from my post?


I also said:

Is it important enough an issue to cause a rift in the dog fancy? Certainly not.

which is my main complaint about the tail docking issue. You may have two people who agree that dogs are great animals, in need of help, care, training, etc. These two people may be great allies in the battle to help and save dogs ... and yet they get into an argument because one of them has a cocker spaniel with a docked tail and one of them has a boxer with a natural tail. Petty, and pointless. Dog people ought to stick together and be allies in the war against back yard breeders, dog fighters, puppy mills, etc. Not getting angry with one another over the length of tails. THAT was the point of my post, ChrisH, nothing "unfair" about it.

[ChrisH]

Originally posted by Twisterdog
I simply stated my personal opinion, which is that tail docking is a petty issue in the big scheme of things, sort of a "can't see the forest for the trees" type of issue. I have my opinion, you have yours. I didn't imply that you, or anyone else, cared about nothing else but docking. How did you get that from my post?

These are the parts of of your posts I perhaps took the wrong way.

There are tens of thousands of dogs dying every day because there are not enough homes for all of them. There are dogs being tortured in research labs. There are dogs starving to death. There are dogs being tortured to death before being eaten, because high adrenalin levels at death are supposed to make the dog meat taste better. There are dogs being gassed at shelters, sometimes with hot car exhaust fumes, because cities don't allocate the funds to euthanize humanely. These are the issues dog lovers ought to be spending their time, energy, money and voice fighting. Not something as petty as tail docking.

Is it necessary? In most cases, no. Is it cosmetic? Sure. Is it important enough an issue to cause a rift in the dog fancy? Certainly not. Instead of worrying about dogs getting their tails docked, please go volunteer at a shelter and help save some dogs' lives. Long or short tails, they all want to live.

I am sorry for any misunderstanding.

Dog people ought to stick together and be allies in the war against back yard breeders, dog fighters, puppy mills, etc. Not getting angry with one another over the length of tails. THAT was the point of my post, ChrisH, nothing "unfair" about it.

I totally agree with what you have made clear was the point of your post. Dog people, in fact all animal lovers, should indeed stick together and be allies against the all the many cruelties and purposeful neglect that creatures suffer at the hands of humans.
As for getting angry with anyone about the length of a dogs tail, I certainly am not angry with anyone, nor seek to argue.

I posted because Labrador Lover asked, "My friend has just bred a litter of dobermans and is wondering whether to dock them or not? What would you say?" This is question about a future act, and as I am anti-docking I replied accordingly. This does not mean that I am angry at those who are pro-docking, if people want to go ahead and dock their dogs, it does make me very sad but not angry at them.
Nor do I have an issue with people whose dogs are already docked, we all love and care for our dogs, with or without tails. A neighbour has three Springers who have docked tails, my Bob hasn`t, and we have never had a disagreement about it, I just love his girls!
All I ever ask is for anyone who is thinking about having their puppys tail docked is to think again, to not do it, especially not do it for cosmetic reasons.

Chris

[stacwase]

You know - the docking issue with dogs is a lot like the circumcision issue with people. We have to deal with that a lot. There are a lot of doctors who refuse to do it now, or at least try to talk the parents out of it, because they say it's a cruel thing to do cosmetic surgery on somebody who can't tell us whether or not they want it.

I voted "no" on the docking.

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by stacwase
You know - the docking issue with dogs is a lot like the circumcision issue with people. We have to deal with that a lot. There are a lot of doctors who refuse to do it now, or at least try to talk the parents out of it, because they say it's a cruel thing to do cosmetic surgery on somebody who can't tell us whether or not they want it.

I never thought of it that way. But atleast circumcision is based on health.

[Cheshirekatt]

Originally posted by wolfsoul
I never thought of it that way. But atleast circumcision is based on health.

Actually, I've heard there's no real medical reason for it. But I'm not positive on that....so I could be wrong.

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Cheshirekatt
Actually, I've heard there's no real medical reason for it. But I'm not positive on that....so I could be wrong.

You are correct.

[Cheshirekatt]

Originally posted by RICHARD
You are correct.

Wow! You mean I was right about something?!?

lolololol