I have been looking at breeders for Dobe's in UK and all the pups I have seen so far have docked tails. I thought this was illeagal now or am I wrong?

Also noticed quite a few adult Dobe's with cropped ears.

I am confused, I am yet to see a Dobe with a tail!

Can any one explain for me please?

I have seen Dobes with tails....

Docking is illegal unless it is proven the dog is going to be used for working, or unless there is a specific medical reason for doing it in later life.

Ear cropping is an odd one, That is also illegal here, and something i thought hadn't been done in this country for a very long time. (although they still do it in the USA)

Yeh thought that.. unless these people are getting their dogs imported? (the ones with the cropped ears)

Yep, I'm with Jackson on this one. As fare as I understand docking is illegal here, as is cropped ears. However, it is commonplace in the States

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icksselfupofffloor:

Yeh it seems to be accross Europe too.. Alot of site I'm looking at seem to have dogs whelp over in Italy etc to dock them and crop the ears!

Tail Docking in the UK as at 6 April 2007

All UK legislation has now been passed and enacted as follows;

The docking of dogs' tails was banned in England from 6 April 2007 and in Wales from 28 March 2007 but with exemptions from the ban for certain working dogs, and for medical treatment. A total ban in Scotland took effect 30 April 2007

There is also a ban on the showing of docked dogs (all dogs docked after the commencement date of 6 April/28 March) at events to which members of the public are admitted on payment of a fee. However, this ban does not apply to dogs shown for the purpose of demonstrating their working ability.

The exemption for working dogs allows a dog that is likely to perform certain specified types of work to have its tail docked by a veterinary surgeon. The dog will have to be less than 5 days old and the veterinary surgeon will have to certify that he or she has seen specified evidence that the dog is likely to work in specified areas. Puppies being docked must be microchipped, either at the time of docking or when the vet considers they are old enough. The types of dog that are allowed to be docked and the types of evidence needed, is detailed below.

Puppies from certain working dogs may be docked if evidence is provided to the vet that it is likely to be worked in connection with law enforcement, activities of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, emergency rescue, lawful pest control, or the lawful shooting of animals. It is accepted that in a litter, not all puppies docked will be found suitable for work.

The owner of the dog, or person representing the owner must make a signed statement that, the dam of the puppies to be docked is of a type which can be certified as set out below, the date on which the puppies were born and that it is intended that they will be used, or sold, for one of the working purposes set out in the regulations.

The vet must sign a declaration that the requirements of the regulations have been satisfied i.e. that he has been given the necessary declaration by the owner or person representing the owner and has seen the evidence required.

The vet must have a completed statement, signed and dated by the owner of the dog (or by another person whom the veterinary surgeon to whom it is presented reasonably believes to be representing the owner), made in the form set out in the regulations. The vet must see the dam of the dog and a further piece of evidence such as:

a current shotgun or firearm certificate issued to the owner of the dog, or to the agent or employee of the owner most likely to be using the dog for work in connection with the lawful shooting of animals OR

a letter from a gamekeeper, a land occupier (or his agent), a person with shooting rights, a shoot organiser, a club official, a person representing the National Working Terrier Federation, or a person engaged in lawful pest control, stating that the breeder of the dog whose tail is to be docked is known to him and that dogs bred by that breeder have been used (as the case may be) on his land, or in his shoot, or for pest control.

Although the procedure is the same, the list of dogs which can be docked are different between England and Wales. There is a total ban on docking in Scotland.

In England the following can be docked:

1. Hunt point retrieve breeds of any type or combination of types.

2. Spaniels of any type or combination of types.

3. Terriers of any type or combination of types.

In Wales the following can be docked:

1. Spaniels of the following breeds: English Springer Spaniel, Welsh Springer Spaniel and Cocker Spaniel, but not combinations of breeds

2. Terriers of the following breeds: Jack Russell Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Norfolk Terrier, but not combinations of breeds

3. Hunt point retrievers of the following breeds:

Braque Italian, Brittany, German Long Haired Pointer, German Short Haired Pointer, German Wire Haired Pointer, Hungarian Vizsla, Hungarian Wire Haired Vizsla, Italian Spinone, Spanish Water Dog, Weimaraner, Korthals Griffon, Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer, Large Munsterlander, Small Munsterlander.

It remains the prerogative of a veterinary surgeon as to whether he chooses to dock a dog’s tail or not.

Showing of Docked Dogs

A dog docked before the 28 March 2007 in Wales and 6 April 2007 in England may continue to be shown at all shows in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland throughout its natural life.

A dog docked on, or after, the above dates, irrespective of where it was docked, may not be shown at shows in England and Wales where the public is charged a fee for admission.

However, where a working dog has been docked in England and Wales under the respective regulations set out above, it may be shown where the public are charged a fee, so long as it is shown “only to demonstrate its working ability”. It will thus be necessary to show working dogs in such a way as ONLY to demonstrate their working ability and not conformity to a standard.

A dog legally docked in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or abroad may be shown at any show in Scotland or Northern Ireland.


So by going by the breeds listed Dobes should NOT be docked.

I hate cropped ears, its repulsive on dogs, so I was surprised recently to learn that although its illegal to crop dogs ears in the UK, its legal to OWN a cropped dog, so long as the cropping was done in another country! So you can bring in as many cropped dogs as you want! I was shocked.

The Dobermann shouldn't be docked, I thought you had to ask each puppy buyer what the dog was going to be used for, and IF it was going to be worked (and proven, although what work DO Dobies do?) THEN you could dock that puppies tail. I'm starting to think though maybe it works like if you prove the mother/father was a working dog, then you could dock all the pups tails?

I'm curious now! And btw, Dobies are GORGEOUS with tails. I love them au natural

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Photography

:O i hadnt heard of croped ears before!!!! thats awful poor babys

I don't think Dobes can be legally docked, as they are not a working breed that requires docking int his country.

As far as I know, to get Spirngers/cockers etc docked, you need ot show your shotgun licence. (have I spelt that right?! D)