Tail docking has reared it's nasty head again.
There was a long thread about this not so long ago...
I think Tail Docking is completley wrong for cosmetic reasons...someone in the last thread said their boxer's tail was so long it swipped things off the side my reply, move them!! You wouldn't leave out china plates in reach of child would you...?

I do agree with the majority though that working spaniels and such like should have their tails docked as puppies to prevent injury.

It is hard for ppl to follow the law tho when there are down and out liars out there who will take their pups for docking and say it is for working reasons, personally i don't know how these ppl can live with themselves. It's a simiular case when a 'white' coated dog is culled because of its coat colour and ridgebacks for not having a ridge, yet the ones with are acutally the deformed ones.....i find it disgusting!! Personally unless you want a working dog always buy a dog with a tail!!! Rescue is a different matter - the dog is already like it and is in need of a home you are not funding the illegal dockers...and that is all.

Please note this is just MY opinion.

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I don't like it and would refuse to buy a pup with a docked tail.

My problem is I know a few who's parents were working but the pups are pets and have docked tails, that annoys me.

Another thing I read is people form the UK are breeding in Uk taking the bitch across to ireland birthing the pups and docking them there and bringing them back here.

My husband has working spaniels and labs and he would never work a spaniel with a full tail. Ours are trialing bred and their back ends are articulated (typical spaniel action lol!), if they had a full tail there would be nothing left by the end of a working day.

Our labs quite often bust the tips of their tails and it takes ages to heal and it is so messy and bloody. Also you cant really treat a bleeding tail, we have cream to help it heal but one knock and it starts again, its a right pest.

Never had a prob with our spaniels as they are all docked. Also they are 1/3 docked (to the hock) and have no probs with body language as they still have a respectable length tail (that always crops up in these debates!) - i dont personally like to see a dog with a stump

I have seen vids of docking and the ones i saw the pups continued suckling from mum - not a squeak. Done properly and at the right age i dont think its cruel at all, bettewr than loads of suffering further down the line and possible painful amputation.

Ang x

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Totally agree with the above

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Do you have any actual proof that the ones with ridges are deformed

Basically I agree with mose here, I've seen working dogs with split tails, having to have the vets work on them, being out of action for a while with a funnel on thier head to stop them getting at stitches. Not pleasant for dog or owner.
But docking for the sake of docking is wrong. It does lead to seeing some odd looking dogs (in comparison to my childhood image of some breeds)

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Not if the Pups are born in Ireland and the docking is done there..

A breeder I know does that.. he has a home in Ireland where he takes the bitch to have her pups and gets them docked professionaly and brings the bitch and her pups back to his home in Cheshire afterwards.. nothing illeagal about that.

It was on a dog and breeds programme not so long ago.

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Which has already had to make an apology on the content and the lack of evidential proof. I'm not up for an argument but it is a shame to let urban myth ruin the image of what is a truly stunning breed.

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my ex had a doberman with a docked tail who passed away, he then got two pups with full tails, its strange but you get used to it although i prefer the look of certain dogs without them and there are breeds which benifit from docked tails ( hunting dogs for example) i think its something that no one will agree oon =]

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