Does anyone know why breeds were docked in the first place? I know different breeds were done for different reasons like being damaged working in the field, or were believed to have vulnerable whip tails, with guarding dogs I've heard it was to be more emotionless and their tails couldn't be grabbed (??). It seems odd since I can't think of one breed from the hound group that was ever docked and they were meant for hunting/tracking. I did hear once that dogs tails were taxed in the Uk way back when and that brought on docking???

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I love seeing them with tails it's so much better than them being mutilated at a few days old

They were docked for some sort of tax I believe although people will try all kinds of stories like oh the cows will stand on their tails or some other crap.

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"A dog is not "almost human," and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such."
John Holmes

Owned by Buster cairn terrier mix and Leo netherland dwarf mix bunny

I think it looks wonderful to see dogs as nature intended them to look. Although I have done a double take more than a few times. Not on cockers but Rotties Dobs and Boxers.

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It took a while to get used to after never seeing those breeds with tails but i think they look much nicer . I can understand the argument for working dogs being docked but i don't think its necessary for the majority so was glad to see it banned.

There are some greyhounds with docked tails after injuring them (often they have half a tail) and they can look strange at first. There was one dog at kennels that had to have his docked after a happy tail injury just wouldn't heal up because he'd bash it all the time even with a plastic tube on the end to protect it. It would look like a murder scene when i came to clean his kennel. It was for the best but i did miss his long, crazy tail.

My friend's dalmation had to be docked because he keep damaging it. Poor thing looked awful

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"A dog is not "almost human," and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such."
John Holmes

Owned by Buster cairn terrier mix and Leo netherland dwarf mix bunny

Dogs are better with tails for sure.Docking/cropping is just a nicer way of saying amputating for no real good reason
But as stated, I find it weird to see the common docked breeds, such as rottis, dobes n boxers etc with their tails now... altho I do take a double look, I do like what I see.
Im amazed at how thick the fur is on a rottis tail lol I assumed it would have been more like a labradors.

I had a happy wagger for a dog as a child and he was forever getting his tail injured, from getting it trapped in a door to slicing the tip of on a radiator, he almost had it amputated, but unfortunatley he had to be put to sleep because of cancer.

i really don`t like the look of docked tails so i`m glad they banned it. think it takes away from their personality and i love seeing waggy tails, makes me feel like i`m doing something right when muffin`s is smacking around going mad lol

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owned by:

jake - chocolate labrador
sydney - liver/white english springer
twix - dlh cat
lacey - dsh cat

never forgetting my baby banjo running free at the bridge, RIP baby xx

I actually like docked tails and think a lot of breeds look much more balanced. I have a standard and a miniature poodle that are not docked and used to have a standard that was docked. The docked one had a much more balanced look and you could imagine her doing her job of retrieving in water whereas the undocked one would become water logged and unbalanced. The miniature has a lovely tail coiled over her back so is nicely balance and looks very smart but if it got wet it would hang down and unbalance her.

Ive 2 springers and a cocker my eldest one 10yrs had a full tail the other at 18months had a docked tail and a cocker at age 5 with his docked, Ive got to say i like them either way as they arnt too short. but i can see the reasons for them being done the damage that can be done is awful and to have them amputated through injury is much worse than docked at the right age.

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