I'm pro docking. There has been many a thread on this issue where I have made my feelings known. I am disappointed with the outcome, but I will continue to have weimies. I love them for so much more than their lack of tail!

I feel it is unfair that I will never be able to show and work my dog. I feel bad for the people who choose to do so and keep their working dogs' tail, and I would be interested to see how much the result of severe tail injuries increases in working dogs after this.

The new law makes 'show dogs' even more superficial. Already many dogs bred for show cannot perform the original jobs in which they were bred for, and differ sufficiently from their working counterparts. I can only see this problem getting worse as the law will only deepen the divide of show/worked dogs, and the differences between them will increase tenfold. I was always happy that in my breed the working dogs and show dogs have no major difference, infact most top show dogs in weimies are also working dogs.

I feel that as such breeds are not bred for tails, the best of standard dogs we have now may carry genes for absolute rubbish tails, and I think it will be some years before we have the quality standard and health of dogs that we have now, WITH good tails also. People could start putting in rotties with bad hips for e.g., if it has a 'good' tail. This concerns me about the future health of many breeds in the process of breeding for good tails.

Many breeds have NEVER had tails, and the breed created with the intentions of docking, so how do you change that fairly and 'decide' what kind of tail the dog 'should' have, when it has never had one?

I personally am for the banding method, I have never ever seen a pup hurt by the banding method, they are totally oblivious. Imho there are so many more problems with dogs the government should be concerning themselves with, but cannot be bothered with too much hard work and money (e.g. banning puppy farmers, introducing and policing dog licences), this is just a quick fix that makes them favourable to the anti docking folks, which unfortunately are in the majority.

As for dew claws, my own dog has ripped his badly a few times, and he doesn't even work!

And Dachshunds.....don't get me started....

I feel that as such breeds are not bred for tails, the best of standard dogs we have now may carry genes for absolute rubbish tails,

and I think it will be some years before we have the quality standard and health of dogs that we have now, WITH good tails also.

People could start putting in rotties with bad hips for e.g., if it has a 'good' tail. This concerns me about the future health of many breeds in the process of breeding for good tails.

Many breeds have NEVER had tails, and the breed created with the intentions of docking, so how do you change that fairly and 'decide' what kind of tail the dog 'should' have, when it has never had one?

Amputation of a dogs tail does not alter the genes

Not at all. The Weims I have seen [ actual dogs close up, not photo`s ], all have gorgeous strong healthy tails. The same `build` but with less coat as Long Haired Weims.

Wonder why short coateds` which have the least risk of alledged damage are docked but Long coated Weims, [ bearing in mind claims of tail feathers getting caught in undergrowth when hunting ], have proper intact tails...

I think you are worrying for nothing. Undocked breeds are not full of dysplaisic dogs just because their tails are just right for the Show ring
All the problems pro-dockers are concerned about have not come to fruition in any of the countries where docking has been banned for many years. Any surveys done in those countries where pro-docking people have hoped for damaged dogs tails to be evident on every street corner so they could get the bans overturned have been bitterly disappointed at no increase in damage to now undocked breeds

IMO and that of many others, long coated have less chance of damage as their tail is somewhat more protected by their coat. Hair getting caught generally pulls out hair, not split the tail.

Aha
Thats the opposite of the claims made by Spaniel pro-dockers, that the feathers getting caught is what causes the alledged damage.
So which is it :smt077

Well said problem is the docked breeds are a minority too but chuckle chuckle wait untill they start messing with their breeds, I for one will be at the front of the queue shouting dito

chears for that random !! i'm friendly with an international judge who judges working-group dogs on the continent, and he says the standard of dobes in germany has dropped since they brought in the docking ban 2 years ago .

Aha
Thats the opposite of the claims made by Spaniel pro-dockers, that the feathers getting caught is what causes the alledged damage.
So which is it

I'm pro docking. There has been many a thread on this issue where I have made my feelings known. I am disappointed with the outcome, but I will continue to have weimies. I love them for so much more than their lack of tail!

I feel it is unfair that I will never be able to show and work my dog. I feel bad for the people who choose to do so and keep their working dogs' tail, and I would be interested to see how much the result of severe tail injuries increases in working dogs after this.

The new law makes 'show dogs' even more superficial. Already many dogs bred for show cannot perform the original jobs in which they were bred for, and differ sufficiently from their working counterparts. I can only see this problem getting worse as the law will only deepen the divide of show/worked dogs, and the differences between them will increase tenfold. I was always happy that in my breed the working dogs and show dogs have no major difference, infact most top show dogs in weimies are also working dogs.

I feel that as such breeds are not bred for tails, the best of standard dogs we have now may carry genes for absolute rubbish tails, and I think it will be some years before we have the quality standard and health of dogs that we have now, WITH good tails also. People could start putting in rotties with bad hips for e.g., if it has a 'good' tail. This concerns me about the future health of many breeds in the process of breeding for good tails.

Many breeds have NEVER had tails, and the breed created with the intentions of docking, so how do you change that fairly and 'decide' what kind of tail the dog 'should' have, when it has never had one?

I personally am for the banding method, I have never ever seen a pup hurt by the banding method, they are totally oblivious. Imho there are so many more problems with dogs the government should be concerning themselves with, but cannot be bothered with too much hard work and money (e.g. banning puppy farmers, introducing and policing dog licences), this is just a quick fix that makes them favourable to the anti docking folks, which unfortunately are in the majority.

As for dew claws, my own dog has ripped his badly a few times, and he doesn't even work!

And Dachshunds.....don't get me started....

yep i totally disagree with puppy farmers,and as do most if not all people on here,but as you say its there right to choose to be one,
yes they should have the right to be what they want to be,and it doesnt stop us not understanding there right to bea puppy farmer in there opinion,i suppose there argument is i have to make money,i have to feedmy familiy.in our opinion we do understand it from the dogs point of view.


also in imo if all breeders of docked breeds gave up breeding there chosen breed,in xmany years the gene pool will be alot smaller,for those breeds,im all for docking in my choosen breed,and i dont feel the need to justify my opinion,boxers dont look like boxers with a tail,they suffer tail damage,like alot of other breeds do,once again the animal rights protesters have won,im all against cruelty against animals and dont believe docking to be cruel if done correctly and mother nature didnt write the breed standards book humans did only to back down when the going got tough,

Well said cheers for the support,i too aint afraid to say i think they look better docked.I also would object to anyone saying i was cruel to dogs, as docking should be left to the experts.Also i agree it was the human race who messed about with the breeds look at all these crazy x breeds its only a matter of time before something goes wrong if not already but you dont get the kc or the government threatening bans on them. Imagine a wee dachund mated with a mastiff giving birth.I know this is a bit extreme,however they have the right to do this,but i dont have the right to dock if i wish to do so.