Docked tails in gundogs at crufts.

Not trying to get into a lengthy debate on the whys and why nots of tail docking in general.

But why and how are so many of the gundogs in crufts today docked when I thought the practice was being frowned on in showing circles and is certainly illegal in this country?

I think most of them are working gundogs - I know a couple of them are for sure - it said on the introduction in the longlist. For working dogs I believe they are allowed to have their tails docked.

Well they bloody well shouldn't be!! Obscene!! And totally unnecessary.

listening to the ages most were done before the ban

Even dogs legally docked still cannot be shown in any show where the public pays to enter. All of the dogs being shown that are docked, were docked before the ban came in to place.

When did the ban come in?

Working gundogs docked after the 2006 Animal Welfare Act came into force(March/April 2007) cannot be shown at Crufts as the public pay to go in.

The docked dogs will be dogs born before the 2006 Act came into force.

oh and this from someone who advocates using shock collors good grief.

I was surprised too about the number of gundogs in the group with docked tails. I knew about the ban and not being able to show dogs docked after the ban but I guess I just thought it would be mainly younger dogs who would take best of breed.

I did the think the 9 year old Flatcoated Retriever was fabulous though for his age.

Lexie was from one of the last litter to be docked in our breed and she's only 4 and her brothers still shown. And there was 24 veterans in Welsh alone all over 7 so they'd all be docked.