What a lovely dog kay is !
Nice to see a Dobies with tails .

Well said Dibby!! Aren't they absolutely spiffing dogs ... really, really gorgeous and the OP has obviously done a marvellous job

Thank you all

As for the tail, docking was banned in 2007. My first dog, a working line JRT, was docked. Our first Doberman was docked as well, she was only with us briefly. When we got Kay's mum the law was in effect and we realised how breakable their spindly tails are! I'd personally prefer Kay to be docked. Kay's parents would suffer with limber tail after taking a knock during a run or bumping their tails against furniture. I'm always worried that Kay will break her tail, and would have preferred to prevent injury by getting it docked while she was a very young puppy.

So far so good, she's had limber tail once after getting hit by a high speed greyhound and no other tail injuries, despite wagging it very hard into the wooden coffee table on a regular basis! She has a very thick tail compared to both her parents and I think that must impact its durability.

If I were to get another Dobe, I would be importing a dog from Europe partly due to the fact I'd want it to be docked, but also because I LOVE Kay's temperament, it really suits me. She isn't from undoubtably sound lines and if I were to get another Dobe I'd definitely want a dog to compete in sports with and potentially breed from. Kay's definitely prepared me for the type of Doberman I would get! My OH wants a husky so that will be our next dog, and I'd like a Hovawart after Kay, but I can't see myself never having a Doberman again.

As lovely as Kay is Dobie, I am afraid I differ very strongly with you about docking - for me, docking is obscene and there can be very little justification for it. The way it is done is barbaric, and i just do not buy the tail injury issue - dogs NEED a tail, which is why they are born with one. When swimming, they use them as a rudder, when running they use them as a balancing stick to help them change direction; they use their tails as a communication tool ...not only to communicate with their own kind, but with us humans too. The height and position of a dog's tail is one of the most important ways that dogs can inform other dogs of their rank and status. A dog without a tail is like a ship without a rudder, along with ears they should never be cropped or docked in my opinion ever except for some very extreme medical reason.

Sorry if I appear aggressive, I dont mean to be, but I hate to see dogs with no tails and thank God it has been banned in this country.

I've had Dobies both with and without tails and found no difference in their ability to communicate, balance, change direction or anything else. My Rio was a superb athlete who could turn on a sixpence. Dogs are indeed born with a tail but to say they need one is complete tosh, we're born with legs but survive admirably when we have one amputated. For some people docking is an emotional issue and others it's not. I personally prefer the look of a docked Dobie but it's illegal and I accept that. I wouldn't dream of telling someone their dog would look better without a tail but I've certainly had the so nice to see a Dobermann with a tail comment made to me several times. I ignore the comments, I never asked for them.

Fair enoughski ... of course dogs can and do manage perfectly well without a tail ... I never said they didn't. Just as people manage without 2 legs.

You have totally missed my point though ... it is virtually always totally unnecessary to remove a dog's tail other than just the whim of a human who thinks the dog looks prettier without. I don't personally consider that ethical. But that is just my opinion ...

Docking was used to create a "handle" out of the tail for working sogs, helped to pull them out of rabbit holes and stuff! a proper dock takes place when a puppy is days old and will prevent future painful injuries to the tail by the way of removing it safely and before all their nerves have formed. Docking is still allowed if there is proof your litter will be working dogs. I'm not sure how you'd prove it.

My male dobe broke his tail on the door jam as he went outside, the screaming started then and continued until we got to the vets. It happened over 7 years ago and I still hear that scream

Funnily enough, my docked JRT had the best doggy manners and best reactions out of dogs. Kay gives off a vibe other dogs must hate!

You can see in these photos how battered and bruised Tia's tail got! I've got no huge problem with the ban, if it was still legal I would personally choose to have dogs like Great Danes and Dobermans, dogs with long thin tails, docked as young puppies just to prevent a painful injury in the future. I think it's more ear cropping that is solely cosmetic. Some people do argue there are health benefits to cropping ears, but if that were true surely there would be a lot more Golden Retrievers and Poodles with cropped ears.

Syd my male Dobie was the best communicator anyone could ever wish for. There is so much more to canine communication than tail position. As for Rio also docked she was not only a superb athlete as in managed well, she was head and shoulders above the others. Milan on the other hand had a tail and was a right clumsy oaf at times. The tail does still move about even though it may be only a couple of inches long. Non of mine ever damaged their tails and as it's now illegal there's no point arguing about it but I'd say a tail or not does a whole lot more than make them look pretty.

I will never be persuaded that docking is good, or looks better. I get the injury argument but I still dont consider that justification. I have regularly damaged various appendages over the decades as we all have .. does that mean we should chop 'em off to prevent injury? Leave dogs' tails alone ... whether they be working or not.

This isn't a debate about docking though is it? That's been done to death. Someone posting pictures of a fine example of the breed shouldn't be questioned about their dogs tail.Docking is banned, leave it at that.