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SuperBarkBolt
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Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK
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06-10-2011, 12:11 PM

Should i Dock his Tail ??

I bought my 11 week old GSD with a deformed tail its shorter and got a kink in it than normal GSD and wondered if i should get it Docked?
Reason why is = When he does his business outside he dosen't lift the tail up but to the side instead and then it get all dirty* ( if you know what i mean )(*pooped on) i put pressure on it and he never yelped or moved , the Very Top part of a Dogs Back spine his Dips at the point where his tail should start? Took him to my Vet and we both agreed to leave it for a couple of months and see if it grows???

Any Comments are welcome

Its just im having to clean his backside every time he goes out the Back Door
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GSD-Sue
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06-10-2011, 12:17 PM
I'd leave it a while, some puppies with normal tails are not good at keeping clean at this age. Study him & see how he uses his tail in other situations & be guided by your vet. Personally I think unless its absolutely neccessary docking may do more harm than good.
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krlyr
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06-10-2011, 12:25 PM
I wouldn't rush to amputate if it's not causing him pain - dogs use their tail as part of their body language so you could end up hindering his interactions with other dogs, for example. Also I have heard that tails can be difficult to heal after partial amputation, so I wouldn't take the decision lightly.
If the only issue is the hygeine/cleanliness factor then I would see if there are less drastic measures - perhaps trimming the fur if it's thick there (some GSDs get quite fluffy "knickers" and GSD pups can be quite fluffy but he might thin out as he ages). Also perhaps addressing the diet - if his poos are slightly loose and leaving marks on the fur then it might be worth switching to a more digestible food where the poos will be more solid. My raw fed dogs create very solid, dry poos so there's no poo left on Casper's longer fur.

I would give it time and see - the defect may fix itself with age or it might not be such an issue if his tummy settles down.
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SuperBarkBolt
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06-10-2011, 12:35 PM
Cheers hes a Long Haired GSD and I've been giving him Dried Complete Dog Food watered down as advised by his breeder, He can do solid most days and lets say Sloppy once everyday usually after his third meal (5pm). I'm not really wanting to Dock it , it was just a suggestion that someone said and wondered what others thought of it ! He has never "wagged" his tail yet, but when i stroke his tummy the top part of the tail lifts but the rest Dangles so to speak ..
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krlyr
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06-10-2011, 01:08 PM
Some dogs do naturally hold their tails lower anyway.
Being longhaired it probably going to be as much, if not more, of a culprit than a dodgy tail - even when Casper lifts his tail, if he has an upset tum then his fur needs cleaning, because it's so long and a bit course so sticks out a bit.
If he's regularly doing sloppy poos then I would try to address that. What brand food are you using? How much are you feeding per meal?
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ClaireandDaisy
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06-10-2011, 01:13 PM
Could you just trim the fur to make it lighter and easier to clean?
Tails are useful for balance as well as communication.
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sarah1983
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06-10-2011, 01:31 PM
If you're feeding Pedigree (you mentioned it in another post) then changing to a good quality food might help.

I would be very hesitant to dock unless it's causing him problems. At his age I'm guessing it would be the full on amputation rather than the simple procedure it is at a few days old.
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SuperBarkBolt
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06-10-2011, 06:41 PM
Originally Posted by sarah1983 View Post
If you're feeding Pedigree (you mentioned it in another post) then changing to a good quality food might help.
Yeah hes on Dry puppy complete ,What would you reccommend as Quality food????
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SuperBarkBolt
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06-10-2011, 06:50 PM
Originally Posted by krlyr View Post
What brand food are you using? How much are you feeding per meal?
Pedigree Chum Dry Complete Puppy Food watered down and in a Small Puppy bowl probably the size is enough for 3 Adult Palmfuls of Food

Thought about changing to Bakers puppy food (Dry )
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krlyr
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06-10-2011, 06:52 PM
Avoid the Bakers - I'd put Pedigree slightly (only very!) above Bakers, a few less artificial colours. I'd look into better quality brands - they may cost more initially but you'll find you feed less as it's more digestible (which means less, and usually better formed, poos). Brands like Barking Heads, James Wellbeloved, etc.
If you're on a limited budget then CSJ comes well recommended for a budget food.

Overfeeding a dog can result in loose poos too so I would consider weighing the food - weigh out the recommended amount and see what this equals in mugs or cups and then use this as your measurement in the future, to save having to use scales all the time.
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