We agree!

I am going for a lie down.

rune

What the KC have said in the case of agility HTM etc is that THEY don't have a problem with a legally docked dog competing as they consider those activities to be 'work'. That includes anywhere including places where entrance is paid.

If anyone wishes to complain they have to be directed to DEFRA and/or the RSPCA and the complaint has to be noted by those running the show.

rune

totally disagree with the article

never ceases to amaze me the articulate arguments people make up to mutilate baby animals

well done to the kennel club for making a moral stand on this one - i applaud them wholeheartedly!

So does everyone who thinks that dogs shouldn't be docked to work, make sure they buy meat from animals that haven't been similarly 'mutilated' for us, so they can be raised for our tables without suffering from fly strike, or injury from horns, etc, just so we can eat them? I know some are vegetarian, but many people aren't.

Also, it's acceptable to chop a dog's bo**ocks off to stop it from behaving inappropriately, humping, possibly escaping and finding a bitch, and yet it isn't acceptable to dock a young pup so it can enjoy a life time working, without as large a threat of injury??

Some odd ethical viewpoints, to me, anyway

i agree with the docking ban when its for purely cosmetic reasons and the way a dog looks.

however my uncle being a gamekeeper, i have seen dogs working that havent had their tails docked and it causes them so many problems and painful injuries. all my uncles are docked, (apart from the lab ) and when i helped up there last year there was a spinger who had a full tail and it was going through the bushes that quick it caught its tail and split it it was horrible, the dog then had to have its tail removed anyway.

That is why they allow legal docking.

They are happy for dogs to work---within their definition. The KC don't consider showing to be work.

Don't suppose your uncle is affected at all by the ban.

rune

It is acceptable and legal to dock working dogs.

Don't understand why you thought it wasn't?

It is NOT acceptable to dock dogs to show them as the KC don't consider that to be work.

rune

no not really because his dogs are purely working dogs. but the dogs are registered with the kc.

if dogs are registered with the kc and the kc support dog shows and "fit for function" then allowing the dogs to be worked without tails should mean if they want dogs "fit for function" then docked dogs that work should be able to be shown.

It would be simple to sort out----have working tests for anyone showing a docked gundog breed. They could do a basic puppy one before they show at 6mths and then a more advanced one before they were allowed to show as an older dog.

By 18mths the dogs should be able to do most basic gundog stuff---control and retreives would do.

rune

But they are not docked for the show ring, they are docked for work, and you can show duel purpose dogs in the ring, and those duel purpose dogs will epitome "fit for function"!