Dalmatians only have them on the front. The breed standard does not require them to be retained.
I would have thought that any argument for removal would apply to both front and back if they were present on both.

Ok... Sorry.... I just watched the 'pro docking' video with my hand over my mouth, and palms sweaty - the lovely music made it no less horrific for me...

Sorry - I just found it horrible

In fact - till then, while I was against it to begin with, it was based on pure opinion. Now I have seen it I understand it even less....

I know not alot was involved... I just find it pointless and cruel.

I understand people like docked breeds.... But till not so long ago, people also liked cropped breeds.

Can I ask - if given the choice, would you allow cropping once again?

No definitely not, cropping is for cosmetic reasons only. I'd dock my dogs as I intend to work them and want to prevent possible injury. That's my argument, the right to choose, as there are still dogs out there that perform their original function. I want to prevent my dogs from suffering if possible What was it about the vid that upset you?

The same thing that upsets me when I see babies with pierced ears.. Helpless, unnecessary mutilation

(don't get me wrong - I have my ears pierced twice, and have even ripped out a more personal piercing lol)

What % of dogs in the UK actually are used for their intended 'purpose' these days?

I have no statistics but there are plenty round here being Yorkshire and all! But that's not the point, surely if docking was banned those that do work could suffer. Regardless of numbers surely this is not a good thing for working dogs out there? As I said before because only the minority work (another organisations words not mine! )it's ok for them to suffer?

I would like to see stats on injuries - working dogs with tails vs working dogs that are docked. Call me particular

I think that if people want to remove body parts, they SHOULD be made to prove why they are doing it. Not the other way round.

So would I, I've looked all over and there aren't any that I can find. If I thought an ESS could work with a tail and have no chance of injury I'd do it, but at the back of my mind I'm thinking surely they were docked decades ago for a reason. I would think "working" for gundogs etc would come first in history rather than showing? If that's so surely these people knew what they were doing in the first place. Surely they wouldn't dock a dog for cosmetic reasons as these reasons didn't exist in those days?

There are probably hundreds of reasons as to why dogs were originally docked.. People were not so clued up on certain things as they were these days. Old traditions are not necessarily in the best interests of all involved.

I am not aware of any breed of dog which is born without a tail...

As for working spaniels...The constantly working spaniels belonging to my friends, have tails and rarely suffer injuries to them, or find them a hinderance whilst working either...The one draw back perhaps is the frequent need to remove bits of bracken and twigs which attach to their tails....

Don't you think the main one would be tail damage though given the working background? Old traditions aren't always the best I agree, but I think these people knew exactly what they were doing when it came to their dogs. It stands to reason if you think about it, docking a dog takes more time and effort than not, there must've been a good enough reason for it.

As someone else said that saying earlier "Don't tell your Grandma how to suck eggs!"