I think it should be a matter of choice by the breeder, and I also think it is best done by an experienced vet.My three dogs are all docked, they are working breeds and spend a lot of time in rough undergrowth. My old spaniel was undocked and yes his tail was beautiful and feathered and it was lovely to see it wag...until the day he jumped a dyke and got hung by his tail on some barbed wire. He stripped all the skin off his tail and while trying to free himself sliced through both back legs doing a great deal of damage. He was screaming with pain and it was an extremely upsetting experience, several operations were required to put him right. I realise that many pet dogs will not experience the chances of something like this happening to them, but a lot will...and an outright ban in my opinion is not the right way to go. It should be up to the breeder to decide.
In the past I have seen litters being docked, and have even held the puppies while it was being done. I can honestly say that apart from a small squeak they suffered no visible ill effects.

I have two gundog breeds, one is traditionally docked, and the other is not. I'm not so much pro docking, as pro choice, and I choose to have my puppies of the docked breed, docked.

If anybody wishes to leave their puppies undocked, then fine, but I strongly object to being TOLD what to do. I am an educated human being, in a caring profession, and I am more than capable of deciding for myself whether to dock or not. When people use emotive language to compare docking with babies having their little finger amputated, I realise that these people know nothing about the development of puppies, or children.

If docking is upsetting to anyone, then may they please avoid docked breeds and therefor not get upset. In other words, mind their own business. There are people that would have the novice believe that docking is illegal. Now that's lying. Indeed it may come to pass that docking becomes illegal, and IF and when that happens, then I shall comply, but for the time being, BUTT OUT!!!!

Dawn R.

Both my dogs are docked, and I'm still happy to be owned by them

i am pro choice mine arent docked, but thats because they...just arent being working terriers their tails can be a hinderance sometimes, but they get on with it. Mind you Polly had a nasty accident which ended in part of her tail being removed at the vets, due to hopping a style thing in the fields and getting it caught......

I am going to sit on the fence on this one because I also believe in respecting other people's opinions and SOMETIMES we don't always have all the facts to hand, one way or the other.

Here's a thought for you...... while many vets will not dock any more as it is seen to be "mutilation" therefore against veterinary principles (sorry can't remember the exact term) the same vets will usually cut off the front dew claws of 3 days old Dalmatian puppies. Are double standards happening here?

For the record, mine have all had their dew claws removed.

In answer to your q? Deccy yes, the way i see it and i know there's many a person that don't agree
If you can be against docking fine, but you should also be against every types of surgery the changes adog to suit mankind! (this would include taking your dogs nuts off )

It is exactly the same as a human baby having their little finger cut off. Are you suggesting my uncles who are both vets with 40 years of practice each know nothing

looks like this vet agrees with them too:
http://www.emmathevet.co.uk/index.asp

Is this the same vet who hates pedigree dogs?

Have no idea carole she's just one of the thousands of vets against docking. For the record my uncles say the same and they have no predjudices against pedigree just docked tails in PET dogs!

Yes it is by the looks of it and some of the thing she says are complete and utter rubbish! I have watched a litter of puppies being docked and they dont ever wake up! This is because is it done way before they can feel it. I have seen some of the injurys that working dogs just have a look here http://www.cdb.org/ these are the dogs that i feel sorry for because they feel the pain, puppies that young dont.