Docking Tails and Removing Front Dew Claws...

Hi everyone...

I know that for working dogs the docked tail is allowed and I kind of understand the reasoning behind that (getting caught in fences etc) but I have a question about the breeding of such animals.

Say I have a litter of German Shorthaired Pointers (I don't)...and my bitch is a working dog but some of my puppies are going to pet homes and will not be worked, am I allowed to have the tails of the pet home puppies docked?

Same question with regards to removing front dew claws though I am unsure as to whether this is illegal in the first place.

Hi

I recently bought a working cocker x springer from a working home. I asked my vet the very same question. I was told (however accurate) that legally the tails of the pet home puppies could not be docked and that they would need sufficient evidence that the others were in fact going to working homes in order to dock their tails. I was told that there was no legislation prevening the removal of the front dew claws and that this could be done at any stage of the dog's life.

You may find better experts responding to this! Hope it helps tho.

i dont think the removal of dew claws is illegal... i may be wrong though.

but with the docking, the dogs going to pet homes shouldnt be docked, coz they are only meant to be docked for working, therefore shouldnt be done if they wont be. i guess it all depends if you know which pups will be worked, and which pups wont be... dont know where you would stand legally when that happens... im not much help but others will know better than me

wish i'd seen your post before i waffled on thats what i thought would be the case, but wasnt too sure lol.

the removal of dew claws is not illegal and any dog can have it done.

it must be impossible to know at the age of 3 days old which ones will be suitable for working homes and which ones will be going to pet homes. unless a pet owner picks a particular puppy at 3 days old to leave it undocked, I don't know how you would know otherwise. I think all puppies in a working litter are docked.

I know a Lab who was docked as he hurt his tail and it wasn't healing....this was done under the vets advice.
Slightly off topic but not all docked tails are done on purpose and may have other issues!
This Labs bum really wiggles now he doesn't have all his tail. He is just as handsome and happy though :0)

Ive never understood the need for tail docking.

I know that traditionally 'working dogs' have had this done because the tail can get injured, but as far as I know the dogs used in fox hunting are not always docked and they are leaping all round trees, hedges, countryside etc.

Here in Scotland, docking is not allowed at all.

As far as I am aware - if you can document that at least one of your pups is going to a working home, the whole litter can be docked.

The best place to find the definitive answer is the DEFRA website

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm only curious because I have a 1 year old German Shorthaired Pointer in with me at the moment who has tail docked and dew claws off and there was never any intention of him being worked.

People are still doing it illegaly too

No regulations for dew claws as it seems some breed standards still require them off
I would only think about dew claw removal if they were not properly formed/attached the dogs do need them