Obviously i did not word my point correctly, i was not calling anyone here a Nazi, i was saying people fought and lost their lives for our liberty..for our freedom..yet merely six decades later the country is becoming a dictatorship anyway, and people are quite happy for this to happen (im going off topic now-thats a whole different thread.)
My deepest apologies Ailsa, it was not aimed at you nor implied in the way it reads-shall edit the post to prevent further offense.

Thanks Luke, apology accepted.
For the record my father fought in WW2 and my uncle lost his life when his spitfire was shot down.

This country is FAR from being a dictatorship, if it were, oyu would not have the freedom to express your opinions. :smt002

Tail damage on a Spaniel




Manorrog Miss Matty was born on 2nd April 1994 and came to me at six months old. She had a fine full tail and looked beautiful with it when she carried it proudly like a flag, waving and wagging. However beautiful it may look, it was soon obvious to me that the practicality of docking was not a case of cruelty if docked, but cruelty not to dock.

After her initial obedience training and some success at country fairs in scurries and tests we began serious work in September 1995 on a major partridge shoot near Grantham. Even on the first day her tail became cut working in tall maize. As the season progressed and Mattys experience grew we moved on in October to pheasants and we worked in the beating line on two major local shoots. We also worked on rough shoots on disused railway lines around this part of Lincolnshire. These heavily overgrown areas caused havoc with her tail and it soon became apparent that I will have to have her tail removed, a risky operation at her age involving a full anaesthetic.

I had an open mind about docking when I took Matty. Now I am convinced never to have a full tailed spaniel again. The cruelty is not in docking, but in not docking. The enclosed photograph of her battered tail and a bloodstained dog are proof of this.

Matty worked probably three days a week on average through the season and I appreciate this is more often than many dogs. The point is that she had an unnecessary problem brought about by not being docked. It is my intention to work my dogs as least as often as this again this coming season, however, should I use Matty? The evidence is plain: Matty worked alongside many other dogs, not just mine, and no others had damage similar to hers.

I hope this evidence is of some use to you. Please feel free to use any photograph in any way you may wish.

By Kind Permission

That was off the net by the way

Phil

Yes that photo has been on the CDB site for nigh on 12 years, I doubt that particular dog is still alive. If it is such an horrendous, frequent problem why aren't there hundreds of photographs depicting these 'tail injuries'? I tell you why because it's not as common as people like to make out. Besides there is an exemption for working dogs.
It's going to happen get over it
Becky

Yes the CDB website! Same dog, same picture if there is so much tail damage why aren't there more pictures to prove it?

no doubt dogs do injure their tails...they also don't injure their tails...
Their tails are beautiful...

I don't actually think I gave my opinion one way or the other so i've nothing to "get over".

As for the lack of photographs on the Web - I don't really think that is proof of anything. I've never photographed my dogs when they've had a split tail.

People obviously found docking to be worthwhile otherwise they wouldn't have done it I guess.

Or they accepted it as the 'norm'?

It's going to happen get over it
Becky[/QUOTE]

Hi Becky. i would like to ask if something happened that you did not agree to, would you just keep quite and accept the change with out a moan, I doubt it.
Every one has their own opinion and they have a right to voice it. To tell some one "It's going to happen get over it" is out of line and not the correct thing to say.