First of all - sorry - haven't read it all! No time!

I can see Het's point on how tails may get in the way and it sounds so awful Het, I'm sorry you had to go through that.

I don't think it should be banned to have them docked, I think the KC need to readdress things and not state that an animal's tail must be docked (I'm right in thinking this is the case aren't I?)

If the Kennel Club didn't require docked tails, less people would bother with the vets fees to do it. And what is it for with the KC? appearances I'm sure.

I've never really taken much interest in docking (personally because I don't like it) so didn't realise how they did it, or how much it hurts.

CrazyCockers- that must be the worst thing to go through, I don't know if I could cope with how you described it.

Sorry - obviously didn't read this one

It seems it's the way vets do it as to how it hurts or doesn't hurt. And it seems your vet is obviously a lot better with them than some others.

Sorry I didn't read it, I can see your point, as I have never had a litter, nor had a puppy's tail docked or seen it then I can't really comment because I just don't know.

Think that tail docking would be better described as cutting the umbilical cord than a baby’s finger what a silly emotive thing for a professional person to say.

They may be against it but they either do it or move to the city where there are few farms, no vet could survive if they refused to do as a farmer wished.

''If the Kennel Club didn't require docked tails, less people would bother with the vets fees to do it. And what is it for with the KC? appearances I'm sure''.

Lottie, your quote above.

No the Kennel Club does not require the docking of traditionally docked breeds, they allow the breeders the choice. The breed standards of these breeds has for several years included a description of an undocked tail set and carriage. There a number of undocked champions in many breeds.

Dawn R (pro choice)

Edited to add, even before the addition of the undocked tail description in the standards, the KC never insisted that these breeds were docked.

I have a Swedish Vallhund WITH an tail (something which is still a rarity in the UK where most breeders try to keep all tails short , I don't believe I know ONE SV kennel who keeps natural tails ). I'm also looking to import a bitch with a natural bob, so I like both ways if it's natural!!! Personally I'd much rather prefer a natural tail on a docked breed, it's one of the joys

I remember while I was working in a Rottie kennel that every litter I saw docked (always at 2 days and banded) cried, was restless, and off their milk for the week after docking!! The first time I watched the process I almost cried, by the 4th I was applying the bands myself and I HATED it with all my heart! But when you're young you don't protest, and I wanted to learn to breed Oh, and the breeder stopped cropping 4 years ago and docking 2 years ago! He's also from Greece.........I finally got to him

Docking and cropping in most countries in the EU is BANNED!! Excluding the newly accepted and southern coutries. If your breed is one thats born bobbed you have to call the vet as soon as they're born to tell him, then he comes a few days after the birth and examines the pups and then you get a certificate stating the pup was born so.

Kate (pro choice - wouldn't do it myself though)

Do not make personal statements about a member of my family. I can assure you neither of my uncles are silly and they know a lot more than you do. Could you operate on your dog or save his life in you needed too? I think not they however can. It's not just them a lot of vets have said the same. Do not personally attack someone just because you don't agree with them I think a lot of things you come out with are very stupid however in general i'm far too polite to tell you so.

My uncles and the rest of the vets that made these comments have trained for years and they are not breeders with no education who think they know it all Besides there must be some justification in their comments otherwise Australia and all the other EU countries wouldn't have banned docking.

If the KC said tomorrow no breeds should ever be docked you would all jump. No one hand on heart can honestly say they would do something like cut off a tail in a pet dog. If that's how you feel it is obvious to me that you keep your dogs pureley as status symbols and nothing else.

I have no problem with working dogs having tails docked pet dogs however shouldn't be used as status symbols.

**Can we please remember to express our opinions without getting personal then we can all enjoy an adult debate .. We can I am sure take it that no offence was intended by anyone so let none be taken

thank you***

I don't really know too much about this subject so I'll keep this short:

Some dogs are docked for cosmetic reasons

Some dogs are not docked

Some dogs are docked to prevent injury.

I don't believe it's right to lump them all together and say "let's ban docking" because all the cases are very different, and in some cases it would be far more cruel to risk a tail injury.

Each case needs to be assessed on an individual basis, and how can they do that if they ban it altogether?

I have no wish to get into a debate on this and think it is up to the individual vet to decide their own actions

I will say however that I have in the past assisted vets with many dockings and dewclaw removals. It is a few years ago now and no one thought much about it then, in all cases the puppies were done as soon after birth as possible.

Research by Scott and Fuller revealed that newly born puppies do not have myelinated brains in other words the pathways linking the various parts of the body to the brain are not fully formed so they have little feeling anywhere. The top of a puppy's head has 'touch reflex', I guess this is so it can feel when it's against it's mummy's tummy and should start to suckle. Also of course a puppy can respond to the licking stimulation of the dam . Therefore with this in mind I was always told docking caused little or no distress to puppies.

In the dockings I assisted with the puppies cried no more than they would do when removed from their Mother, our vet retracted the skin over the joint in the tail and removed the tail with suture scissors as he said this did the job better than normal scissors.., the skin was then released and a stitch put in the end of the tail ..there was no bleeding and all was neat and tidy.


I prefer to see my breed with the tails docked but that is a personal preference, I would like the freedom to choose and would cut the dewclaws anyway, on small breeds with thin legs and long hair these are easily damaged/ripped when walking or grooming.