Can I still get my Brittany's tail docked at 3 months old?

Question

Its tail is already 3 1/2 inches long, and the breed standard is 4 inches. I may want to show this dog and need its tail to conform to the standard. I'm not sure if they didn't dock it at all or if they did it too long.

Answer 1

Yes you can still get it docked but it will be more painful, prone to infection, and expensive than it was a puppy. Good Luck!

Answer 2

First of all Brittany's are born with LONG tails. If your dog's tail is 3 1/2 incles long is is because it was already docked. It MAY be docked improperly, but you will have to wait until she is done growing to see what the exact length will be, as the bones she has left are still growing at this age.
Tail "docking" is considered amputation after the pup is more than a week old, so it will be harder to find a vet who is willing to do the procedure and the results could be worse than now with the tail being too short or severe scaring.

Answer 3

Absolutly not an animals tail can only be docked at birth

Current status
Docking is usually done almost immediately after birth to ensure that the wound heals easily and properly. An old belief said that newborns hardly felt the injury, but now reputable breeders have cropping and docking performed only under licensed veterinary care. Today, many countries consider cropping or docking to be cruel or mutilation and ban it entirely.



This is not true in the United States, and the breed standards for many breeds registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) make undocked animals presumably ineligible for the dog show ring. The AKC states that it has no rules that require docking or that make undocked animals ineligible for the show ring, but it also states that it defers to the individual breed clubs (who define the breed standards) to define the best standards for each breed.



In such an environment, even people who desire undocked dogs often cannot get them. Most people prefer to choose a puppy from a reputable breeder after the puppy is old enough to determine personality and conformation, whereas docking is done immediately after birth. A breeder normally does not want to withhold docking on an entire litter so that a potential owner can later have one of the puppies with undocked tail or ears.



Show dogs of many breeds are still routinely docked in the UK. Kennel Club standards allow for docked or undocked dogs to enter conformation shows. However, many owners believe that an undocked dog is at a disadvantage when judged. An undocked dog's tail must be within the standard, so a docked dog is at an advantage by having one less attribute to be judged. There is also a perception that many judges have a preference for docked tails.



Although docking should be performed by a veterinary surgeon, often the methods used are far from ideal. In the UK a common method is to apply a rubber ring around the tail base, so that circulation is cut off and the tail dies. This extends the period of pain for the puppy and increases the risk of infection.

Answer 4

The puppy is too old. Docking the tail at this age is major surgery on the spinal cord. If you did not get this puppy from a knowledgeable breeder(who would know how to dock it's tails correctly) then it is not likely show quality anyway! Brittany's also reach full size by a year old, many by 9 months, so the tail may be fine, but I'd have to see it to know for sure. There are plenty of activities you can do with out the tail being correct, like agility, obedience, field trials, and on and on......

Answer 5

I believe they have changed the rules about tail docking, I know that some countries don't allow it at all any more. Check www.akc.com and see the breed standards. If it is still a breed standard of the AKC then you may want to get it done. But if your not going to show why put your dog through the pain. Your dogs tail is part of their spine. If you do decide to do it I would talk to your vet about it.

Answer 6

3 mo. old is too old to dock the tail. It has to be done when the pup is just a couple days old when the tail is still cartlidge, now the bone has formed and it can no longer be done without causing the poor dog severe pain.

Answer 7

They have changed the rules. You no longer have to dock a dog's tail to show them. Too many people believe that it is cruelty to animals

Answer 8

If you are THIS ignorant about dogs,you'll be LOUSY in the conformation ring!!!

sheeeeeeeeeeeeeesh


The tail length is FINE!!!! Too short is WAY worse than too long!!!

Answer 9

I dont think so because at 15 weeks puppies are too old ot get their ears cropped, and getting their tails docked are actualy the same excat thing just at different ends. its real painfull at that age too. its not curelty i dont believe. just hurts for the looks

Answer 10

NO! No vet in there right mind would EVER do this for you either and if so, needs to be reported. Most vets will give you max of only up to 3 days old to do it.