Why dock a dog's tail?

Question

Before answering, please note:

1. I am not asking whether or not it is cruel. I don't expect I'd get any agreement if I did.

2. I have no intention of having my dog's tail removed.

3. It's just a request for information to satisfy my curiosity.

Now that's out of the way, here's my understanding of the issue so far:

Some working breeds have their tails docked to avoid injuring them on brambles etc. Some dogs used for guarding have their tails docked so as to look more intimidating and not to give intruders anything to grab hold of.

I've heard some people argue that it is the "breed standard" but I can't understand that. Surely docking has nothing to do with breeding!

If the dogs are bred to be companion animals, why dock? Why are some breeds "meant" to be docked?

Questions are frequently posted on here about tail docking, and all of the answers I've seen tend to be either "it's cruel" or "it's not cruel" - often accompanied by either a pro- or anti- docking rant. As such, nobody learns anything.

My aim with this question was to move things forward a little. Not for any other reason than to expand my own understanding of the issue, and hopefully the understanding of some of the people reading this. Some of the answers I've received do that. Certainly, m.j., wolfstorm and ben w (sorry if I got the names wrong - I'm typing your names from memory!) have taught me something. I'm grateful for that.

M.J., you seemed irritated by my question (understandable given the number of anti-docking rants on here!) but you still took the time and effort to explain - I respect that. Thank you.

I'll decide on best answer after I've read Lee's links. Thanks to you too for taking the effort to source the info. for me.

Answer 1

Tail docking is illegal in Scotland. The RSPCA and most vets in the rest of Britain want it banned, it may or may be banned in next years animal welfare bill.
It's the equivalent of cutting off a babies finger and causes as much pain to the puppy as well as the risk of infection if the wound isn't kept clean enough.
Pro-dockers argue that docking prevents dogs injuring their tails but vets, who see more dogs of more breeds than anyone else don't agree.

Answer 2

Because not all dogs are ONLY pets! Some actually WORK! And at the age when docking is done, a breeder would have no idea which will be great field dogs and which will be pets. So they are ALL docked.

Have you ever seen a broken tail that needed to be docked as an adult? Broken tails heal very poorly and are often removed. Bloody and likely very painful for the dog as well.

Just because YOU don't work your dogs doesn't mean nobody else does!

If you don't want to dock your puppies then don't, but don't expect any hunters to be interested in buying one either.


Steven tt - " tail-docked pedigrees of today would not have had their tails docked in the distant past"

Of course they would have! They would have been much more likely to have been docked as most people in the past WORKED their dogs and were aware of the need for it!

Answer 3

The argument is basically between traditional breeding (which is closely associated with the Pedigree system) and current thought from the government branch of the RSPCA and Vets. The latter are increasingly of the opinion that tail-docking is both cruel and a violation of their rights. As far as can be seen any dog that is not registered as 'pedigree' does not have to have its tail docked. The funny thing is that not all dogs 'traditionally' have their tails docked. A strong argument against tail-docking is that even tail-docked pedigrees of today would not have had their tails docked in the distant past. Trends lead on to an unhesitating acceptance of tradition and alas with the tail docking issue (unlike the pooches tails) this contentious subjest is not going to go away.

Answer 4

Docking a tail is not cruel in comparison to what it can cause if not docked. If left at full length, your dog will be running through bushes with sharp thorn, the tails wagging, it hits a thorn and it becomes cut. now whenever she/he goes out off the lead he/she will knock it and open the wound again and again and again. My English Springer Spaniel had this very problem as she did not have her tail docked to a sensible length. we had to apply a cream which must have stung on aplication, because she was cowering and whimpering when we applied it. now that is cruel, no docking it, if done properly it will be tender for a week max and it may feel a little odd, however it stops infection and wounds that will nnot heal properly. We are having her tail docked soon. i do not see it as a meen thing, i, myself am vegetarian, and i feel very strongly about the way animals are kept and treated.
Docking is in the best interest of any working dog, NOT show dogs, NOT dog which will not have an active outdoor life.
i can understand why people think it is cruel, but when you compare it to a raw, open wound that will not heal, its nothing.

Answer 5

You may be aware that a new law has come into force in britain preventing most dogs from being docked...exceptions are...dogs bred for working. EG...gundogs..which you know are going to be working in undergrowth. Its true you will not always know if a dog can work out as a gun dog..or worker...but if there is the possibility that it may end up doing this sort of work in its new home, it is better to dock them as puppies..than undergo anaesthetic and an operation in later life. I do not agree with docking myself, especially in 'show' dogs..if it is just for show..the breed standard does NOT require that. Or in pets. But if you know a pup is going to a working environment..i have no problem with it. Its a simple process of putting an elastic band around the pups tail..at two days old. Like castrating a sheep. It slowly cuts off the blood supply til the tail drops off. If the rubber band is removed before 36 hours is up..the tail can be saved. hope i helped.

Answer 6

If you dock a dogs tail it is supposed to look better (???? what???) my dogs have both been docked but we didn't do it the owners before us did then decided they didn't come up to breeding standard (they are boxers). We now use them as guard dogs they don't look intimidating though. The rottie we had before had a tail and she still looked scary.
My answer: no idea

Answer 7

for some unknown reason when showing animals its expected that certain breeds have their tails docked. its a stupid breed standard thing and most commonly docked breeds can not enter comps if not docked.
it is now illegal to dock dogs tails but as usual the legislation has loop holes that breeders use to there advantage.
unfortunately there are still vets that will do tail docking and will lye and say its done for medical reasons such as tail trauma.
docking i think will still be here for a while yet and is important that us as owners ask for undocking when purchasing a pooch!

i have seen many common breeds such as rotties, dobermans and boxers with there tails and it looks lovely!!!

qualified veterinary nurse UK

Answer 8

You already know why it was traditionally done and the reasons it is done now is because it has always been done in the past. Also, to show certain breeds, they always do better if their tails are docked. Docking tails isn't all that cruel I don't think--the puppies are young and it happens quickly. Cropping ears is much more cruel.

Answer 9

I had to have a great danes tail docked at 18 monthes old due to it banging into things it became infected its common in large breeds with long whippy tails & I would rather have them done as pups as its a big operation for an adult dog

Answer 10

My dog's tail is docked - she's an English Springer spaniel, apparantly its 'the breed standard' to have them docked. The breeder had already had it done when we got her. If it had been up to me I wouldn't have had it done - my opinion is there is no need whatsoever.