We adopted a Treeing Walker Coonhound from a rescue. I didn't know anything about this breed so did not ask when we adopted her, but her tail has been docked, which I have since found out is not common. Anyone know why this would have been done?
2007-02-20 10:33:02 · 8 answers · asked by di_99 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Thanks jano - very helpful answer. I would not be surprised if she was used in fights. the rescue told us that she had been badly abused! Now she's just loving and VERY excitable, only occasionally lays on the floor or puts her eyes down when you walk towards her, and usually only when she knows she's done something wrong (she loves to eat anything - food or not)!
2007-02-20 11:07:28 · update #1
She may have been born that way. It happens frequently in some collie breeds, and occasionally in every breed..
2007-02-20 10:40:25 · answer #1 · answered by Chetco 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Hi! You've just picked the best breed in the whole world (of course I'm biased). My dog, Homer, is a Treeing Walker Coonhound and while I don't use him to hunt, I have gotten to know the breed well.
A few quick notes about the breed- They can be horribly stubborn (but always lovable), they have a melodic bark that they regularly use (some more than others), and they are fast-scent hounds. They can track things like rabbits or foxes with a fresh scent. They cannot track like a blood-hount on a trail that is days old. Their love of tracking sometimes makes taking one of these guys for a walk a bit of a trick as they want to find a scent for you. They also love "treeing" stuff and their bark changes once this has occurred. Many hunters will allow the dogs to run, then will travel to the pack once they give out the "I've treed stuff bark".
The AKC gives some guidelines for how one of the dogs should look. These dogs are typically tri-colored, but the pattern doesn't matter to the kennel club. Also, as these are hunters, they can have scars and marks from their work at hunting. In addition, they tails should NOT be docked and cannot be showed if this occurs. Given the typically active livestyle of these dogs, I'd bet dollars that your dog had some sort of accident. I can't imagine a vet doing this to this breed.
Also (an maybe some other writers have some additional input here), docking was for fighting and/ or guard dogs. This would keep the dog from telegraphing an attack with the tail movement. That's why we see Rotweiler's, Bulldogs, etc. with the docked tail. The look became fashionable and caught on. The Treeing Walker Coonhound is just too good natured for this.
Good luck with a wonderful breed of dog!
2007-02-20 10:56:56 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Most of the time its purely cosmetic. A long time ago some one decided that the tail doesn't look pretty, so they chopped it off. *shrugs*
I do know that some breeds can get certain diseases if their tails are left on...or that's what I heard.
Most of the time if you find the breed with the tail left on its not very appealing (generally rat like).
I can tell you that tail docking is usually done at a very young age and that it is done humanely.
The plus side is you don't have to worry about it beating you/ things with its tail when it gets excited!
2007-02-20 10:48:47 · answer #3 · answered by roadkilltoad 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Some dogs with long, thin tails injure the tips, which then don't heal because it's difficult to bandage them and the dog keeps whacking it against hard surfaces and breaking it open again. In these cases it's usually best to just dock the tail.
I know two dogs that had to have this done, an Irish Wolfhound and a pit bull mix.
2007-02-20 10:42:12 · answer #4 · answered by DaBasset - BYBs kill dogs 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
People dock tails for many selfish reasons:
To make the dog look tougher
So the tail doesn't bash things off tables etc.
They like the look of it
2007-02-20 10:37:06 · answer #5 · answered by allyalexmch 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋
she might have injured the tail and it had to be dock it happens to dog like great danes.
2007-02-20 10:38:35 · answer #6 · answered by Skyhoss 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Coonhounds -of whichever breed are NOT docked!
CURS *ARE*!
It is far more likely that it was INJURED,NOT from "fighting"!( you twit!) Hounds are KNOWN for being *GOOD* IN PACKS=***NOT***"fighting"!
Bet you a whole DOLLAR,it's NOT anywhere NEAR a REAL Walker-just a MUTT!
2007-02-21 02:29:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 6⤋
for shows, they think it looks better
2007-02-20 10:36:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋