Question for breeders and owners of dogs with docked tails?

Question

When a dog's tail is docked, does it generally leave a scar?

I have three rescued dogs, all purebred, all breeds with docked tails. One of them has a scar. I can't find one on the other two.

Is this common? The one with the scar is a larger dog and has a fatter tail (he's a Brittany), so maybe that's why I can see his scar?

I'd think at a few hours old when the tail is docked, it likely wouldn't leave a scar?

Thanks!

Answer 1

When the vet or a skilled breeder does it, there is not a scar you can find.
When a clueless breeder does it, there is a scar. Especailly if the use the "banding" method where they place a rubberband in the tail and wait for it to fall off. Generally, clueless breeders do not have great equipment either, and if they do "cut" the tail, they do not have scissors that are as sharp as the vet and actually do more crushing than cutting. that will also leave a scar.

Answer 2

Many dogs' tails are docked because they can be injured in the environment where they were bred to hunt. The reason many breeders dock the tails at a very young age is that in the first few days of life, the pups don't feel as much pain as if they wait until a week or two. No anesthesia is used or needed, the puppies heal very fast; I speak as one who bred a litter of spaniel pups and saw them through the process. They did feel some discomfort for about an hour after the docking, and then they were fine. If the breeders of docked-tail breeds waited until the pups went to new homes for the pups' tails to be docked, i.e. allowing the new owners to make the decision, the procedure would be far more painful to the pup and expensive for the owners; at that age they would have to anesthetize the pup and its recovery would take longer. In many breeds, the tail is not docked so short that the dog cannot express emotions through it. I personally would never crop a dog's ears; that is done between the second and third month, I believe. I am not the puppy police; nor do I want to be, so I leave that choice to the breeders and owners of cropped-ear breeds where the practice is permitted by law.

Answer 3

My little Min Pin had her tail docked and no hair grew at the very tip where it was severed. It shouldn't leave a visible scar. The hair should pretty much cover it up.

The vet told me that I was lucky there is no scarring because it looked like it was a home cropping and docking and they tend to get infected, which will leave noticeable scars. It's possible that someone docked the tail themselves.

Answer 4

I have two dogs with docked tails. The airedale, with standard length dock, does not like the tip of her tail touched. Our border collie has a much shorter dock, down to the third joint, doesn't mind at all.

I don't believe it is a length issue though. I truly believe it is all in How, Who and When they are docked that effects the sensitivity level and scarring.

Answer 5

'Bad' docking does leave a scar, or a lump. A 'good' dock will leave no mark at all, just a nice smooth rounded end, with a proper covering of fur of course. Why wouldn't a few-hours-old pup get a scar? Of course they would if it's not done 'properly' (if there is such a thing, I think the whole procedure is barbaric). They feel pain just as much as well.

Tail-docking has been made illegal in England except for working dogs!! Hurray!!

Chalice

Answer 6

Never had a noticeable scar on any of our dogs with docked tails (and we've had a few) Seeing as your pups are rescue dogs I would imagine someone botched the job on the scarred dog.

Answer 7

i own a brittany spaniel he has his tail dock and he has no scar
so it could be who ever docked the tail on your dog didint know what they were doing or that the scar is from something else.

Answer 8

I have an air dale terrier and there is no visible scar, but he doesn't like the spot where his tail was docked to be touched.

Answer 9

Some dogs are born with Naturally bobbed tails! If the tail is docked there will be a scar, no matter what. How visible it is depends on two factors: how well the docking procedure was done and how well the tail healed.

Answer 10

If done properly, there should not be a scar.