Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 31

Thread: Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    239

    Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

    Alberta recently banned docking tails amongst other things.
    Do you agree or disagree and why?

    This should get things fired up.

    Rainer

  2. Site Sponsor

  3. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    EK BC
    Posts
    3,571

    Re: Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

    Tail docking is absolute bullshit. I have a fair bit of experience with working dogs in several countries and I would never do it.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    VI
    Posts
    2,643

    Re: Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

    On the surface i dont like the idea of it. But i really dont know anything about it so i dont have an opinion.

    Lorne
    Quote Originally Posted by Bear Brawler View Post
    Just lob a couple loaded mouse traps at em like you're playing horse shoes. More humane than bouncing darts off them.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Losing something, somewhere!
    Posts
    2,342

    Re: Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

    I have a Rottweiler, with a tail. (1st one, with a tail)
    *#!$ing thing has wasted about a 40oz of quality booze.
    I have and will dock, if I have anymore rotty pups.
    To each his own, and I don't remember getting my touque cut off, I doubt a one-two day old pup remembers, getting its tail docked.
    Plus the ol'lady says it looks great........
    The dogs tail I mean!

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    823

    Re: Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

    Quote Originally Posted by Everett View Post
    Tail docking is absolute bullshit. I have a fair bit of experience with working dogs in several countries and I would never do it.
    Why do you think it's bs ?
    What working dog breeds do you have experience with?

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Cedar B.C.
    Posts
    6,999

    Re: Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

    I have raised spaniels(English Cockers and Springers) most of my adult life. I would not have a working Spaniel with a full tail. I have seen spaniels with full tails come out if a days hunt in heavy cover with the tips turned to bloody hamburger to a point of needing major surgery. We leave 2/3 of the tail when they are docked at 3 days. FYI most puppies don't even yelp during the process. With working Spaniels it is a necessity rather than cosmetic. Docking does 2 main things. #1 it takes the whip out of the thin tip and #2 adds tough scar tissue to the tip as a sort of protective armor to the vulnerable tip. I personally would much rather dock the tail at 3 days which is a non event to the pups than put an adult dog through unnecessary major surgery due to tail injury. I know at least 5 vets who are spaniel breeders and trainer/trialers and to a person all say docking is a humane necessity with ALL working Spaniels. A pic is worth 1000 words

    Undocked tails, Blood in the flanks are from the tail tip, The tip is a mess of raw meat and hurts if it is touched UT never stops wagging all through the hunt



    Tails docked at 2/3 length both these dogs are hard hunting gundogs and have NEVER had tail damage

    Last edited by Foxton Gundogs; 04-02-2019 at 09:29 AM.
    "BORN TO HUNT"
    Foxton's Cuervo Gold "KEELA" Oct. 2004-June 2017. Always in my blind and my heart.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Whonnock for 19 years, Mission for 46 years
    Posts
    4,720

    Re: Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

    My brother-in-law had a big lab that damaged the tip of his tail and despite many different efforts
    by both him and his vet, it never stayed healed very long because of the rapid wagging slapping it
    against anything near. They finally had to dock it to 3/4 length. The whole situation cost him thousands
    of dollars. I support docking if it's necessary for working dogs, or if there's a problem such as I described.
    I don't support tail docking or ear trimming merely for cosmetic appearances. My big lab is constantly
    knocking things over, often breaking things when doing it, but unless it was absolutely necessary there's
    no way I would have his tail docked.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    239

    Re: Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

    Any dog that works in cover will have a tail injury,it's just a matter of fact unless the tail is docked.Most of the injuries occur in the last 2inches of the tail.
    Countries with a long history of using gun dogs (England,Scotland,Denmark and Germany)had their laws amended to allow docking of tails in working dogs.The rate of injuries were over 50% in Spaniels and 38% in HPR in one shooting season.Swedens GSPs had over 50% in the first year and over 90% in the second year of the dogs examined.Still with all the evidence on hand the Vets in this country voted for a docking ban.In Alberta only just over 7%of the vets and vet techs voted.
    The future of gun dogs will be....no docking and no import of docked dogs!!

    @Foxton,I totally agree with your post.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    749

    Re: Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t tail docking (and ear cropping) banned in BC a couple years ago? My GSP is docked and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    823

    Re: Tail docking to prevent injuries in working dogs

    Correct. It is now only legal in 3 provinces - Ontario, Sask & Manitoba. So far...

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •