Tail docking

[Kathy Wilson]

I would like to know what your views on tail docking are. This practice totally confuses me, so I'd like to educate myself.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think it's abuse.

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

In my opinion, anytime you dock tails, ears etc, it is amputation for your own vanity and not the dog's.

[Adina P]

I think it's unnecessary and pointless and a sad loss of a beautiful tail for a doodle and unnecessary and pointless for any dog breed in a pet home.

It was originally done for working dogs for some reason or another...and maintained thru breed culture. But a true REASON or benefit is hard for me to find.

[Kathy Wilson]

Thanks all, I'm with all of you. I don't even like to see poodles docked. IMHO, the stuff they're born with, they should get to keep.....except reproductive parts, that is.

[Lynne B]

dogs communicate with their tail, to me amputating it is about as bad as cutting out a persons tongue

[Adina P]

I'm not convinced by the arguments FOR it for pet dogs...but here are two articles one PRO and one CON:

http://www.wsava.org/Taildock.htm

http://www.netpets.com/dogs/healthspa/case4dock.html

[Chris & Boys]

Totally against it. If it is not for a health benefit, it is cruel.

[Adina P]

Yeah...they SAY (in one of the links I posted above) that for certain breeds it's for hygiene so they don't get poopy, nasty, fly ridden tails (i.e. sheepdogs, etc). But really...if a dog isn't a WORKING dog ... does it really need to have a super hairy behind...can it not be trimmed?

[GBK]

It's called a sanitary trim, and I so agree with not docking or mutilating any part of a dogs body. I keep the base of my dog's tail trimmed shorter like poodle and let the rest grow long (looks like a feather duster!) it solves any problems of dirty hair around the butt.

[Beth and Gang]

Tail docking is cruel. I love the helicopter wag of a happy doodle (or any other breed)

[Ann Kendig]

My doodle's tail was docked by the breeder. I saw pictures of Duke (my labradoodle) but he was positioned in such a way in the pictures that I couldn't tell his tail was docked. I put down my deposit for him and picked him up a few days later. I was really surprised he didn't have a tail! (I didn't know breeders would dock a doodle's tail so I never thought of asking.) This breeder raised poodles and the little poodle puppies tails were docked also. My boyfriend and I were relaxing on the swing today watching the dogs play. He remarked that he wished Duke still had his tail. I agreed. I love the way Sheba's (my goldendoodle) tail wags! The tail wag not only helps a dog read another dog's mood but it also helps us read our doodle's mood. Duke is quiet, shy and reserved and hard to "read" at times. I do miss his tail but he is a great dog and when he is really happy he shakes his fanny. I would prefer no tail docking!

[Lorraine Bromley]

I would never want to have my "BREEDER" do this and would would consider a refund and also post the practice anywhere I COULD. so that the breeder can't take anyone in again and hopefully would stop this practice. The tail is part of the doodle look. I wonder why they even bred them if they were trying to conform to a poodle standard. They talk about pure breds and our designer dogs yet they (purebred breeders) still bred to a unhealthy or purely cosmetic standard.