fishingtex Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 Hi all I have just got a Bracco Italiano. She is about 18 months old, from show stock but not up to standard. So we are giving her a loving home and I want to work her along with our trained working Labrador. For rough shooting and hopefully with a lot of hard work a peg dog. Can I have her tail docked? Or is it too late and we will just have to take care of any injuries when she is out working. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I have only experience with Labradors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Harry Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 You can't legally dock her unless she injures her tail and the vet decides it needs to come off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 You can't legally dock her unless she injures her tail and the vet decides it needs to come off. this is excactly what i was told too............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishingtex Posted March 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 I thought as much cheers fellas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 I have had the tail docked on two of my Labradors in the past. Both had 'waggy tail syndrome' and knocked the ends of their tails off with regularity meaning blood spatter all over the house. Neither vet had any problem carrying out a partial amputation down to six inches. The dogs (and us) were much happier afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 Both my springers were done between 1-2 years. If your vet is half decent and he sees a bit damage caused by working he will have no qualms on amputuation of the tail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 Both my springers were done between 1-2 years. If your vet is half decent and he sees a bit damage caused by working he will have no qualms on amputuation of the tail. And there's the rub. Vets seem to be going down what I call the 'hairy legs and sandals' route, avoiding the sensible and practical in favour of the politically correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 Don't refer to it as docking, refer to it as amputation on medical grounds. But if it was me I'd wait and see if it damages it's tail at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 just a quick serious word..............if the dog is going to be used and the tail hair is long....TRIM THE HAIR SHORT....i had to rescue a guns dog in a pond surrounded by brambles once cause the gun was to idle and stupid to jump in...the dog hair on the tail had caught the brambles and as it swam forward down it went...and in i went !...it was a springer that hadnt been docked or clipped...the dog got caught up everwhere and i had to cut it free.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 I wouldnae worry too much, it may not even be a problem. The BI's are fairly slow and steady workers so might not be a problem. My gwp isnae docked and never had any bother with it, not really heard of many other hpr owners needed to amputate tails either. Had more prob with a lab, but he's been ok for last 2 years, i found 25mm? (possibly bigger as the 22mm stuff was too tight) pipe lagging big enough to fit over his tail and just taped it on. Gives enough cover to allow tail to heel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pg123 Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 (edited) Can I ask how much an amputation costs?? My springer was a rescued dog and has a full tail. At the end of a hard day she looks like something from a zombie film. The amount of bleeding from her tail is actually minimal but made to look far worse from the constant wagging. By the time we get home and she's been washed down the bleeding has stopped. I did ask my vet about taking it off but she went down the only if damaged route. Edited March 29, 2016 by pg123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordieh Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 (edited) just a quick serious word..............if the dog is going to be used and the tail hair is long....TRIM THE HAIR SHORT....i had to rescue a guns dog in a pond surrounded by brambles once cause the gun was to idle and stupid to jump in...the dog hair on the tail had caught the brambles and as it swam forward down it went...and in i went !...it was a springer that hadnt been docked or clipped...the dog got caught up everwhere and i had to cut it free..........Why do you say the gun was too idle or stupid to jump in, too many people have died in water trying to save a dog, I have been in water 4 times, once through the ice to get a dog out, it is personal choice whether you think your dog is worth dying for.Maybe the gun was the sensible one and we were the stupid ones Edited March 29, 2016 by geordieh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Neal Posted April 3, 2016 Report Share Posted April 3, 2016 The only conscious thought I'd give it would be to take my phone out of my pocket before jumping in, so I could call for help if needed. I'd never be able to live with myself if I watched my dog drown without trying to save it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.