The docking of tails

[Chezney]

Morning all,

Recently, I have had a heap of people coming to me (as a vet) asking me if I would dock puppies tails. My ‘normal’ trade is farm animals, but I regularly see gun dogs on farms and have docked litters.

The reason is one or a combination of: their old boy vet who usually does it is in isolation or retired and/or their local vets simply will no do it.

Is anyone else having these issues? Do vets need more awareness of the pitfalls of beating breeds running through brush with full length tails?

I’m interested to know your thoughts!

 

Cheers

[bruno22rf]

FWIW - have 2 Springers - one I've had 5 years plus (docked) has had no issues whatsoever working brush/brambles whilst the second (only had him 6 months - undocked) has been caught up in Brambles twice this last Winter and on both occasions I have had to cut his tail free - once whilst standing in 2 feet of water.

[Yellow Bear]

On the FB groups (Mainly pets) for Spaniels it is often referred  to as Happy tail, usually causing wounds to the tail end which will not heal adequately.  As a result I think many owners are seeing the reasoning behind docking not being the "look" but for practical, and health/wellbeing of the dog reasons.

[JDog]

Most Vets who have dealings with working gundogs will already know the problems caused by undocked tails.

[51/50]

There is absolutely no doubt that working spaniels need docked tails.

[millrace]

My own vet refuses to dock,,my shooting vet no issue....its a very pc thing as the vet who wont is into politics and all that,,,tbh now just use the shooting vet only kept going to the other as it was closer with nice staff but as there all gone so has my buisness...

[washerboy]

I preban would do my own terrier pups. Can't see why all vets won't do to them on dogs that need them. Yes you wouldn't Dock a greyhound but a jack Russell really needs it's tail docking IMHO. 

Edited May 3, 2020 by washerboy

[Centrepin]

My wife said if I had our dogs docked, she would have mine docked. Trust me, my dogs are not docked.🤔🙈🙊🙉

[Lloyd90]

I wouldn’t buy a spaniel that wasn’t docked. 
 

If it’s not docked it’s not only got potential to cause the dog injury and suffering, it also says to me that the breeder isn’t a serious working dog man... because any serious dog man who bred half decent spaniels or other gundog breed would ensure that they were docked. 
 

For me it goes hand in hand with the saying buy from decent working stock from working parents. 
 

 

 

I would however try to avoid a spaniel with a huge amount docked off. Lots of people have thought my Ted is I docked but he is docked properly (1/3 taken off or down to the back of the hock). 
 

A spaniel needs a tail it helps them and gives them style when hunting. 

[rimfire4969]

My 2 spaniels are both docked. I would not buy an undocked spaniel. My eldest has a fairly short tail and she has never ripped it. My younger dog, she hits cover hard and her tail is docked but still a bit long. Most days beating she will cause some damage, she does not care but it make me wince. 

[Mickeydredd]

Many of the newer generation vets simply reflect the modern disregard of the way of the countryside and its requirements.  Anyone who has had pups docked at the correct age know there is no detrimental effect on that pup's wellbeing and causes at most, minimal distress or pain.

I've had a couple of litters of GSP's and would not have had them if I couldn't dock them as my line will readily face cover and their tails would get wrecked.