Docking

[Brown trout]

I am going to be buying a sprocker pup  but the breeder is not getting them docked as his vet does not do that. Can l take the pup to another vet and if so how do find out if a vet does tail docking, obviously pups have not been born yet.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

8 minutes ago, Brown trout said:

I am going to be buying a sprocker pup  but the breeder is not getting them docked as his vet does not do that. Can l take the pup to another vet and if so how do find out if a vet does tail docking, obviously pups have not been born yet.

I thought it was normally done in the first couple of days after the birth.

[B725]

After 3 days I don't think you will find a vet that will do it.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

I think these were done on Day 3 or 4.

[Brown trout]

Got to be done within the first 5 days pups due around Nov 23rd so hence trying to get find out in plenty of time.

[Lloyd90]

Your not going to be able to go and take your own pup and get just that one docked. 

Either the breeder want's to get it done and gets the whole litter done, or they don't.

 

If anyone was breeding "working spaniel" and didn't see it as a necessity to get them docked, even with added inconvenience of lockdown, then I would seriously consider how good a breeder they are and how serious they are about their spaniels actually being worked. 

 

I would go and find another litter rather than have an undocked spaniel. 

[London Best]

I did have one undocked Cocker. It was given to me. The tail was never an issue/nuisance, but it never looked right.

[Lloyd90]

7 minutes ago, London Best said:

I did have one undocked Cocker. It was given to me. The tail was never an issue/nuisance, but it never looked right.

 

Some people get lucky, I know others personally who have had it splitting almost weekly, and non-stop trips to the vets.

1. I just wouldn't take the risk.

2. As I said, it concerns me that someone breeding 'working' dogs wouldn't think it's a priority to get it done. 

[London Best]

I have had three of my labs split their tails through over-wagging against a hard surface. Long job to get right. The vets wanted to dock one by 2/3 but I declined and persevered for another six months before she was right. I had to tape a plastic pop bottle to her tail for all that time, poor dog.

[WalkedUp]

My dogs are undocked, if they work hard through thick cover their tails bleed and the blood goes all over the house. But the full tails seem to make them more powerful swimmers, like a crocodile. I would insist on them being docked if you work them more than once a week, once a week is manageable as the tail recovers between outings. 

[Rob85]

My late cocker was bought as undocked because the breeder thought.... due to RSPCA and Dogs Trust screaming in the media.... that it was illegal, I took a chance anyway and by the time the dog was 9 months the tail had to come off.

When I took her to the vet to get it done i was talking to a lovely old lady there with her jack Russell who asked what had happened and as told her the story a veterinary nurse butted in to tell me how wrong and cruel it is to do it to puppies, like cutting off a babies finger, she got told to do her job and mind her own damn business. Surgeon cut her tail down to about 5 inches and there was never any trouble again

Whether a cocker is being worked or not, if it's a working bred dog that's as excitable as mine was it will whack it's tail off everything, especially in the kennel or house

 

[London Best]

5 hours ago, Rob85 said:

My late cocker was bought as undocked because the breeder thought.... due to RSPCA and Dogs Trust screaming in the media.... that it was illegal, I took a chance anyway and by the time the dog was 9 months the tail had to come off.

When I took her to the vet to get it done i was talking to a lovely old lady there with her jack Russell who asked what had happened and as told her the story a veterinary nurse butted in to tell me how wrong and cruel it is to do it to puppies, like cutting off a babies finger, she got told to do her job and mind her own damn business. Surgeon cut her tail down to about 5 inches and there was never any trouble again

Whether a cocker is being worked or not, if it's a working bred dog that's as excitable as mine was it will whack it's tail off everything, especially in the kennel or house

 

I was lucky. My undocked Cocker worked several days/week picking up for seven seasons and never had a bleed.

[Rob85]

7 minutes ago, London Best said:

I was lucky. My undocked Cocker worked several days/week picking up for seven seasons and never had a bleed.

I wonder was it luck or was it to do with the differences in the breed lines, I've seen some cockers with quite a thick tail with a lot of hair and I've seen some with a thin whippy tail that can leave a bit of an exposed tip that is so prone to damage. Mine was very much the latter, before she got docked she was sitting in my parked car on the front passenger seat and she decided to jump into the back and her tail whipped my ear.... was like being hit with a lunging whip!

[London Best]

Mine would have been docked if I had bought her from a breeder but she was a gift by a friend. It was an accidental mating with his dog and his bitch was too old and the KC would not register the 3 pups so they remained un-docked and were given away. 

[Dave at kelton]

On 16/11/2020 at 13:53, Brown trout said:

I am going to be buying a sprocker pup  but the breeder is not getting them docked as his vet does not do that. Can l take the pup to another vet and if so how do find out if a vet does tail docking, obviously pups have not been born yet.

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