The truth about dog tail docking
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A" tale" of animal cruelty: the truth about tail docking
When I first starting working at an animal hospital I was given a booklet with all the prices and services our animal hospital offered. As I read through the extensive list, I noticed the term 'tail docking". Being relatively new to the practice, I inquired with my training supervisor about what that terminology depicted. She replied: "It's a tail amputation, done in certain breeds for aesthetic reasons".
I already knew that breeds such as Rottweilers, Boxers or Dobermans were tail -less to adhere to their breed standards but what really shocked me as I read about this procedure, was the fact that this procedure was done when the pups were really small and worse of all, without anesthesia!
Intrigued, as I did further research I learned that the tail docking procedure was done when a puppy was just days old (generally between 3-5 days old). The amputation process necessitated pretty simple equipment such as scissors, a knife or a rubber band.
It appeared that there was belief (or perhaps let's more consider it a myth) that the procedure was painless, but as I read on there was also strong evidence regrettably suggesting the total opposite.
A puppy just as many living creature has a nervous system so it is able to properly perceive pain. While a puppy may not necessarily squeal or vocalize from pain during a tail dock (even though most do) there are other tell tail signs that can suggest pain and even lots of it. Ignoring these signs is unacceptable in today's modern society featuring advanced empathetic veterinary care.
One must consider as well that tail docking also comes with a good array of considerable complications. Infections may follow or even worse extensive bleeding and death.
If we think that risks from such complications could arise for the sole purpose of pleasing a client, it is understandable why more and more vets are refusing the procedure, while on the other hand, more and more breeders are taking over.
If we look at the history of tail docking and ear cropping (another inhumane and unnecessary procedure ) we will notice that both procedures took place in the past as means of protection in working dog breeds. In other words, tails or ear portions were removed because they often were injured and even torn while hunting or working in the field. In fighting dogs, these body parts were snipped off to prevent the opponent dog from using them as "grips".These protective measures could have been valid centuries ago, but nowadays, these practices. are totally out of place.
Many tail docking advocates will strongly defend their view by justifying the procedure as necessary and even beneficial for some dogs. They will state that a lack of tail will mean less injuries and inconveniences. These statements may sound valid but are truly unfounded. Simply think of it, if we would take off tails, limbs or anything else, of course there are likely less injuries because they are not existing anymore!
Tails are very important for dogs. If a dog has a tail it means that it has a function.
A very important function is communication. We all know well how dogs wag their tails when they are showing happiness. This healthy manifestation depicting a good mood is hardly perceived in a dog with a docked tail. Also dogs use their tails to communicate with other dogs. Dogs without tails may encounter problems in communicating fear, play or aggression when around other dogs. This could cause serious miscommunications and eventually fights. Undocked dogs may approach dogs without tails with caution as they cannot interpret their mood effectively. Docked dogs on the other hand, may not communicate aggression properly and may upgrade to a bite if the other dogs does not back off when needed.
Another drawback in dock tailed dogs is the fact that they lack the important balancing function of the tail. Tails also play an important role during swimming.
Luckily, more and more veterinarians are refusing this practice and so are some countries that have started to ban it. Norway, Sweden and Switzerland are some of these countries, hopefully many others will shortly follow. So far the most common practitioners of tail docking seem to derive from the breeders.
Tail docking should be only justified if backed up by medical reasons. Having a puppy undergo a tail docking procedure for just cosmetic reasons is unacceptable.
Dogs were made with tails and dogs should have tails. We are not to decide what is unnecessary in a living animal. Should a tail become unnecessary nature will take over just as we humans lost our tails throughout our evolution. In dogs, however, tails remain long and lively, with no sign of atrophization, suggesting that tails are here to stay once and for all ...
Viewer discretion advised, video may upset sensitive people
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Comments
I am happy you agree. Dogs were meant to be with tails, we humans should know better. I am shocked to learn how painful this procedure can be. Thanks for your comments!
You make valid points for what you believe in. The only thing I have an issue with is the hillbilly do it yourself tail docking video you put up. Why don't you show a video from a vet?
Well, it is a fact that more and more vets are refusing to do such practice. Also I wanted to emphatize the fact that when breeders do such practice they mostly have no regards to hygiene and ignore sterile settings. I may post a tail docking done by a vet to compare the two shortly.
I am totally against tail docking, ear cropping, dew claw removal and cat declawing for anything other than a valid medical reason. I've herard the most OUTRAGEOUS arguments for doing these things:
"Docking tails avoids back problems, in the future." O_O
"Ear cropping prevents ear infections!" O_o
"Declawing is just removal of the claw." <.< (No, it's like amputating the bone at the ends of your fingers.)
"Removing dewclaws prevents them from being torn off." >.>
Ok folks.. I have only ever had the tail of ONE animal docked, a cat, because he broke it in three places and the portion removed was paralyzed and was going to drag the ground for the rest of his life. Not to mention getting in the way of his scratch box business, possibly getting feces caked on to his long fur. Poor Smokey. :( Medical reason and it was done under general anesthesia.
I am happy to hear you think it this way. I have actually published just recently a hub about all the myths about ear cropping breeders and owners tend to spread around just to justify the procedure. I also posted a video by a VET stating it is PAINFUL and UNNECESSARY.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Myths-about-Dog-Ear-Croppi
alright People.... SOO i am a animal lover - and anyone who walks into my house will realize this... i have 4 dogs ( 9 more on the way ) and 2 dcats and my cat is pregnant,. ( i am in NO WAY A BREEDER!! So Please dont try and bash that )
My Dam who is pregnant is a Boxer - she is preg with my neighbors boxer - OPPS!! - but she is the 3rd boxer i have owned threw out my life.. ( i am 23) when iwas a kid.. we had 2 pure bred boxers, and both these boxers had there Tails and there back due claws.. ( let me reasure you all that the front due dlaw removal is Crual and undeserving - it plain out should not happen) now the back duclaws are different there not connected to anything serious as the front ones are.. -- back to my story - growing up with these 2 boxers was sad and hard - both having there tails.. caused lots of heartak and sadness - it is actually the reason for having to put the one dog down.. - she was very exccited ALL the time.. one of the best well mannerd dogs iv ever had - but MAN did she like to wag her tail - i dont know if anyone has ever seen a boxer wage there tail - even when docked - it goes so fast there but wages... she would sit by the back door when she hurd the car drive up and wage her tail soo hard it would break threw the door ( a boxers tail is pure hard bone. unlike other breads where its softer) along with breaking threw the door she would brek threw her skin and litterally tear her tail to peices.. she couldnt feel it because the nerves dont fully develop in a boxers tail if kept!! it was vet bill after vet bill but we were willing to pay as we loved her till death--- finally the one time she wagged her tale so hard it litterally broke the legs out of the bottom of our dinner tabble and ended up landing on her was it.. she has broken her ribs and HER TAIL! and a bunch other things! after 9000 worth of vet bills it was known she had to be put down ( all cuz of her tail she had no feeling in would break things and land on her!! the other boxer i had had the duclaws!!! and they were soo awkward looking and stick out funny in the back that he kept gettin them caught on stuff and rippin them!!1 till one day well we all slept he caught it on something and tore them both out!!! i have never seen so much blood in my life!!!!
sometimes tail docking and duclaws are not just for THE LOOK of the animal - have you ever thought of for safety - if you look into it there are so many casses of dogs tearing there tails open from wagging because its soo hard ( and those are dogs who reg get docked) Rottie's are the Same -
i will be gettin my pupies docked and BACK dueclaws removed. - but for saftey not look!!! Cuz honestly look up a boxer without a tail and damn they are so much cuter! and to your statment they cant wage there tails.. - come meet my Dam - she will prove you wrong 100% on that - my boxer can wag her tail better then my pom- an my golden retriever!!
Ok, in this case this was medically necessary, something that was needed for the dog's health sake. I have 2 Docked Rotties and refused to get my other one docked and the undocked one is doing just fine and has better communication with other dogs versus the docked ones. It varies from dog to dog, however, in my experience most dogs with thier tails do just fine as nature intended. I however, would not go and amputate dogs tails just to prevent injuries as this seems a bit extreme and each dog is different, Yes, there are those cases where their tails get injured over and over, but there are also most cases that do just fine with thier tails. Countries banning this practice, with many, many happy Rotties, Boxers etc wagging thier tails are proof of this. But yes, when medically necessary, I am all for it regardless of breed.
If you take a pup to a vet with a laser it can cut the tail right off plus it doesn't get infected as the wound is healed right away
Ok, but why do it in the first place? Can't we offer unconditional love to our dogs just as they do? Why change the course of events if nature created dogs with tails?
I love boxers and rotties, and while I agree that docked they just look cuter, I am not sure what I think about actually doing it. I have known boxers without docked tails and they have all had problems breaking it while wagging it and hitting it against the wall, door, etc. If done at a veterinarian properly, I think that the pain can be reduced. I completely disagree with cropping ears for ANY breed (that is cruel!). I have a rottie x aussie shepherd and she has a docked tail. We got her from the humane society and they HAD to dock it. She was 3 months old and was a stray. Someone decided that they would wrap an elastic band around her tail to dock it themselves and it got infected and the skin began to grow OVER the elastic. Her tail was useless and they had to dock it (quite short too because of the infection). She has problems swimming and she has problems communicating with other dogs. Luckily, she is very submissive so she hasn't had many problems with other dogs!
It is interesting that you have mentioned the fact that she has problems communicating. I indeed believe that docking dogs also diminishes signifanctily a dog's communicating skills. Here is an interesting study:
Although I do not agree with docking tails, when docked at 3 days in a puppy, the nerves in the tail are not very responsive at this time in the tail. Any docking done after 3 days, there will be more pain response in the puppy. FYI.
FYI, puppies DO feel pain at 3 days old because they Do have a nervous system. I look at facts and I have seen dockings done and most of them have puppies screaming in pain and yes at two/three days old. Here is a video of a 2 year old puppy screaming at the moment they dock the tail. Even if pain lasts a few seconds the fact that it is an unnecessary practice is really whats makes it so disturbing. Enjoy the video.
alexadry - I'm so glad you've highlighted this issue. It's such a barbaric, cruel practice! Our second dog is a cocker spaniel and we refused to have her tail docked - she has such a beautiful fan-like tail! I'm glad to see some countries are banning it - I do hope more do. Right now, many pets with their tails not docked cannot be 'showed'!
I think your dogs look badass when you cut their tails and ears off. What is the point of making your dog look girly their whole life. If it is a boxer cut it's tail and ears. If you are dealing a pitbull cut its ears because they look tough as hell. Anyways it is the owners choice and if someone wants to do it let them we dont need peda fans trying to ruin what people have been doing for many years now.
Well... if the whole point of owning a dog is making it look ''badass'' people should go out and buy something else than a living being to simply fulfill their cosmetic ''needs'' and boost their ego.
This article is not based on my personal opinion it is full of true facts. Please educate yourself and learn why more and more vets are refusing to do them ( Banfield vet clinics have recently stopped doing it) and why more and more countries are making it an illegal practice. SO it appears that more than ''personal choice'' we are talking now about animal wellbeing and rights.
Did you ever look up breed specific legislation? This is also caused by people wanting to have '''badass'' dogs and not being able to provide responsible pet ownership.
BTY: I am no peta fan I just worked in the veterinary field and am reporting all the ***shit pets have to go through for their owner's ''needs''...
My personal opinion? I think cosmetic surgery for pets is ridiculous and ''girly'' instead...
''Badass'' dog. This just gives you an idea of what type of mentality there is behind ear cropping! We should crop the ears of all those badass owners that should get a stuffed animal instead of a dog!
mistyhorizon2003 says:
14 months ago
Thank God someone is taliking sense to the world at last. Docking is completely unnecessary and nature always does a better job of deciding what animals need than we humans do. Well done.