I know this is a touchy subject, and I don't think tail docking is the biggest issue facing dogs today - I'd say the biggest issue is puppy mills.
However, I would love to see tail docking banned in the US. It seems wrong to put a puppy through any pain for something that is not only cosmetic, but arbitrary. If you are used to seeing stubby tails, long tails will look "wrong" - but the reverse is ALSO true. Once long tails are standard in the US, as they are in many parts of the world, a stubby tail will look strange.
The fact is also that Yorkies have really beautiful tails, and they use those tails to express themselves, just as all dogs do. I grow the hair on Thor's tail extra long so I can at least see it wag.
I also want to say that I remember reading a thread here a few months ago about a first time breeder who was getting some mentoring from YT. She had the puppies docked at the vet's, and she said she was really shocked at how awful it seemed. She also said that it really upset the mother dog, to which some experienced breeders here responded, "oh yeah, you should never let the mother dog see it, she'll freak out." So I think honestly, a lot of people do know it's painful for the animal, it's just that they are very used to it. |