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Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom  I too think we should support breed clubs...but I can't support them blindly; I honestly feel the breed clubs should be LEADING the way toward not docking. Instead, it sometimes feels like breed clubs are closed doors in terms of even looking at the issue with an open mind...that really, really bothers me; in fact, it chips away at my trust in breed clubs in general  (to be very honest). So, where does that leave people like me who are truly interested in this issue? Pretty much on their own, or with others who are feeling similarly and want to openly discuss it - without being chastised by *some* breeders who *don't* want us discussing it (please note - I said *some* - stress SOME  - and only SOME! Not all!).
No one wants to make it harder for reputable breeders to breed; I'm not sure how discussing this would make it harder for them breed. They can't expect us to not discuss things only bc there is a chance it may make things difficult for them. I'm not sure that's exactly what you meant though, but that's kinda how I read it.
I respect your feelings about using the word amputation, and I'm sure others feel that way too. To me though, there is no such thing as "docking" a body part. When you cut off part of a body part or shorten a body part, you're amputating it. Docking does make it sound better though. I just feel more comfortable when we call it what it really is...maybe that's the nurse in me; I couldn't tell a patient we were "docking" their leg and feel okay about describing it that way...that wouldn't sit right with me. Maybe that's odd that I feel this way, but that's me.
It's a sensitive issue all around, but I'm glad we're discussing it bc I think it's important to people on all sides. Lots of good food for thought. I hope I didn't say anything offensive here, Nanc - you know I always appreciate your opinion even when we come at it from different angles .
(Btw, I don't see it as just 'docking the skinny tip'...it's more than 3/4 of the tail, at least. When I compare Wylie and Marcel's tail w/ Pfeiffer's full tail, it's wayyy more than a skinny tip that is cut off, imho) |
I am going to say again, if you want and feel strongly about certain parts of a standard then join your local/regional breed club, and be part of making a difference into the standard.
All active members get to vote on standard changes!
For me, like any other caring person, do truly want to know if this is a painfull procedure. My experience says not. I also want to know if there is a long term debilitating effect. And there is one article on here, that says it is not, nor is there a long term effect!
I also want to know what are the increased % of dogs that need surgery on tails due to injury later in life. And I fully believe that, THAT stress is HUGE and the risks of surgery on an adult dog is a whole lot more than tail docking at three days old!
Tail docking IMHO pales in comparison to those breeders whether they be commercial (which is about all commercial breeders), who do not test for many health conditions before breeding!
That is a huge travesty, and you like I, see it every day on the board. How many posts do we have here on Sick and Emergency or Yorkie Health, that says my dog's tail was docked and he/she is experiencing partial paralysis, or some such problem?
Compare this to how many posts we have about truly life debilitating conditions such as Liver Shunt, and Luxating Patella?
I think that as a dog fancier that is passionate about the breed you love, that one should be supporting those breeders who test for these things, and supporting research to identfiy the genetic markers for these conditions in the Yorkshire Terrier Breed.
Anne talking "about" it doesn't make it harder for breeders to breed, but a standard change is a serious business, and one that once changed will require all breeders who respect the standard to breed to that standard. And yes that does make a big difference! It might not be important to you as a non-breeder, but it is important to me as one!
The Standard, a good standard is a blueprint, the goal set in writing of what any breed should be. It is the goal that all good breeders strive towards.
So there is in my mind a whole lot more serious issues with the YT that I would like to see addressed in the Standard, that has nothing to do with the length of the tail. These issues are of known hereditary origin, and DO over the life of the dog effect in a very painful way their life, not to mention the cost the extreme emotional cost to the owner of a sick dog, and of course the financial burden!
Until and unto such time, there is clear and unequivocal evidence that tail docking is injurious to the long term health of my dogs, I will continue to support breeders choice in docking or not!