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Originally Posted by chachi  That is big news and if it passes I could see that it could have some sway with the AKC. Im all for choice |
Don't hold up your hopes on that. We all seem to be a parochial bunch at the various registries.
There is a groundswell here on the issue; it has been talked about for years and years.
It is a bit of the parcel of difference between working dog breeders and by this I mean the more generic term of a working dog, that is almost all but the truly designed and developed companion dogs, were bred for a specific purpose. You have your field dogs, your guard and protect, your terriers, your retreivers, etc.
So if you are a working dog breeder any perceived and justified "edge" you can get you go for. For some of the breeds (not all btw), but high end performance sport enthusiasts and breeders, want a long tail on a breed that the standard for years has been docked.
Then there is at least still in my mind, the question of pain how long and how it can affect the dog, and risk of permanent disability - what is the risk?
It is why studies, well designed and executed are so important!
For me in my BRT breed I happen to really really like the short tail. How-ever for water rescue work it means I need to adapt my dog to be able to do the rescue. You see the Newfies with their long tails swim out and the person they are rescuing grab their long tail, and they tow them back into shore. So how I adapted Magic was to give him a life jacket, and tie a floatation device to his jacket, and then he swims out and around the person bringing that device in close for them to grasp.
I actually think it is safer that way (safer for the dog that is).
Anyhow I better get off that topic, as I can go on for an hour or more
