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Originally Posted by theporkieyorkie  Correct me if I am wrong, but I am sure there is a logical reason of why we dock our dogs tail in the first place. I am sure at this day and age, it's more cosmetic, but it must have served a purpose back in the day.
I do know this...our dogs are ratters and they will burrow into tight spaces to chase their prey. Their owners would grab onto the tail and use it like a handle to pull the dogs out of the hole and off the prey. I've seen someone literally lift a dog off the ground by it's tail because it was fighting so hard to get to the rat. The dog, BTW, was not even phased. It was just focused on the rat.
I also know that people will often use the docked tail when they pick up a dog to put it on the table in the show ring. They will grab under the neck and onto the tail to lift it...at least that is how I was taught to table my cocker spanial, which is another breed that has docked tails.
Personally, I don't mind the docked tail...but I'd love a dog with a tail too!! The ear cropping bothers me WAY MORE than tail docking does. In the hundreds of surgery's I sat in on at the vets, it was the only time I ever started to pass out. You can actually hear them cutting off the ear with a pair of shears...and I know the dog, despite being under, could feel it. The dogs legs were twitching and moving as it happened. I like the look of docked ears on certain dogs, especially bully breeds...but I don't think I'd ever be able to put my pup through that. That's another thing...tail docking generally happens at a very young age...ear cropping happens when the pup is older.
IMO, the tail docking and dew claws isn't much different than choosing to circumcise a baby. I guess different strokes for different folks!! |
Exactly what I think! I don't like ear cropping personally, but thats my opinion. I know that dogs that have tails docked get it down at a very very young age and I have been told by multiple vets that it really hardly bothers them. I would love my girls if they had a ten foot tail! I figured there had to be some reason why their tail were docked I just don't know it. I just can't stand people saying I am a bad fur mama for having dogs with their tails docked!