Tail Docking

[YorkieRose]

Docking tails are purely cosmetic IMO..declaw removal is necessary to me for preventing them from being ripped out in an accident. I have had Doxies and they have declaws, I also had several get caught on furniture and bleed badly..one had to be removed at 4 yrs of age.

As a retired groomer, many pet owners did not see the declaw in the long hair and they never cut the nail..I have seen some nails grow into the skin.

Cropping ears is a big NO NO for me. It is done at 6 to 8 weeks or older...even done by the vet it is awful. Takes weeks to heal. My father bred Boxers in England when I was a child..I would never do it, but I can not tell cropped ear breeders not to do it since I dock tails.

Doing something that is purely cosmetic does not make it bad IMO..I do not think a pro-dock person needs to defend their opinion by finding a reason other then cosmetic for doing it..Hey, folks we live in America, land of "looking pretty". LOL Why would anyone be surprised we chop off the tails of our dogs?
Long tails are fine on a Yorkie, but I perfer to remove them. Since it can be done so young and with no blood and little pain, I will continue to dock.

[Sugar's Mom]

Originally Posted by alisonJ

I think this is a very cute yorkie--tail and all!

It is a cute yorkie but I think I like the docked tails much better.

[BamaFan121s]

I guess in a way, it does seem kind of mean to put a small pup through something painful just to have a desired look (?), but then again, isn't breeding in general doing the same thing? You put a female through the pain (and possible health complications) to get a dog that looks like you want it to look? What is the difference?

On a similar note, IMO, I always thought is was mean to take a small baby and have their ears pierced. I actually got into heated arguments with some of my nosier family members because I did not choose to do so with my own child.

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

Originally Posted by alisonJ

Platinum Yorkies--Your tone is very confrontational, sarcastic, and somewhat mean. I am bringing up a valid point, and from what I have found, most veterniarians agree with me. I am more apt to agree with vets than breeders. I will continue to bring up these issues and provide information as I find it. If you are offended by this, at least please keep your comments constructive.

Ditto.

[chachi]

I like the docked tails but if it were banned I would buy a yorkie with a tail.

[ttreatsyorkies]

I just had my pups tails docked yesterday. It was horrible for them and me. Yes it is less painful for them to have it done at a few days than it is when they are older; just as it is with a baby boy getting circumsized. But unlike puppies they numb a babies area of cut. I have heard many use the clamp and twist method, I have never seen it done so as to whether it is a less painful procedure I do not know; but when I have future litters I will choose to use the mehod because it is a bloodless method. We need to remember that standards don't make it right. Times change and so do standards. Tail docking has been done for hundreds of years, it will take a long time to change. There are many things that at one time were exceptable because it was standard, and in todays society they are considered barbaric. We just need to do what is best for the Breed, and follow what the standards are for that breed. If one is wanting a pup with an undocked tail, than they need to research breeders that are willing to forgo this procedure. I think that it should not matter to the breeder if the tail is docked, if they are not going to keep the pup for show purposes or for personal reasons. I for one would have no problems with not docking a tail if the buyer requests, of course I would also want the pup paid for in advance because an undocked pup is not as desirable as a docked pup. This thread brings up extrememly relevant things to consider when it comes to reasons. Everyone on here is trying to raise their pups as they feel is fit, no one breeder or person is better than another. Judging each other wont change the way things are done only educating, patience, and time will.

[PlatinumYorkies]

Originally Posted by alisonJ

Platinum Yorkies--Your tone is very confrontational, sarcastic, and somewhat mean. I am bringing up a valid point, and from what I have found, most veterniarians agree with me. I am more apt to agree with vets than breeders. I will continue to bring up these issues and provide information as I find it. If you are offended by this, at least please keep your comments constructive.

I was being nothing of the sort. I simply said to you, if you feel that deeply about this..Do something about it...Become an activist, but become one on your own accord. Don't go by what you read, or what other's are doing ie... PETA. Take a stand on docking on your own, write letter's and such. If you don't want to put in your own work, this is nothing but monday morning quarter-backing. Like, those who don't vote complaining about the administration in power...You have to start with your voice, what you know!

[YorkieRose]

I have no problem leaving a tail on a Yorkie to be placed as a pet...but at 3 to 5 days that is impossible for me to determine.

Bamafan...you made such a BIG point..tail docking is minor compared to what breeders put their dogs through to produce a litter..as hard as we try there will be pain to produce a litter of puppies. We can say this is natural pain of reproduction, but pain is pain...and when you think about, the world is so full of dogs unwanted dogs, why breed at all?
I love the Yorkie breed and do all I can be make their life as happy, pain free as possible. If I coudl go to the pound and get Yorkie pups as freely as a mixed breed, I would never breed again.

I have found that the clamp method produces a fussy pup for as long as it is out of the bed away from mom..once it is back with mom it stops..when the tails were cut and stitiched, they fussed/cried off and on all day...and the stitches were prone to infection...never had an infection in a clamped tail.

If the AKC and YTCA ever takes a vote to ban docking I will vote yes to a ban, but this will not be in my life time..the YTCA is hard nosed about this things..until the standard is changed, it is a dead issue and the standard is not easily changed.

[golfwidow14]

Originally Posted by PlatinumYorkies

Like with human babies, the bones are very soft. I have a problem with PETA, they only step in when they can get publicity, I didn't notice them stepping in when all of those animals needed help during hurricane Katrina...Also, PETA has one of the largest freezer's in New York City...I have seen report after report about their practices...

What do you mean by freezer??

[PlatinumYorkies]

Originally Posted by golfwidow14

What do you mean by freezer??

Freezer...where thing's that can spoil, smell after a long time are kept..ie dead animals in PETA'S case.

[suz]

If the breeders on here say that they will not dock the tails, as long as a new owner choses it, what happens if the new owner backs out of the deal? I have never sold a puppy at 3 or 4 DAYS old!!! My vet won't dock tails after 5 days old. He prefers 3 days, but if it's over the weekend, he makes allowances.
Suz

[livingdustmops]

Suz,

You raise a good point. Since I am someone if I was looking would want one with a tail I think I would have to establish a relationship with the breeder first. Then I think the only fair thing would be to either pay for the unborn puppy upfront (non refundable) or a hugh deposit that was non-refundable. My only choice would be female or male upfront because who could decide when they are only a few days old. Obviously the breeder could be taking a chance because in a court of law I am not sure if the non refundable would stand, that is why at a minimum a relationship (trust) with the breeder is important. In my case this would only be a pet and hopefully the breeder would understand my commitment to Yorkie's.

This is going to be a tough time for breeders as the controvery grows.

[FirstYorkie]

Originally Posted by YorkyKids

I will always dock tails....as long as the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America maintains the docking requirement in the standard. And anyone calling me to demand or even to ask for an undocked Yorkie will not get one of my dogs....period.

I suspect that the "requirement" will change sooner rather than later. Are your dogs bred for show?

[FirstYorkie]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

This is going to be a tough time for breeders as the controvery grows.

Right. Some flexibility might be called for in the interim.

[txshopper73]

Okay...I'll bite!

I'm not going to go into the hygene portion or anything like that. I like docked tails...for cosmetic reasons. I think a docked tail has a much neater appearance than a full tail...not that there's anything wrong with a full tail...I just prefer docked.

I've seen the scissor method and it had to be extremely painful for the pup and it literally made my stomach turn.

I've seen the clamp/twist method and that is my method of choice. There was barely a drop of blood on one out of 4 puppies. It was over before they knew what happened to them.

I will continue to have tails docked until it becomes against the law.

I, IMO, don't think it's right to ask a breeder to not dock the tail of a pup because you want to get it. So many things can happen...a family emergency could come up, a car motor may have to be overhauled...too much can happen that could prevent you from getting the pup. Then what? The breeder may or may not be stuck with a dog with a tail. But like I said, it's all my opinion. NOW, if a breeder breeds to keep the long tail...then go search those breeders out. I just don't think it's right to ask a breeder to make revisions for someone.

ANYWAY, this is JMHO...so take it or leave it!