Just wanted to say your baby is adorable with her tail. I've read before that people do this for sanitary reasons also, do you believe there is any validity in this? Really, I'm just learning about this subject.

aaww..thanks! it so wonderful to see her 'dancing' on her back legs for treats..she has wonderful balance with having her full tail..
I don't believe you should dock for sanitary reasons...with careful grooming and clipping there should be no soiling..I trim around Pixie's bottom and the underside of her tail..I also use babywipes after she has been to the toilet...so no problems there!

she is beautiful just like she is
 

I think she is just a sweet heart. with the tail..;)

How long is your dog's tail, not including hair? The reason I ask, is I'm not sure Joey's tail is docked.

I hope the US never makes it illegal...I think we should have the right to choose for ourselves. I hope yorkies are always shown with a docked tail in the US.

I know what you mean!!! Sam, our boxer's little stub is soo cute! But we love Daisy's, yorkie chi mix, long tail.
When our kids were little they called stub tails wiggie and long tails waggie - - son, referred to his "tail" as a waggie! (guess he got that from his dad--hahaha!):D :D :D

Joey's breeder is a show breeder, and I know she docks the tail, but Joey was born with a broken tail. We actually went to purchase Joey's brother, but fell in love with Joey, broken tail and all, now I'm not sure if it's docked. I love his tail, but it doesn't look other yorkie tails, and I'm not sure if this is due to the fact that it's broken or if it's not been docked. From base to tip it's 3 inches.

Well... our Yorkies definitely don't get to choose. And people thought the earth was flat... and people used to use black people as slaves... Just because it's always been done, DOES NOT make it right.

The docked tail is cute... I can see why people want the choice. I just could never be responsible for the decision to dock... Chewy has the cutes little docked tail... but he came that way.

I don't begrudge any one for liking the docked tail... I like the look but I like the tail too! I'm blessed to have one of each! :D

This is very interesting. When I joined YT, I brought up the issue of tail docking. I thought it was unnecessarily cruel. I received a LOT of negative (pro-docking) responses, and I was definitely in the minority at the time.

I knew that the pendulum would swing, because docking was banned in other countries.

Today it looks like there are a lot more YTers in favor of leaving tails intact.

Just my observation.

i love docked tails

How long are the docked tails, and/or undocked tails?

Well just because someone says docking is wrong, doesn't make it wrong. I'm just glad I live in a country that gives us the right to choose. Many breeds have docked tails because they were docked for a reason and purpose. I personally wouldn't buy from a breeder that did not dock tails in the US. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion...if you don't like docking, don't buy a dog with a docked tail...but don't try to take the right to dock away from the rest of us

I dont think anyone can argue either side of how painful or not docking is and ever be 100% accurate. We cant feel their pain, we cant know if it hurts or not at an early age. And the argument for both sides can be equally convincing.

I used to breed Parson Russell Terriers, another breed that requires docking. I would have tails and dew claws done at 2-3 days old and it broke my heart every time. Personally I dont think anyone could ever convince me that those puppies couldn't feel it....I think they could. I also think they cry just has hard, as someone else said, when they are taken from their mama. But regardless if they are crying from pain or crying from confusion....or both, there is some amount of cruelty that goes along with cutting off their little tails. Docking does sound so much nicer.....but we are cutting off their tails. We do it because we like the look, we do it because the breed standard calls for it, and plain and simple it was done back in the day to make our job, as humans, easier...quicker, whatever. No dog ever said "Hey, cut off my tail so you can pull me out of this hole faster".

Now all that being said, I HATE a Parson Russell Terrier with a long tail. Hate how it looks. I dont mind the Yorkies with long tails, although I do prefer the look of a docked one more. If I ever bred the Parsons again I would dock them, as I would do the same with the Yorkies. But I wont do it without lidocaine and something for pain after. Because *if* there is a chance that it IS painful to them, I would hate to be the one causing that pain for vanitys sake and not be willing to give them something to help soothe the pain.

I think you said that very well.:thumbup: