To dock or not to dock???

[kezza]

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...light=piercing

So what's the difference?

[kezza]

It's interesting that some were appalled at the thought of ear piercing but are okay with the docking of tails...would like to get more views on this YT friends...but lets keep it as it is now..an ADULT discussion! would hate for this interesting thread to get silly and heated!

[ItsyBitsy]

It's funny, before I got Bitsy, I thought that with some dogs, they were BORN with a nub of a tail and I thought it was so cute and I wanted a dog with a nubbie tail. Then when I started looking for a puppy, and in ads I saw "tails docked and dewclaws removed", I wondered what that meant.

I googled it and that was when I realized that it meant their tails are cutoff All these years, I thought they were born with the nub, like the Manx cat.

Call it what you will, it's mutilation plain and simple.

I also think as animal lovers, we need to advocate for those that can't advocate for themselves.

[kezza]

Originally Posted by ItsyBitsy

It's funny, before I got Bitsy, I thought that with some dogs, they were BORN with a nub of a tail and I thought it was so cute and I wanted a dog with a nubbie tail. Then when I started looking for a puppy, and in ads I saw "tails docked and dewclaws removed", I wondered what that meant.

I googled it and that was when I realized that it meant their tails are cutoff All these years, I thought they were born with the nub, like the Manx cat.

Call it what you will, it's mutilation plain and simple.

I also think as animal lovers, we need to advocate for those that can't advocate for themselves.

[Nancy1999]

So how do you all feel about removing dewclaws?

[Woogie Man]

I'm also happy to see differing opinions being offered in a respectful manner. The one thing I find curious is that so many countries are outlawing tail docking but there is no uproar over circumcising little human boys. I have witnessed tail docking of puppies and the circumcision of my oldest son and I can tell you, without a doubt, circumcision is much more traumatic than a puppy getting its tail docked.

[mainegirl]

I may be wrong I don't have kids (skin) but circumcision was done for religious reasons and then for hygenic reasons. I believe that circumcision is not as popular nowdays for the hygenic reasons..

[kezza]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

So how do you all feel about removing dewclaws?

All i can say on that matter is that both my Staffie and my yorkie have theirs with no problems...my staffies get worn down naturally and Pixie's i will trim now and again.

[Woogie Man]

Originally Posted by mainegirl

I may be wrong I don't have kids (skin) but circumcision was done for religious reasons and then for hygenic reasons. I believe that circumcision is not as popular nowdays for the hygenic reasons..

Yes, you are right about the reasoning behind circumcision and it is on the decline but in the U.S. the rate is still well above 60%. The hygiene argument has been shown to be false as kids can be taught proper hygiene but it is still being done on most kids. I would still ask, why such an uproar over tail docking and not circumcision?

[sAnDyiSm]

well rocky has a long tail.. and chippy has a short one..

and guess what..

they're both so cuteeeee!!

it's all a matter of preference.. i used to like long tails but once i saw the short little stubby ones wagging... i fell in love.. hahaha

[ItsyBitsy]

Circumcision is done for religious reasons, so I really don't even want to touch that one!

No males in my family are circumcised (we're Buddhists), BUT, all the uncircumcised males I know said they wish they were circumcised (for asthetic reasons). That's food for thought

In regards to dewclaws.... I think certain breeds definitely DO need their dewclaws removed for their own safety, namely the digging breeds. My parents have a coon hound/beagle cross that loves to dig, and one time she nearly ripped her right dewclaw from snagging it when she was digging.

[Yorkie_Love]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

So how do you all feel about removing dewclaws?

When I worked at a vet's office in GA a few years ago I saw several dogs come in that had ripped off their dew claws while playing, fighting, etc. That looks WAY more painful than having dew claws removed as a puppy. I am all for dew claw removal....but as I said before, I would do it with some sort of pain management.

[Yorkie_Love]

Originally Posted by mainegirl

I may be wrong I don't have kids (skin) but circumcision was done for religious reasons and then for hygenic reasons. I believe that circumcision is not as popular nowdays for the hygenic reasons..

My son, who just turned 1, was circumsized when he was super tiny. It was horrible to be there for. I actually had to leave the room (his dad stayed with him) when they brought out this little plastic baby shaped thing that had straps on it to hold him down. I started bawling and freaking out. My DH was very firm about wanting him circumsized (not for religious reasons though). I was for it because of hygenic reasons, but after seeing what he went through I would have never done it if DH had not been so firm. And DH is the man, with his own penis, so I went with it. My son was in MAJOR pain for quite a while after. Part of it healed onto some skin so on several occasions they had to rip the skin back....and yes, more pain and tears from us both. I too know several men who are not circumsized and all of them say they wish they were...and all of them said they would rather have had it done as babies when they wont remember it rather than have the choice when they are adults and have it done then.

[ARCHIE]

I think this practice is cruel! The animal has no choice because some human
said this is the way this breed should be.
If that were so, God would not have given them a tail to begin with.

All are man made rules and regulations. The same as the original Yorkie
being bred down to AKC standards that they are today. Sure they
are a beautiful breed but not at all what it started out to be all because
some humans deceided this is what we should do and this is how they
should look

If Buddy had a tail when I bought him it would not have made any difference
to me. I love them both ways.

[kezza]

Originally Posted by ARCHIE

I think this practice is cruel! The animal has no choice because some human
said this is the way this breed should be.
If that were so, God would not have given them a tail to begin with.

All are man made rules and regulations. The same as the original Yorkie
being bred down to AKC standards that they are today. Sure they
are a beautiful breed but not at all what it started out to be all because
some humans deceided this is what we should do and this is how they
should look

If Buddy had a tail when I bought him it would not have made any difference
to me. I love them both ways.

My last yorkie had a docked tail (she was born in 1993) My Pixie has her full tail and dew claws..totally natural as nature intended..I much prefer the way she looks..so expressive..she's a VERY confident little thing for a 3lb dog, it's always carried high over her back when seeing other dogs when out for a walk..sometimes i think she's a little TOO confident! Dogs communicate to each other with their tails as well as vocally.