The shrieking of a dog during tail docking should tell how much pain it withstands. Is the Procedure of Tail Docking in Dogs Painful? Some of the countries that have restrictions on dogs’ tail docking include:īelow is a list of countries where tail docking in dogs is unrestricted: In some countries, it is restricted and is only performed by a veterinarian, while in others, there are no regulations whatsoever regarding tail docking in dogs.Īpart from mentioned above, the countries that banned tail docking in dogs include: Otherwise, this practice is a criminal offense. Only a few veterinarian-registered work dogs are docked. The law is notably stricter in Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England. In the UK, for instance, tail docking has been banned. Under the Convention, it is considered a cruel and painful practice for the animals. In Europe, for example, the countries that are members of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals have all banned tail docking in dogs. Tail docking can be considered legal or illegal, depending on what your residence is. Countries where Tail Docking is Banned / Legal However, breeders and dog owners continue this practice because of the massive influence of the AKC (American Kennel Club) on the dog breed standards, which places sanctions and penalties on undocked dogs. On the top of the list was the inability of a docked dog to communicate with people or other dogs – which is mostly done via different tail motions.īy implication, dogs that couldn’t communicate properly due to tail docking tended towards aggressiveness and other anti-social behaviors. In a 1996 publication, Robert Wansborough outlined the several demerits of docked tails in dogs. Studies also showed that some of the traditional work dogs were not initially docked (Foxhounds and English pointers, for instance). The argument is based on the fact that in modern days, most pet dogs’ tails are docked not for necessity but aesthetic reasons. Namely, the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) have stood against the procedure in most dog breeds. To point out, some organisations are against tail docking in dogs. Sometimes, due to some pressing reasons, tail docking is performed in adult age as well. Besides, it is performed without any form of anaesthesia. In dogs, tail docking is done when the animal is around from 5 days to two weeks old. Pinscher (Doberman Pinscher, German Pinscher, Miniature Pinscher, Austrian Pinscher).Great Dane (Great Dane Tails are not docked but Ear Cropping is in practice).Doberman (both tail docking and ear cropping).Boxer (both tail docking and ear cropping).The following dog breeds are still exposed to the practice in many countries:
List of Dog Breeds, Exposed to Tail Docking When herding or hunting, their long tails might collect dirt that accumulates and might lead to an infection.įurthermore, when these dogs work through spiky and dense shrubs, their tails might become injured, leading to spinal injury or trauma. In the modern days, tail docking is considered for its therapeutic, prophylactic, and cosmetic benefits as well as preventing avoidable injuries with active dogs. Since its inception, tail docking has thrived in most countries and is still a fundamental part of dog breeding practice these days. The AKC claims that this procedure “helps some dogs better and more safely perform the functions for which they were originally bred.”īack in the days when people used dogs mostly for work and not as family pets, the docking helped to prevent tail injuries and infections.īreeders docked working dogs’ tails to prevent traumatic injuries, especially when hunting, fighting, or baiting. Dogs’ tails were docked for different reasons. Tail docking in dogs has been going on for centuries –probably as much as dog breeding itself. On the other side, some breeds come naturally with bobbed tails. At the moment, 62 breeds recognised by the AKC have docked tails. Most dogs with short tails have their tails docked as mentioned earlier.
There are varying standards to which different dog breed tails are docked. This way, the extra length, which doesn’t receive any more blood supply, would rot and fall off. The other way is putting a ligature on the required tail length standard of the breed for several days. One is making use of scalpels or surgical tools to sever a portion of the dog’s tail. Veterinarians carry out the procedure in two ways. The length of the docked tail varies depending on the breed. This process of removing a dog’s tail either wholly or partially is known as tail docking. Portions of their tails have been bobbed either to maintain breed standard or for other practical purposes. It’s important to realise that most of the dogs you see with short tails were not born that way.
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