Docking dogs tails

Vegeta

Sorry if this has been posted already but I am just wondering do any of you have working dogs with their tails docked.

I have recently bought two cocker pups and no vet will do it, they say its cruel. Just wondering what your opinions are on this.

Double Barrel

Vegeta,
Find yourself a large animal DVM , in other words a country vet who deals with farmers on a regular basis.
It is inhumane to leave long tails on gundogs that spend most of their working life in the bushes and emerge with bloody stumps at the end of the day. A number of working gundog breeds have to hunt game through heavy vegetation and thick brambles, where their very fast tail action can easily lead to torn and bleeding tails which are painful and extremely difficult to treat. Docking the end of the tail eliminates the risk of injury.

An imformative website on the subject with video.
www.cdb.org

"Since docking was banned in Sweden in 1989, there has been a massive increase in tail injuries amongst previously docked breeds. Within the 50 undocked Pointer litters registered in that year with the Swedish Kennel Club, 38% of dogs suffered tail injury before they were 18 months old and in 1991, the number of individuals with tail injures had increased to 51% of the group." :mad:

Double Barrel

Vegeta

Yeah I agree with you DB, my brother has been ringing around for me and hopefully i'll get a vet soon

macnas

The pups are probably too old now for you to do it yourself, if they were only a couple of days old it's no problem.

airy-fairy

I have always thought that vets who refure this small op are the ultimate hypocrits. They would not pause to recommend you spay every cat and dog in the country. Most pups that have their tail docked don't even need a stitch.

Vegeta

yeah to be honest it really annoyed me that they wouldn't do it. One vet said he'd do it but as macnas pointed out they are too old for the simple operation and it will cost a fortune, so still looking for another alternative