To dock or not to dock..rescue bitche's puppies

[girlunderainbow]

I have a rescue Rottie that came bred..although did not know it at the time. Had had an appt. to get her spayed right before Christmas..which would have actually been a little past mid-term...if my dates are right. But, the mobile service doing it had electrical probs and cancelled all their neuters. By Jan.3 when reg vet's employees were back in office was too late for them to spay her. She delivered yesterday, and as her previous owners had a male rottie..it appears he was probably one of the fathers. There are 2 "rottweiler" puppies..one sorta red/brown but w/ definite rottie markings..a red merle catahoula or aussie X looking pup..a blue merle catahoula( also has both back dewclaws.one hind DOUBLE dewclaw..Pyranees mix?) or ausssie X pup..and 2 brown pups with black markings...my question is whether or not to dock their tails? some of them..alll of them..

[Apamaria]

Why would you want to dock them?
I don't really understand the question I think. They are mixed breed and will never be expected to conform to any breed standards. Let them keep their tails!
This is my vote on the subject :)

[spidey]

IMO, they're mutts, don't dock them. Are the two you describe as "Rottie" both black and tan AND Rottie-like in appearance? If so, if they REALLY look like Rotties (NOT the red one, only black and tan ones), docking MAY make them easier to place (I don't agree with this, by the way, but it's something many rescues have found to be true). But really, I see no reason to dock any of them (and forget about docking any which aren't black and tan, there's no reason to even consider that). If nothing else, it's misleading to try and make a mutt look more like a purebred, IMO, no matter how much it may look like a purebred. There's nothing wrong with mutts being mutts.

Pictures, please! Need a puppy fix! :)

[Mitsy]

I must confess, I am not a 'tail' person, I do prefer my dogs sans tail for a number of reasons.

However, since you don't know how all the dogs will look once they mature, you might consider doing only the one's that look rottie.

When my Queensland Shilo snuck out and caroused with the neighborhood curs, I dutifully docked the three pup's tails. However, once 'Red' grew up (the one pup I kept) he was SO ungainly looking without his tail!! Apparently he took after his yellow lab pop too much, and he definitely would have looked better with a tail!

[godfreyc]

Most people interested in adopting them IMHO will probably be happier if they are docked. Thus making it easier to rehome them. It will not cause them any pain and will probably make things easier for you. Dock. :D

[girlunderainbow]

The question is whether or not to dock them. Yes, some of them may be Rottweiler looking for the most part, as mom is full rottie and one of the dad's may be a full rottie. Then there is one w/rottie markings only dark brown and tan instead of black and tan..
I don't think it's misleading in any way to dock their tails if I do..I'm not trying to make them look like something they are not btw. Two may also be part Australian SHepherd which also are short tailed but that's another subject.
I'm straight up with people about what they are...so far the people I have mentioned to at work,etc..once I say "Rottweiler" ..say OH NO.

I prefer dogs docked..my lab/rotts have tails..had I had them as small pups at least one I probably would have docked.
Most likely I am going to dock the two that are marked perfected and could mature to LOOK full rottie. Pix taken last night..will upload later tonight..very uniquely marked are 2 of them.
Oh. And one of them has hind dewclaws..and 2 on one leg in fact. Will have that done.

[Rykers Mom]

I would say leave them. have dew claws removed though.

[Burnsway]

If your going to dock, it would be best and easiest to do it within the next few days. They were born 2 days ago right?

[spidey]

godfreyc: only two of the puppies look like Rotties. Most people don't have issues with tails on mutts, they have issues with tails on Rotties (or Rottie lookalikes).

girlunderainbow: I didn't mean to imply that you were trying to misrepresent them, I just don't see the point in docking mixed breeds who don't look like a particular breed (and a Rottie X who isn't black and tan doesn't look like a Rottie, docking the black and tans might be okay because they'll look sufficently Rottie-like, but there's no reason to dock the others). I don't like tail docking myself, dogs should have tails IMO, but I understand that some people prefer the look, I just don't think docking a mixed breed who looks like a mixed breed makes any sense (and isn't for the dog's benefit - there's an argument to be made that a Rottie look-alike might have a better chance at a home without a tail, fair enough, but that argument doesn't hold up for mixes who look like mixes).

[alexav]

I think you should dock the Rottie looking pups because, sadly, people will be people after all. Yes, they will be more likely to be adopted and I have heard of two young adult rotties recently that have fallen victim to rubberband docking attempts.

Now I'm sure you will carefully screen the homes these pups will hopefully find, but there's always that chance that they could find themselves in the posession of an idiot somewhere down the line...

Have this done asap if you are going to. And get those rear dews off too, but please think about leaving the fronts...I think they are important for use as "thumbs".;)

[godfreyc]

Originally posted by spidey:

godfreyc: only two of the puppies look like Rotties. Most people don't have issues with tails on mutts, they have issues with tails on Rotties (or Rottie lookalikes).

I know that if they were for instance a labrador mix people wouldn't mind a tail they'd expect it. However:

Originally posted by girlunderrainbow:

Two may also be part Australian SHepherd which also are short tailed but that's another subject.

If only one of them is no identifiable mix leave it's tail on but if the majority come from breeds that normally would be docked then dock them if for no other reason than it will make placement easier. Or don't, it's only my opinion and at this age is neither cruel or painful and is in no way an attempt to pass them off for something they aren't.

[girlunderainbow]

I'm about to post pix in Chit Chat section btw...
"brand new rescue puppies"
As far as tails...I know alot of people that would prefer dogs docked to keep from getting hit with a big tail, and it hitting other things..but that's not why I'm doing this. Just an opinion I have seen.
Yes they were born the 14th in the afternoon... I am going to tails and dewclaws this evening. I have decided to do the tails on the two rottie lookalikes only..the aussie type ones could also be Catahoula types...either way who knows. As far as dewclaws..yes I am leaving the front ones...I too believe that dogs do use them...other than the few who have front dews that are ONLY attached by skin..which I don't believe these are. I am doing the hind dewclaws on the ones with them though.
Out of curiousity...Alexav...how old were the dogs that the ppl tried to rubberband dock...how horrible. I'm amazed at people's ignorance. I guess they didn't realize a BONE won't fall off?
The worst I have seen..when a vet tech..a high school boy bought a pit puppy..and was doing well w/heartworm prev...vaccinations..etc..until he brought it in one day for..something..and A "friend" had convinced him to let him use a knife...and "do" pups ears. Worse than that (IF you can imagine worse)...was the "friend" cut the ears clear down to the head..said t hey would "grow" in right. Now the dog has absolutely no ears.

[Mitsy]

Actually, we dock our lambs tails with special rubber bands, and yes the tail drops off, bone and all. I have docked puppies tails this way, too (newborns) and it worked just fine, but giving tetanus shots for them is a good idea, like we do the lambs. It is really about the only trouble that can come from doing it this way IF it is done when they are very young.

[girlunderainbow]

I know they do this to castrate some farm animals...which IMHO is bad enough. I personally, Just don't see doing this when instead you can just do a quick snip....Don't see the reason for prolonging it. Don't lambs need tetanus shots anyway? like newborn foals?
and how can you give a tetanus shot to a newborn puppy ..they don't need this when having them docked the quicker ways do they? I've never seen a vet or breeder that did this when cutting puppy tails..personally.
I just can't see putting them through that..and seems a bad idea to post about doing it that way as the wrong people might come across it and try it...on their own dogs..as has been done in the past. Is this just me?

[Mitsy]

I agree that its not something that every BYB should do on puppies. But if the docking is going to be done at home, it would seem a bit safer than an inexperienced person wielding a knife.

Castrating and docking tails on lambs are more than just a snip, improperly done, it can cause bleeding to death.

I find the bands far easier to do on a bunch of squirming lambs, which are much more mobile at a couple of days old than pups.
I only posted to counter the idea that it was an awful way to dock tails when done on very young animals .