To Dock or not to Dock

[Zephir]

Originally Posted by sheena

Zephir,
i didnt mean to say the only way to read a dog is by its tail. I think in a different language and write in another, sorry if i sounded like that :(

Hey, no problem - language barriers can be difficult! BUT there are a lot of people that think the only way to read a dog is by its tail - I just wanted to point out that this is incorrect.

[wilma06]

my little wilma is undocked and to watch her chase her tail and see it wagging is great - i wouldn't want to deprive her of these pleasures

[Anne]

Originally Posted by hesmyboy

my dog had his tail docked but they did a bad job and in ottawa there is only one man who will do it....I will get it redocked...I see no harm in it.....

To dock a tail when the pups is only 2-3 days old is the time to do it. I would not advise you to redock the tail just because you don't like the look of it. I'ts a painful major surgery on a grown dog. Can you not just love your dog as he is? There is no need to cause him pain. I wouldn't do it.

I must admit getting used to tails is taking me a while. My two girls are docked but I have a 10 month old rescue boy here with a tail and I had some coming to terms to do with a tailed Rottweiler for a while.

He's been here for 6 weeks now and I'm quite liking the tail now I'm used to seeing it. He's a beautiful Mahogany/Black and a stunning looking boy and he does wag his long tail. It's not the same as the nubby bum wiggle though.

I'm losing my boy tomorrow, he's all trained now and ready for his new home...there will be tears. Even thinking about him going brings tears.
I'll miss my big boy.

edited to try to fix the quote thingy.

[lovemyrotrebel]

well i have 2 rottie now my 2 year old Rebel is Docked my 3 month old Dixie also know as Tinamite cause she takes no BS off of Rebel. ha ha. Her tail is not docked. I think she is just a pretty as Rebel. I see no need to dock their tail. They look just as fine if not better with a tail.

[SABELLESMOM]

Originally Posted by sheena

... makes no sense to take away the dogs comminucation.

Dogs are experts at "dog language." I appreciate the look of both tailed and docked Rottweilers. My docked girls have never had a problem being misread by another dog... or human.

When i see her waving her butt instead of her tail it breaks my heart.

Aw, I kinda like the "wriggling but syndrome." It's common within the breed...tailed or not. Raven's parents are both German imports and have their tails. Their butts wag as fast as the tails.

Why should it break your heart? Your girl is still capable of expressing joy is she not? Be happy when she's happy. She is not disabled by the lack of her tail.

...i see rotties with tails it gives them a more noble look and they carry it with such pride as if saying "i am the king of the world" (which sure they are)

Perhaps, I see what you mean. Yet I find it is the breed which is noble. With or without a tail they can all have that alert, heads up, tense at attention pose that says: "Yes. I AM king of dogs." That pride is within the breed itself.

I am an admitted fence sitter on the subject of tail docking. I appreciate the beauty of either. And I mean that whole heartedly.

Many tribes in Africa, for example, perform circumcisions after the human male reaches puberty. This has been done for hundreds of years. It is a rite of passage to becoming a man. It is culture and I do not criticize.

Around the world the timing of this proceedure varies. I would guess it's much more painful at puberty than at birth or even 9 days.

Forgive me if I'm putting this badly, but tail docking done at the proper time is not cruel nor inhuman. Why do we have to convince each other differently?