Tail Docking??

[Admin]

Please allow me a moment to remind you what the question posed to the audience was:

In a discussion with a friend, the topic of docking came up. She was told import dogs from Germany now do not get docked or "dew claws" removed. After discussing the possibilties of how a dog would look and laughing......came the "lightbulb". What about showing a dog that has been altered. That's a no- no now. Any comments would be welcome. I would really like the "rest of the story"

The discussion of animal rights are prohibited by the forum rules.

Lets please keep this topic on track.

Admin

[Jay]

I am having a hard time understanding how a person can be a true rottweiler fan, by admiring all the wonderful characteritics and traits offered by the breed, as I have seen posted many many times on this forum in the last 13 or 14 months I have browsed this site, and yet would let a few more centimeters of tail spoil it for them, simply based on cosmetic motives. The rottweiler is a rottweiler with or without a tail, and it actually does not make that big of a difference!!!

[Orville Story]

Dogs that run at high speeds make great use of the tail for balance, such as the greyhound. But dogs like the rottie which are built for power not speed don't use the tail for balance. The tail serves no function on Rottweilers, it does not improve balance nor drive.

I guess the best way to prove this point is to race tailed rotties against docked rotties and see if the tailed rottie are faster.


[This message has been edited by Orville Story (edited December 01, 1999).]

[Jay]

I am not sure this proves a point but my tailed dogs are faster than my docked dogs!! I lived in Germany for almost 10 years and initially was p.o. about the mention of the docking ban, but as stated before it takes no time at all to get used to the tail, and it does have some concrete, provable benefits. The only solid argument for docking is purely cosmetic. A rottweiler is much more than a tail (docked or not), we have much, much greater problems within our breed, such as the overall quality of dogs being produced, to worry about something as small as a TAIL!! When the only difference between a lab and a rott is the tail and markings as stated in this thread, something is definitely wrong here!!

[Orville Story]

Jay,

Well you may have something there. If the speed of the tailed rotties increases, and they start flying around the blinds like the GSD then I will start to leave tails on my dogs. But I will have to more than a couple with this increase in speed before I do. While Comestics is more than enough reason for me, there are a couple of other reasons of why I will dock my dogs.

1. This is the standard of the prevailing Registry here in the States.

2. It is preventive medicine. Dog without tails can not injury them.

3. Dogs without tails make better house dogs. They have no tail that would wipe out anything on tables, or would shed more hair, or would smack the owner.

Sure the Rottie is more than tail docked or not. But I believe we can take time out from other important issues to discuss tails. Since, you live in Germany may you can answer this question. Will 1999 and 2000 see less litters born in Germany than in previous years because of the tails?

[Eliza]

It's about time someone made a stand and stopped the docking of their tails. Poor dogs leave them with something to swat the flies away with, my rotti hated the flies but they loved him, he would have been so much more comfortable with a tail. Docking for cosmetic reasons is unacceptable in my opinion.

[Admin]

What part about my post did you not understand?

The discussion of animal rights are prohibited by the forum rules.

And here is that part of the rules:

...The discussion of animal rights and animal rights activistim are strictly prohibited on these forums...

Admin

[Jay]

Orville - Though I have never met you, I have viewed your post to this forum, for over a year and basing my deductions off of them and the lines of dogs and breedings of yours, I concur with you that the cosmetic motive is more than enough reason for you. This is ok by me, because I feel we all have the right to choose our preferences within this breed.
The housedog/ injury portion is "filler". I personally choose correct conformation (min. sg rated) and TRUE working ability
( V-rated) for my own goals.
As for the # of litters being bred in German for 99' and 2000, let me first say that I no longer reside in Germany, but believe that the tails has had some effect on the overall # of litters, as well as the new dogbase breeding restrictions, and other political type reasons. I do feel that in the US there is a misconception about the breedings, because only a small percentage of German litters, were ever available for exportation to the US anyway, atleast 85% of these dogs always remained in Europe.
I honestly believe that the no docking of the tail issue will become normal practice in most parts of the world. I also support the new breeding restrictions for the dogbase system, although it is not fullproof and does have some drawbacks, I think it is a positive step towards the betterment of the breed.

[Orville Story]

Jay,

I was having a little fun the tail thing. I agree with you 100% that the dogbase system is the major reason for the decline of breedings. And yes some of my points were filler, but they sound good.

[Fergy]

Well I'm new here but I have an opinion of the tail docking issue. I have a German Rottie pup with a tail. At first I thought he would not look like a true Rottie because of the tail, but quess what? He does. And looks even better in my opinion. Why are so many people hung up on a Rottie keeping his tail. What about breeding him with bad temperment or too big or with overbite? these should be more of a concern than letting them keep a tail and dew claws. Cut off a hind leg, he may break that. By the way my neigbhors dog is a Lab, they look nothing alike!

[benster]

You don't have to choose dogs that were born in America. Many German breeders have moved to France where tail docking is still allowed. And many French breeders bought German dogs. I got my rott from a breeder located in France, right next to the German border. My dog, named Pasha, had his tail docked when he was 2 days old. Both his parents are German champions.

------------------
Ben


[This message has been edited by Von (edited December 21, 1999).]