05
Oct
Current Reasons for Tail Docking. Some dogs such as the Old English Sheepdog and Australian Shepherd may appear to be docked but may have actually been born with a bobtail or naturally short tail.
Severing the tail with a hopefully sharp object such as a scalpel or snipers or banding the tail with a ligature to cinch the blood flow until the tail eventually falls off.
Why are dogs tails docked. Dog tails are generally docked using one of two methods. Severing the tail with a hopefully sharp object such as a scalpel or snipers or banding the tail with a ligature to cinch the blood flow until the tail eventually falls off. Tail docking is basically shortening a dogs tail by removing part of it.
Why were tails docked. In the early times in England this procedure was done because dogs tails were taxed. Other historical reasons for tail docking include strengthening the dogs back preventing bites during fights and improving running speed.
The ancient Romans docked dogs due to a belief that removing part of their tails would prevent them from contracting rabies a deadly disease that can pass to humans via zoonotic transmission. At other times tails were docked because they were viewed as being too long and susceptible to injury. Why do cattle dogs have docked tails.
The 3 main reasons cattle dogs have docked tails are to protect it from disease prevent infection and to maintain hygiene. Cattle dogs tails are most oftenly docked in order to protect the dog from contracting rabies. While a cattle dogs is out in the open fields there are plenty of wild animals that could have contracted rabies.
Dog tail docking problems include. Excessive bleeding the reasonable risk of anesthesia infection wound dehiscence splitting open and rectal prolapse. First and foremost think about why you want it done.
If your dog is not a working or hunting dog is it necessary or is it your vanity. Usually the senseless line of reasoning made is its my dog my property and I. In ancient times dog tail docking was seen as a way to prevent rabies contraction but that claim was later nullified.
The working dog with tails was at one point taxed in the UK and many dogs were docked to save on this tax. This tax was scrapped in the late 18 th century. The most common reason for cropping and docking is to give a dog a certain look.
That means it poses unnecessary risks Patterson-Kane says. Docked tails can also develop a neuroma or nerve. Docked tails are tails that have been shortenedcut off when the dog is young although dogs arent the only animal we do this practice on.
Sometimes tail docking is achieved by restricting blood flow to the tail until it falls off. This is usually achieved by placing a ligature like a rubber band tightly around the tail. The practice of docking dogs tails has become widely banned in some areas of the world with breed associations amending their descriptions to conform to the new standard of non-docking.
Some breeders who are not interested in breeding or selling show quality dogs will opt not to perform the docking procedure on their dogs. Breed proponents often talk about how tail docking once served this or that purpose but with the vast majority of dogs produced by breeders these days destined to become pets I think docking is truly just a cosmetic procedure. Add this to the fact that the surgery is generally done without the benefit of anesthesia and the downsides of the procedure outweigh any perceived benefit.
Commonly docked dogs like Rottweilers and Dobermans have long very muscular tails that commonly get broken simply by wagging too hard against furniture. Field dogs and hunting dogs need them docked for similar reasons. A tail is a very easy thing to injure and really hard to heal up.
Current Reasons for Tail Docking. For working dogs in the military on the police force or on farms the reason for tail docking continues to be for the safety of the dog. Many dogs who do not work also have their tails docked.
This is often for aesthetic reasons. The owners feel the dog looks better without a tail or that this provides a look that is familiar to the breed. Tail docking for.
The first recorded incidence of tail docking took place in Ancient Rome. Roman shepherds believed that removing the top of a dogs tail on the puppys fortieth day prevented rabies. Later hunting dogs tails were docked to prevent injury a theory still common today.
Dogs with docked tails include Cocker Spaniels Rottweilers and Yorkshire Terriers. Currently 62 breeds recognized by the AKC have docked tails. Some dogs such as the Old English Sheepdog and Australian Shepherd may appear to be docked but may have actually been born with a bobtail or naturally short tail.
The most common reason behind the complete or partial amputation of a dogs tail is a traumatic injury that makes repairing the tail impossible or inadvisable. Such tail amputation can also occur in the event of tail deformities that impact a dogs gait or basic functioning negatively or enhance the risk of an injury. If an adult dog needs its tail docked it is because it has an injury or other medical reason for the amputation.
1 Dogs can injure their tails or develop issues with them such as tumors that are out of your control but require them to be docked as adults. Tail docking in adult dogs should not be done simply for aesthetic reasons.