Tail docking

[sourdough doug]

Just having a discussion about the docking of dogs tails...
Whats the scoop/poop on this subject and is it legal..??

[Pixel Shooter]

Vets will no longer do those procedures
https://www.albertaanimalhealthsourc...sked-questions

[FCLightning]

It is not illegal, but the Vets in Alberta have been banned from doing it by their association.

[elkhunter11]

Saskatchewan Vets will still dock tails.

[urban rednek]

Dogs with docked tails have a definite disadvantage when it comes to socializing with other dogs; they are missing part of their communication system. This can lead to nervous/aggressive responses by normally friendly dogs because they cannot interpret the intentions of the approaching dog without a tail.
I've watched this play out on initial meetings with docked Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, Rotties, Pitties, and Boxers and various undocked dogs over the past few years. All of these dogs are people and dog friendly, although many people would have a hard time believing it due to the strange reactions witnessed at initial meetings between the dogs. Eventually, the meetings became more typical friendly dog interactions as they recognized each other.

IMO- People that are not dog savvy + docked tails = unwanted stress and drama.

[wolf308]

^
Whoa ! Yeah makes total sense

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by urban rednek

Dogs with docked tails have a definite disadvantage when it comes to socializing with other dogs; they are missing part of their communication system. This can lead to nervous/aggressive responses by normally friendly dogs because they cannot interpret the intentions of the approaching dog without a tail.
I've watched this play out on initial meetings with docked Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, Rotties, Pitties, and Boxers and various undocked dogs over the past few years. All of these dogs are people and dog friendly, although many people would have a hard time believing it due to the strange reactions witnessed at initial meetings between the dogs. Eventually, the meetings became more typical friendly dog interactions as they recognized each other.

IMO- People that are not dog savvy + docked tails = unwanted stress and drama.

I have never seen that personally, but I HAVE seen about 30 dogs running together at pheasant shoots, labs, Goldens , GSP's Weims ,Spanials, etc with no issues.
I have also never seen the behavior you describe at the dog park we frequent with our GSP.
Cat

[Big Grey Wolf]

Tail docking very simple. Good pair of scissors snip tail when pups 2-5 days old spray with peroxide pup will be asleep in 5 minutes after one or two wimpers.

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I have never seen that personally, but I HAVE seen about 30 dogs running together at pheasant shoots, labs, Goldens , GSP's Weims ,Spanials, etc with no issues.
I have also never seen the behavior you describe at the dog park we frequent with our GSP.
Cat

I had 3 GSP's back when this was not a thing, all tails docked and not one had an issue socializing with other dogs either.

[Sooner]

So it's been a few years now since my last GSP left us at 16 yrs. If I get another one and it is from AB, the dog will now have a full tail? That will take a bit of getting used to seeing the 3 I had before were all docked.


Seems like a weird stance the AB vet association took when some breeds have had docked tails forever.

[YYC338]

Originally Posted by Sooner

So it's been a few years now since my last GSP left us at 16 yrs. If I get another one and it is from AB, the dog will now have a full tail? That will take a bit of getting used to seeing the 3 I had before were all docked.


Seems like a weird stance the AB vet association took when some breeds have had docked tails forever.

"the dog will now have a full tail?"
Not necessarily, the breeder themselves may take care of that procedure.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I have never seen that personally, but I HAVE seen about 30 dogs running together at pheasant shoots, labs, Goldens , GSP's Weims ,Spanials, etc with no issues.
I have also never seen the behavior you describe at the dog park we frequent with our GSP.
Cat

We regularly have 20-30 dogs together at our training days, with the same results. I guess we need a dog psychologist to ask the dogs how they feel about it.

[thumper]

Are we soon going to see PETA suing owners on behalf of their docked dogs for all of the hurt they've endured?

[Prewar]

2 of my spaniels were not docked. In their younger faster days with all the hunting and hiking we did their tail ends were beat to a bloody pulp. I can’t imagine how much pain this created for them. My latest Springer? It’s docked of course…

[tallieho]

Not wanting to hack,this topic.Any idea about dew claw removval.Can it still be done,on dogs thanks

[Zuludog]

My lab cross spent half of her life with a docked tail and half without. When she was around six I came home one day and my house looked like a murder scene with blood splatter everywhere. My dogs tail was very badly hurt. The only thing that we can think of what happened is that she was a VERY vigorous tail wagger, she could and did knock paintings off of walls and she must have smashed it into the wrought iron stair railings.We took her to the vet and they amputated over half of her tail. The vet asked if I accidentally slammed it in the door. I didn't, obviously. It's been many years since that incident and I still find tiny pin sized droplets from time to time.

Short story long sometimes it's a good thing for dogs to have their tails docked. I read that in Britain or Europe that since they've stopped docking tails just after birth there has been a dramatic increase of emergency tail dockings like we had done due to tail injuries.

[CptnBlues63]

Originally Posted by tallieho

Not wanting to hack,this topic.Any idea about dew claw removval.Can it still be done,on dogs thanks

My 13 year old Yorkie had his dew claws removed by the breeder before we took him home.

Can't say if that is still allowed today or not. A quick call to any AB vet should yield you a correct answer.

[tirebob]

Originally Posted by Zuludog

My lab cross spent half of her life with a docked tail and half without. When she was around six I came home one day and my house looked like a murder scene with blood splatter everywhere. My dogs tail was very badly hurt. The only thing that we can think of what happened is that she was a VERY vigorous tail wagger, she could and did knock paintings off of walls and she must have smashed it into the wrought iron stair railings.We took her to the vet and they amputated over half of her tail. The vet asked if I accidentally slammed it in the door. I didn't, obviously. It's been many years since that incident and I still find tiny pin sized droplets from time to time.

Short story long sometimes it's a good thing for dogs to have their tails docked. I read that in Britain or Europe that since they've stopped docking tails just after birth there has been a dramatic increase of emergency tail dockings like we had done due to tail injuries.

Our American Bulldog broke his tail just wagging it aggressively and smoked it into something. Didn't even know that was a thing until it happened! It healed fortunately but he was miserable.

[Okotok]

Originally Posted by Zuludog

My lab cross spent half of her life with a docked tail and half without. When she was around six I came home one day and my house looked like a murder scene with blood splatter everywhere. My dogs tail was very badly hurt. The only thing that we can think of what happened is that she was a VERY vigorous tail wagger, she could and did knock paintings off of walls and she must have smashed it into the wrought iron stair railings.We took her to the vet and they amputated over half of her tail. The vet asked if I accidentally slammed it in the door. I didn't, obviously. It's been many years since that incident and I still find tiny pin sized droplets from time to time.

Short story long sometimes it's a good thing for dogs to have their tails docked. I read that in Britain or Europe that since they've stopped docking tails just after birth there has been a dramatic increase of emergency tail dockings like we had done due to tail injuries.

100 percent. A buddy has a Dane that is a prolific tail wagger. Clean a table off with one swipe wagger. His tail was a mess from always hitting things hard! Docking fixed that and a much happier, healthier pup.

[nitro]

Tails,dew claws,ears all banned now
https://globalnews.ca/news/4995963/a...-animal-abuse/
And with the statement are pretty much saying they will report you if you do any of it your self,and some vets have said as much
https://abvma.in1touch.org/uploaded/...2019_FINAL.pdf

There was lots of talk around this and the way and time the vote was done.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by urban rednek

Dogs with docked tails have a definite disadvantage when it comes to socializing with other dogs; they are missing part of their communication system. This can lead to nervous/aggressive responses by normally friendly dogs because they cannot interpret the intentions of the approaching dog without a tail.
I've watched this play out on initial meetings with docked Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, Rotties, Pitties, and Boxers and various undocked dogs over the past few years. All of these dogs are people and dog friendly, although many people would have a hard time believing it due to the strange reactions witnessed at initial meetings between the dogs. Eventually, the meetings became more typical friendly dog interactions as they recognized each other.

IMO- People that are not dog savvy + docked tails = unwanted stress and drama.

Weird - never encountered anything like this in 40 years of owning dogs of both docked and undocked varieties. Encounters with many hundreds of different strange dogs.
Methinks you are attributing the problem to the wrong end of the dog.

[NayNay]

I wonder how long until these laws pass over to the horse world. My wife has a couple Clydesdales and the one old guy has a docked tail. Poor guy doesn't stand a chance when the bugs come out.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by nitro

Tails,dew claws,ears all banned now
https://globalnews.ca/news/4995963/a...-animal-abuse/
And with the statement are pretty much saying they will report you if you do any of it your self,and some vets have said as much
https://abvma.in1touch.org/uploaded/...2019_FINAL.pdf

There was lots of talk around this and the way and time the vote was done.

It is not illegal. The Vet Association has banned Vets from doing the docking and dew claws. That is not a law.
It is also not one of the items listed in the paper on mandatory reporting of abuse - they have no professional obligation to report it as abuse.

[nitro]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

It is not illegal. The Vet Association has banned Vets from doing the docking and dew claws. That is not a law.
It is also not one of the items listed in the paper on mandatory reporting of abuse - they have no professional obligation to report it as abuse.

Just because it is not on the list this part can cover it
"Veterinarians also voted to require veterinarians to report any animal abuse or neglect they see, including physical injury, sexual abuse, poisoning, drowning or evidence of organized dog fighting"
Then there is the whole causing the animal to be in distress.
I have not hear of it happening YET in AB but I know breeders in other provinces that have done tails and the SPCA shows up on their door step.Most have ended up winning in court but the stress and money to fight it and they can seize ALL of your animals in till the case is finished and guess who pays all the kennel bills for that time .Lots are just not breeding any more or going out of province/country to get it done or whelp litters ,because they don't want to chance it

[rottie]

Originally Posted by nitro

Just because it is not on the list this part can cover it
"Veterinarians also voted to require veterinarians to report any animal abuse or neglect they see, including physical injury, sexual abuse, poisoning, drowning or evidence of organized dog fighting"
Then there is the whole causing the animal to be in distress.
I have not hear of it happening YET in AB but I know breeders in other provinces that have done tails and the SPCA shows up on their door step.Most have ended up winning in court but the stress and money to fight it and they can seize ALL of your animals in till the case is finished and guess who pays all the kennel bills for that time .Lots are just not breeding any more or going out of province/country to get it done or whelp litters ,because they don't want to chance it

A clinic in Red Deer told me that they would have to report docking done. Their reasoning was it falls under the causing stress / distress