Tail or no Tail, that is the question?

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armymedic31

Boxer Pal
My wife and I just got rocky. We got him from our friend who has two beutiful Boxers. He is now deployed with me to Iraq, and his wife dropped the ball on having the tails removed when the pups were young. Our vet who has many paitents who are boxers says that he will not do the tail now until Rocky is at least 4mos old, as he will have to be put under to do it. He says that it is purly cosmetic and that there are no real risks in letting Him have his favorite toy. He loves to chase it now that he has it. My wife and I are not going to show or breed. Rocky is just one of the kids. So I pose this question to fellow Boxer owner's with more exp. with the breed. Tail or no Tail, what is the big deal. Please be gental
 
myeung

myeung

Boxer Booster
I think either way they are cute, but for safety reasons to dock the tail. Boxers are soooo strong and full of muscles. When they do the kidney dance, their tails swing like crazy..even when they are docked. You dont want your baby to be knocking things over.

The timing I am not sure..but Bella's were docked soon after she was born.
 
gmacleod

gmacleod

Elusive Moderator
Staff member
There is no big deal at all to a boxer with a tail. There are lots of members here who have boxers with tails - some of them live in one of the many countries round the world that don't allow tail docking, and some of them live in NA and have tailed boxers just because they prefer not to cut them off.

Docking is normally done at around 2 days old. That is before a puppy's nervous system is fully developed, and so the docking surgery is very minor - no anasthetic even. But any later than that, and you're dealing with a full amputation surgery, requiring a general anasthetic (which itself always carries risks) and a significant recovery time. In all honesty, I would be surprised if you'd find a vet willing to do it, unless there were a medical reason for it. And personally, I wouldn't put your puppy through the pain (there would be pain).

The only issue arising from keeping the tail is that you might get the occassional unscheduled clearance of your coffee table. IMO that isn't reason enough for an amputation surgery ;)
 
L

Layla's Mum

Banned
If it were me, I'd leave it. The tail it supposed to be done before they are 3 days old, if I'm not mistaken. And to put the poor baby through surgery for purely cosmetic reasons seems a little too much for me. There is nothing wrong with a boxer with a full tail.
 
wnt2adpt

wnt2adpt

Boxer Booster
Keep It Please!!!

Boxers have such cute tails & I've honestly never seen a Boxer face-to-face with a long tail (only pictures). They are so pretty how they curl up over their backs! In the U.S. I don't think there are any regulations on this, but as gmacleod said, it's illegal in a lot of other countries.

Keep it!!! :)
 
V

Vela

Boxer Insane
I agree with the others who say keep it. It IS purely cosmetic and it doesn't harm them any more than any other dog with a tail to have it, especially since you aren't showing. At this point it would be a full amputation and often does not heal all that well and causes your pup an awful lot of needless pain. In fact as was mentioned, most vets won't perform this operation unless there is a medical necessity to do so. Just love him tail and all and you'll be a lot happier, and so will he! When done at birth the bones aren't hardened and the nervous system isn't fully formed and it's so tiny it heals very quickly. At this point it would be very painful for your boy. I think they are cute with tails!
 
bucca

bucca

Boxer Insane
i personally would keep the tail. i have never seen a boxer in person with a tail but id love to i bet they look so cute(as is they arent already) we had a dane and talk about a tail as a whip, my tables were always cleared but you know what?that comes with the territory, so you accept it.

chloe 5 red fawn
maxi 10 rottie
 
Erica&Riley

Erica&Riley

Boxer Booster
KEEP IT! My girl Riley has her tail...the guy I got her from didn't dock them when they were pups - he was a BYB - I now know better! I personally love Riley's tail! She hasn't hurt anything or herself with it...it is a strong tail, but a cute one. In my experience, there is no reason medical or otherwise that your pup's tail should be docked. Most of the time I forget that Riley should only have a nub. The only problem I run into is that I constantly get asked if Riley is a boxer mix. When I say no, people ask why she has a tail. Other than annoying people, their tails are wonderful!!
 
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