Tail or no Tail, that is the question?

[LittleEgypt]

This is going back a few years, so the ages are different now. But when my male boxer was 3 (docked tail), we got him a little playmate - a 3 month old female from Rescue with a tail. Because she had already been thru so much, (mistreated, starved and kept outside), the priority was in saving her life, with the tail being a very low priority. Well, she loved her tail (was one of the few things that was always hers), and chased it constantly. She never knocked anything over with it, and would curl it around her every night for sleep time. The two of them played fabulously together - chasing, rough-housing and wrestling. Until one day....... her tail caught him in the eye. He yelped, eye watered and turned quite red. The next day, it wasn't any better and he was continually blinking and squinting. We took him to the Vet immediately - and sure enough he had a detached retina! He could lose his sight! He had to be operated on then and there. Yes, he recovered just fine - but back to the tail. We had her tail removed (she was about 2 years by then), and I cried - I knew how much she loved her tail. It seems we took her home the same day - with the little stub all bandaged up (and a list of things to do, and not to do). She looked miserable and you could tell to look at her that she was hurting. I felt sick! She went to bed very early and was still sleeping when I got up the next morning. A couple of hours later she came bouncing into the kitchen - and What! No bandage! I was terrified! Called her over, had a good look - no blood, seemed to look alright (ugly, no hair), stitches not disturbed; wondering how much it's going to hurt to put the bandage back on - will let her eat breakfast first. I'm getting their breakfast - and the two of them start rough-housing (to my horror). But everything seemed to be back to normal - I never did put the bandage back on. And she never once looked for her tail! She didn't chew the "new" one, or even pay any attention to it. (As soon as the swelling went down, the bandage just fell off on its own). I was just so shocked that she never missed it at all - I was the one missing it. Do I regret having it removed? Definitely not - my male's sight is worth much more then her needless tail. Yes, it was an accident - but accidents do happen. And it could have been a child. Animals must be far more resiliant than we are. But I agree, that it's a tough call. My decision was made much easier because of what had happened - and I certainly wouldn't take the chance of it ever happening again.

 

[l8krgirl08]

I would have to say I prefer no tail. I hate a tail on a dog but obviously it is very much your call and what you feel is necessary. I think tails can be very painful especially on a very strong dog. Dogs seem to be very resillient and I'm always paranoid about what can happen. I have small children and always think about what if where Bugzys concerned. Anyway good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Cholbert]

Leave it

Both my dogs have docked tails - and both have their ears cropped - so obviously I am not against cosmetic surgery on dogs.

However, the tail docking - when not done as newborns - doesn't make much sense to me. I'd leave it alone - it's probably very cute.

I had a neighbor once - a few houses away - who docked a dogs tail - and the dog was a rescue who was like 3 years old.

He did it himself at home - it was terrifying to see.

He sent one of his kids to my house screaming that the dog was dying. I almost wished that the dog could die so that the poor baby wouldn't have to live with this family - or in this world that didn't appreciate him. I turned him in to county animal control. They took the dog away - but goodness only knows what happened to him.

 

[Laila63139]

I vote to keep it

I vote to keep the tail, I have a "if it isn't broken don't fix it" philosophy. Especially if it's expensive to do and painful for your baby. My girl's breeder removed the tail before I got her, I wouldn't have done it myself.

Let us know what you decide to do!

 

[TracyandSam]

Keep it!

My Greta also has her tail, we got her from a rescue and she came with it, just another one of her fine features I like to think, makes her very unique! She has knocked over a few glasses of water or mugs of coffee sitting on the coffee table, but it does not hurt when it wags against you. Plus I personally think the kidney bean dance looks much cuter when done by a full tailed boxer!

 

[Austin's Mom]

I'm used to seeing boxers with docked tails, but my daughter's friend just got a boxer puppy and he has his tail. I think he looks really cute with it! I wouldn't put a puppy thru a surgery just for looks. Just my opinion!

 

[spud's mum]

I vote keep it too! Spud had his docked before I got him so I didn't have to make that descision. I once had a greyhound mix who had an extremely long whippy tail and it never caused a problem ( except for the odd table-clearing incident! ) Of course, it is your own personal choice so you have to go with what you think is best for your dog. I would leave it if it were me, but that's just my own personal opinion.

 

[boxerlove02]

I say keep it!
I had a boxer with a tail growing up, actually all of my dogs have always had tails, except for Penny. I think tails are so cute and fun, even if they can clear off a tail once in a while. When Ginger gets excited and bounces into a room, all we say is "Hold on to you drinks!". haha

Boxers are beautiful with or without tails, I would have loved to keep Penny's but the breeder had already removed it before we found her. If she doesn't need it, don't put her through that much pain.

 

[K8IE]

I say keep it too. I guess I am just thinking of what I would do personally. Our previous boxer's tail was docked too long, and the vet asked if we wanted him to fix it. We thought about it a bit and decided he was just our pet and would not be shown so we saw no reason to do it and put him through any unnecessary discomfort. I do see the point of people who have small children who would be at eye level with that tail, though, they can be a little dangerous. I had neighbors where we used to live that had two completely natural boxers and they were just the prettiest things!!

 

[boxer]

Docking at a couple of days old is a completely different proposition to amputation, and it is not something I'd ever consider for an older pup or adult dog. Not unless something happened, like slamming the tail in a car door, to make it a medical necessity anyway.

As far as the possibility of the tail flicking someone in the eye or similar goes, personally I just think that's one of the things that goes along with a dog. There's a chance of the dog jumping up and scratching an eye with it's nails too - but that's not about to make me "declaw" my dog. I can see no difference between the tail on a boxer and the tail on any other mid-sized dog - like a lab or GSD in respect of "risks", but you don't see people going around amputating their tails just because there's a possibility that someone's eye might be in the wrong place at the wrong time