tails? cut or keep?

[JulieM]

It is illegal in the UK for lay persons to dock tails. It is *not* illegal for vets to do so. It is, howver, against the RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) code of conduct, and vets who dock may face disciplinary action or be struck off the professional register. One vet was charged with "disgraceful professional conduct" for docking in 1995; however all charges were cleared in that case. In 1996, the RCVS made the following statement:

The RCVS Preliminary Investigation Committee has recently decided not to refer to the Disciplinary Committee two cases in which it was alleged that a veterinary surgeon had docked puppies tails for reasons that were neither therapeutic nor prophylactic.

Any case referred to the Disciplinary Committee which may result in a veterinary surgeon losing his/her right to practise, must be proved beyond reasonable doubt – the same standard of proof as is required in a criminal case.

In any docking case, therefore, it must be established beyond all reasonable doubt that there was no therapeutic or prophylactic justification. It is also necessary to demonstrate that the docking was repeated or routine and not an isolated incident. This usually requires the co-operation of clients or owners. In neither of the two cases recently considered, were the owners prepared to provide the necessary evidence.

The RCVS is hoping for the UK to adopt the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, which would make illegal, by lay persons and vets alike, docking, cropping, devocalizing (debarking), declawing and defanging. It would also strive to prevent the occurence of, among many other things, "abnormal positions of teeth (e.g. brachygnathia in Boxers, Bulldogs, Persian Cats) to avoid difficulties in feeding and caring for the new-born."

More information on docking can be found here:
www.cdb.org

Information on the European Convention and the breeds affected can be found here:
http://www.saveourbreeds.org.uk/minires.htm

FWIW, the AVMA (American Veterinary Medicine Association) also has an anti-docking (and cropping) statement; however they do not deem it "unethical" for vets to perform the surgeries.

As for showing, the British Boxer standard includes both docked and undocked tails, with the notation "Customarily docked." (All breeds in the UK that are customarily docked include descriptions of both tails, actually.)

 

[muttersley]

Thanks Julie for clarifying that. So I guess it is just up to the individual vets then!

Sue, sorry about that:confused: :confused:

 

[PawPrintBoxers]

Tail Docking

I dock tails at 3 days. Actually, my vet does it
I will hold the pups and make sure the lengths are correct. Dew Claws are removed at the same time.

 

[mlopezvega]

Why is it recommended to dock the tail so young? We got our puppy from Guatemala and actually had his tail docked there at 8 weeks old. He seemed fine, with no signs of trauma. Sorry, this was my first boxer, I may be naive.

 

[JulieM]

At 2-3 days the nerves are not fully developed and the tail can be docked in a matter of seconds without general anesthesia. At 8 weeks it is an amputation and a major surgery, and the dog must be put under. Also, since an 8 week old puppy is exponentially more active than a 2-3 day old puppy, healing takes longer and the chances of injuring the amputated end of the tail are greater (especially in a multiple dog household).

 

[PawPrintBoxers]

As well, the bones are still soft at 3 days old versus real hard bone of an older puppy.

 

[gruveygirl420]

Au Naturale- My 2 cents on docking

Hi there boxer lovers!

I haven't written in quite some time but decided to throw in my 2 cents on the topic of tail docking. I chose not to dock. After some pondering and soul searching I chose to keep Elvis and Presley- my two babies- au naturale.

Of course I got a slew of boxer owners telling me that they wouldn't look like boxers should- blah, blah, blah, that their tails would get in the way, that their tails would be considered a weapon in most states (okay, exaggerating!), etc., etc.

So far my doggies are great. No injuries due to tail wagging incidents, no broken tails, no one has mistaken them for anything other than what they are-BOXERS!, and actually, folks, I have gotten way more positive comments and compliments for keeping them natural than negative or derrogatory comments from die hard docking and clipping fans.

I say, my boys are European style boxers, when I take them to the dog park they get a lot of attention because they are beautiful-just as they were meant to be-NATURAL!

So if you choose to clip and dock, that's fine too, but please know that Boxers are still boxers even if they are natural-actually, I think they look much sweeter natural. No offense, but some boxers look a little evil with their ears clipped (look like little devils) . So just know that natural is an excellent alternative to docking-it doesn't cost a thing and there is no pain.

Let the wagging begin,

Angelica mommy to Elvis and Presley natural fawn boxers from California!

 

[seyre]

tails

I WAS all for the au-natural boxer, and I was lucky enough to adopt one. But lately, my boy gets very playful and exited and wacks his tail on things. And I mean WACK! The last two times it happened he slept the whole day after it and was obvoiusly in alot of pain. He would sky away from any touches, wouldn't move his tail, and shake when you do touch him - not even his tail. :( I got so upset this last time that I took him to the vet to talk about amputation. The vet said we should give it a little bit more time, and prescribed my poor boy some painkillers. But there is nothing we can do about his activity level, so who knows how many times this is going to happen before he breaks it clean through. And his little tail is now thicker in the areas he has wacked it in the past.

If I had to choose for a new boxer - the ears stay and the tail goes.

 

[basak]

I am about to ask the same question. We got Krose when he was 3.5 months old. And that's when we had his tail ''docked''??? That means, cutting it, making it shorter right? Sorry about the choice of words but just trying to get it right:(

Was it bad to get it done so late?


Basak
love of Krose

 

[PawPrintBoxers]

Au Naturale- My 2 cents on docking

Originally posted by gruveygirl420
I have gotten way more positive comments and compliments for keeping them natural than negative or derrogatory comments from die hard docking and clipping fans.

It sounds like people have been kinder to you for your own personal choice than some others when the opposite choice is made.


__________________
Christina Ghimenti
PawPrint Boxers

Sunny Northern California
Boxer Champions and Loving Pets