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tail docking - yes or no ?

Discussion in 'Dogs - Pit bull breeds specific' started by k9resq, Apr 7, 2004.

  1. k9resq

    k9resq New Member

    I am the proud new owner of a seven week old female pit. She is unbelievable !!! We took her to our vet and were advised to dock her tail at the same time we spay her, but have since been told you should NEVER dock a pitbull's tail because it causes them to "lose their balance". I am a licenced dog rescue but this is my first full blooded pit. She is to be strictly indoors, therefore we wanted to dock her tail for her safety as well as our sanity !!!I have never heard this "rumor" before. Quite frankly it makes no sense to me but left me curious just the same. I would never do anything to harm my new baby-So the question is to dock or not to dock ??? Is there any foundation to this statement of balance loss ?

    thanks!
    K9resq
     
  2. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    APBT do not normally get their tails docked.
    I have only heard of docking their tails for medical reasons. I have also heard docking their tails throws off their balance, I don't know if that's true or not.
     
  3. bullylove1

    bullylove1 New Member

    I would not suggest docking its tail. It has been done for medical reasons, but in your situation, this is not the case.

    Did the vet suggest this to you? I have never heard of vets just randomely suggesting tail docking.

    I know there was someone on the board who had to get their dog tail docked because he was such a wagger that it was constantly hitting the wall and he broke it pretty bad. A dogs tail helps the express their emotions to you and I believe is a real part of their personality.

    I am sure you won't go insane when that tail goes a waggin. ;). Please reconsider getting it docked.
     
  4. True_Pits

    True_Pits New Member

    No Dont Do It!!

    It is against the standard and throws off their balance.

    Ask your vet why he would do such a foolish thing! Thats what I would have done.
     
  5. Jameka

    Jameka New Member

    NO! I wouldn't do it, unless there are medical reasons for doing it. I have 3 female Pits with docked tails. They were all docked before I got them, & I HATE it. It throws off their balance & it just looks like crap!!!!!!! I honestly wouldn't do it. Like True_Pits said, it's against standard. That's an instant disqualification, if you ever want to show her in conformation events. (I think).
     
  6. loves-da-pits

    loves-da-pits New Member

    I say, NO, NO, NO!! For one APBT aren't suppose to have docked tails. Another thing, Vets would cut off the dog's nose if they thought it would create some revenue. I docked a pup which I thought was an Aussie and she turned out to be a Catahoula. She was in so much pain for weeks. Every time she sat down she would cry. Pits have "whips" for tails. It's a sure way to see their emotions. I know it's hard to have glass knick knacks down low. My suggestion, get plastic at everything tail level. LOVES_DA_TAILS!!
     
  7. chickee

    chickee New Member

    I suppose I will get a lot of flake for this, but do I really care? :mrgreen:

    I have docked tails before (in the 80s). Pets. Actually, the 1st pit bull pup I ever bought had a docked tail almost 20 years ago. Back in those days it wasn't uncommon -- one of the reason there are still people today asking "why isn't your dog's tail docked." (I hear it all the time.)

    Best time to do this of course, is 3 days old. At this point, it would be major surgery for your dog. I know it isn't the standard, but if you have a dog as a pet/companion, you don't plan on showing, and you want it done, go for it. It doesn't take the balance off as far as my own experience, with my own dogs. Didn't do a damn thing to them actually. They were just tail-less and I kept most of my possessions intact around the house. Kids were not knocked out...etc., and it didn't faze the puppy as the procedure was done at 3 days old before their nerve endings had formed. I have also had one of my adult males get his docked - BUT - that was because his tail got infected. Besides being itchy, it didn't seem to bother him either. He was on the usual pain meds.

    Of course now I would never dock with my present dogs, but if you think it would be good for you, being that he'll be a house dog, do what you want. It's your decision. Something like cropping ears, it's a 'personal thang'......

    (OK, you guys can have a field day now..........)
     
  8. loves-da-pits

    loves-da-pits New Member

    Chickee: No, I don't have anything negative to say towards you. It's a personal preference thing. I know it's not "standard" if you plan on showing your dog. If your pits are going to be indoor dogs, their tails can be quite a liability on your glass ornamentals. My Catahoula was 12 wks when I had her tail docked. She was in so much pain. But when you dock their tails, you seem to loose the emotion response what the dog is feeling. In trying to train my two pits, I depend a lot on "tail response" to inform me we're on the same track. But in the morning they still manage to knock my coffee cup off the end table with their tails. Got to love them!
     
  9. True_Pits

    True_Pits New Member

    Your opinion is your opinion. I would say don't do it, its unecessary, its against the standard. Ear crop is unecessary too and some people say don't do it but I have/will because I like it and again thats excepted in the standard. My Aunt's pit had a docked tail also. But I would say NO DONT. Doesnt this just add more misconception to the breed? When docked dogs like Boxers bite they would more so be assumed a pit bull if the person was exposed to many docked tailed pits if this becomes very common. It seems to me that only BYBs and ignorant people dock their Pit Bulls tails NOWDAYS(not you chickee lol). Just a couple weeks ago I heard(now this is over hearing I was tempted to but it but thought it rude) one saying to another(neither knowing a thing about Pits)one saying about a friend silly dog, it was a Pit Bull and funny because it has a long tail and you know how pit bulls tails are supposed to be cut off when they are young, he was too lazy to do it, he didn't care about it I guess, and blah blah. I was going to say something but didn't, funny they are not supposed to have them docked and here is this person saying this other person was lazy and whatever else because he never had his dogs tail docked to now it had a long one...lmao. Where do these people come from?
    Just why cut them off, I love the way they wag them and they have different wags for different meanings. My boxer tried to hard to wag her stub. I like my dogs to have tails, even would like it for my Boxers but their tails are done after2-3days because thats part of the breed. Same with ears, the ears can give expression, I'm so glad I didn't crop Santana's, almost had it done for a minute.
     
  10. Sara

    Sara New Member

    Hmmmm

    I'm with Chickee on this one... Docking IS a preventative measure HJ's sister Lilly whom I fostered almost had to have hers docked just a month ago because she splits it open with the crazy wagging... You have dogs like her that wag so much it causes problems and then you have dogs like my Hunnyjade that stops wagging in that direction that's causing her tail to get creamed or causing me to get welts... It's a great thing to have compared to Lilly's style... But my BB's are docked...and let me tell you for having 50 extra pounds to throw around...the two of them take less space in my living room than the pits MERELY because they don't have their tails to herass me with...

    I'm sure you see mine and chickee's points... It's a personal preference and though I like my BB's with their docked tails... I don't think I'd EVER dock a Pit unless it was a medical issue... JMO
     
  11. Samsintentions

    Samsintentions New Member

    This subject comes up with my breed as well. ACD's are not to have their tails docked!!! They use them for rutters. Some people dock because they like the look of it, but its not a necessity. But I do agree about the medical stand point.

    I was going to show Smokey, but he got his tail stepped on as a pup. Broke it and it had to be docked.
     
  12. spencerpits

    spencerpits New Member

    Sorry to sound ignorant, but what are BB's and ACD's?
     
  13. Sara

    Sara New Member

    BB's and ACD's...

    BB's refer to my Boerboels... Sorry I guess I didn't state that...LOL...I do forget sometimes...

    I think ACD's are Australian Cattle Dogs... but I could be very wrong on that...
     
  14. Samsintentions

    Samsintentions New Member

    ACD's are australian cattle dogs or as you may know them as, blue heelers, red heelers. queensland heelers....exc...
     
  15. Sara

    Sara New Member

    I've always wanted a "Blue Heeler"... Great looking dogs and would help out with my horses immensly...
     

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