Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sam on January 1, 2008 at 2:44pm

Indeed most pems are docked as young pups. There are a few folks, that breed for the "bob tail" gene but have found other problems often associated with it.

Permalink Reply by Nicole on January 1, 2008 at 2:57pm

Wow, this is good to know! I suppose they are young enough to not remember it.
I know the docking is done because of the line of work dogs are in, but it seems for Gonzo it was unnecessary, as he's just a loving pet.

Permalink Reply by Kalia and Charlie on April 28, 2008 at 4:15pm

I read that Pems are born with shorter tails which are docked to help with "fecal evacuation". I love Charlie's little nub but had he been given to me with a bob or a tail I would love him just the same. I really hate ear trimming...now that to me seems very painful!

Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on January 1, 2008 at 7:19pm

Our Vienna's tail was docked too short when we got her, I couldn't even see a "knob". Sometime it's really hard to tell her mood because of the lack of tail, we had to rely on her ears sometimes. Like you, i really don't mind if the pembrooks tails are intact. I think the Cardis are fantastic, it's starting to grow on me :)

Permalink Reply by JW on January 1, 2008 at 8:59pm

Griff's tail is undocked, and I must say it's fabulous! I think it's as long as his torso, and twice as fluffy. I just love it! Especially when he sees another dog, that tail raises like a flag, almost like he's "flying his colors", hehe.

I think it would be amazing to leave all Pems undocked because their tails are adorable, but little nubbly butts are pretty cute, too. Breed standards obviously leave little room for changing the docking practice, but coming from a Fluffy Tail mommy, I can vouch for Pem tail coolness :)

Permalink Reply by Katie and Rufus on January 1, 2008 at 10:19pm

Rufus Doofus had his tail docked when he was three days old. They don't "cut" it off per se, they put a rubber band around it and it falls off. It doesn't cause them pain, it's just uncomfortable for a couple of hours after the application of the band. I took a couple of animal classes in college. That's also the method used to castrate livestock. Weird, huh?

Thankfully his wasn't docked too close. But it still weirds me out when I see his little nub wiggle underneath his fuzzy butt fur. You can only see it when he get's REALLY excited.

Permalink Reply by Nicole on January 2, 2008 at 12:06pm

My fiance compared it to circumsizing an infant boy, lol
I didn't mean to say it was cut off literally, I know it's done properly and everything, and they are so young that they don't remember it at all. I guess if it was inhumane it would be stopped.
I just honestly thought PWC were born with the bob tails. I learn something new about him all the time! It took me a while to get used to his little nub of a tail (I was kind of grossed out whenever he sat on me and wagged it) but now I'm used to it.

Permalink Reply by John Wolff on May 8, 2008 at 2:15am

The comparison to male circumcision is apt. There is no defensible reason for either (except that there is recent evidence that male circumcision may reduce risk of HIV transmission, but that was not the original intent).

I think one thing we humans need to learn: don't mess with Mother Nature unless you think first and really know what you're doing. Docking an animal's tail is a very presumptuous thing to do.

Permalink Reply by Avyon on January 2, 2008 at 9:20pm

We just got her how she was haha. If I had a choice though I would go "uncut" just because its natural... So when we go looking for our second pup.. if I see (well first if the breeder is good) tailed pemmies I won't care.

Permalink Reply by Sam on January 2, 2008 at 10:22pm

Most breeders do dock the tails at 3 days if the pups are thriving. Purchasing a "tailed" pal is usually not an option as the breeder often doesn't make selections until they are 8 to 12 weeks old. There are two methods used to dock. One is done with the veterinarian. It is a surgical docking with a suture or two. Others use the banding method. Some countries in Europe do have a tail docking/cropping ban and dogs are shown with full tails and down ears (other breeds that have cropped ears) Proper tail docking usually leaves no visable nub. One may see just a hint of one when the dog becomes excited.

Permalink Reply by Ju Lo on January 4, 2008 at 8:50pm

Yeah, I believe in Britain they just started a ban on tail docking. I'm not a fan of tail docking, but I figured the same thing as Nicole's fiance, that we do worse things to our baby boys, so I'm not against it. I mainly wonder the reason it was done in the first place. Does anyone know? Is it something like so they wouldn't trip on their tails while they were herding? lol.

Permalink Reply by Charlie on January 4, 2008 at 9:22pm

I read that back hundreds of years ago in England/Wales etc, that people had to pay tax on their dogs. The amount of tax due depended on the length of the dog (including the tail). According to that account, tail docking in Corgis was started to evade paying more taxes.

Isn't that an awful reason!

Other breeds of dogs (mostly hunting dogs) tails were docked to prevent injury to the tail while running through brush after prey or hunting quarry.

Guard dogs tails were docked so that an intruder could not pull the dog away by the tail, preventing the dog from doing its job.

(Sorry...I'm a fount of useless trivial information...)

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