Cocker Spaniel Tails

Doggy Lover

Why do they cut the tail off of Cocker Spaniels when they are born???

Keno's Mom

Not sure, but I've read somewhere that in some breeds the tail bones are not flexible enough and if left natural they couldn't move it for elimination. Not sure if it was cocker or not, but I think there was a toy breed that it happened to.

BTW the proper term is called "tail docking".

DogAdvocat

Because it's what the standard calls for. Purebred dogs were developed to do jobs, and each of those jobs have different requirements. Cockers were used for hunting in the brush and their long tails would pick up burrs and other plant material. Some also feel that the normal cocker tail is too long and looks imbalanced on a small dog. It's also done to protect fiercely wagging tails from injury.

Having said that, in current day when few cockers hunt, and I don't think their tails wag any harder than other breeds that don't have their tails docked, but that's just my opinion. In my perfect world, all docking and cropping would be stopped, unless it's for medical reasons.

Keno's Mom

I found this (part of an article on tail docking):


Why Are Dog's Tails Docked?
1. To avoid tail damage

A number of working gundog breeds have to hunt game through heavy vegetation and thick brambles, where their fast tail action can easily lead to torn and bleeding tails which are painful and extremely difficult to treat. Docking the end of the tail eliminates the risk of injury.

Working terriers are docked for the same reason. In addition, terriers which are bred to hunt below ground for purposes such as fox control, have their tails docked to a length which is more practical when working in a confined space.

Other non-working breeds which have an enthusiastic tail action, are also liable to damage their tails, even in the home.

Since docking was banned in Sweden in 1989, there has been a massive increase in tail injuries amongst previously docked breeds. Within the 50 undocked Pointer litters registered in that year with the Swedish Kennel Club, 38% of dogs suffered tail injury before they were 18 months old and in 1991, the number of individuals with tail injures had increased to 51% of the group.
2. For reasons of hygiene

Long haired, thick coated breeds like the Yorkshire Terrier and Old English Sheepdog are docked to avoid the hair around the base of the tail becoming fouled by faeces. Even with constant grooming and washing, such fouling is unpleasant. If allowed to get out of hand, it can lead to severe problems of hygiene, or even flystrike and subsequent infestation by maggots.

Hygiene problems can be greatly reduced or eliminated altogether by docking.
3. To maintain breed standards

Breeds which have been docked over many generations have been selected for specific qualities of build and conformation, but not for tail length, shape or carriage.

If left undocked, it is unlikely that the best dogs would carry good tails. In seeking to maintain the quality of the breeds, breeders would therefore be left with a diminished number of suitable sires and dams. The genetic pool would be reduced, greatly increasing the risk of hereditary diseases taking hold. Some breeds could even disappear for ever.

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