Why are undocked tails considered a fault in show dogs? This "fault" is gorgeous...

Re: Why are undocked tails considered a fault in show dogs? This "fault" is gorgeous.

Binkalette said:

I don't know why any one in their right mind would choose a short little stump of a tail over a beautiful, curly tail.. There's a lot of controversy over this about how dogs use their tails to communicate their feelings and communicate with other dogs, and removing it makes them less-able to do that. There have also been a lot of posts on this topic before, and I have yet to be convinced that any dog should have it's otherwise healthy, beautiful tail cut off.

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Thank you... I completely agree with this. It breaks my heart when I see dogs whose tails are docked way too short and they just have the tiniest little stump left that they're barely able to wag. I had always thought my older dog's docked tail is fine (it's long enough for her to be plenty expressive) and beautiful as is, but seeing my puppies' longer curling tails just takes my breath away. The snapshots I posted above don't come close to showing how beautiful they are. Not to mention, like you said about using their tails to communicate, my puppies sometimes do straighten their tail (if they're being extremely focused on something)... but their normal, happy, playful tail position is curled high... it makes me wonder if our older Standard Poodle is missing out on some tail expressiveness because hers is docked.

Re: Why are undocked tails considered a fault in show dogs? This "fault" is gorgeous.

animalcraker said:

They originaly docked poodles tails to prevent them from getting injured while they were working as retreviers.

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Do Poodles have super-long tails for a retriever breed? Most other retrievers aren't docked, are they?

Here is a nice pic of adult undocked Poodles I found:






Some of the really old (1800s) images of poodles show them undocked. It doesn't seem like it was always the requirement. Here is an undocked AKC champion (Styx) from 1886. I love how the 'fashionable' poodle clips had such variety back in the day! My favorite style has to be the corded type. =)

Re: Why are undocked tails considered a fault in show dogs? This "fault" is gorgeous.

Binkalette said:

Ugh.. it's just the AKC (and similar groups) and their bizarre "standards".. I don't know why any one in their right mind would choose a short little stump of a tail over a beautiful, curly tail.. There's a lot of controversy over this about how dogs use their tails to communicate their feelings and communicate with other dogs, and removing it makes them less-able to do that. There have also been a lot of posts on this topic before, and I have yet to be convinced that any dog should have it's otherwise healthy, beautiful tail cut off.

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Its not the AKC.... or the UKC, FCI, etc. Those are registering bodies. The AKC and other regestering bodies do not set breed standard. The breed clubs do. IF someone chooses to take issue with docking, cropping or any part of the standard then they need to look at the breeders, fanciers, and owners that make up the membership of the breed club.



On another note. As someone who has had a dog that incurred a serious tail injury (they ended up having to remove three or four inches of the tail) in a working situation, I will tell you it is no fun. My previous ACD injured tail working stock. The repair involved surgery, medication, e collars, etc. Surgery alone was about 1200. Then there was the after care, the 500 dollar professional cleaning to the interior of my truck. (truck was nearly brand new and looked like a prop in a B grade horror film. Blood sprayed EVERYWHERE) The cleaning did not completely remove some of the stains. The passenger seat had blood stains on it when I traded the truck. Try driving to the ER vet alone, trying to hold a dogs tail that is profusely bleeding, and a dog that is refusing to sit still.... It was not a good time.

And ACD's do not have fragile tails. They tend to have dislocate your kneecap tails. I will still work my current and future ACDs. I will not cut their tails because I kind of think what happened to Bandit was fluke. (Although since Bandit injured his tail, I have met three other ACDs with work related tail injuries.) I also think ACD's need their tail for balance with the low to the ground way they work and cut.

But I will tell you this, if I had a breed that called for a docked tail and the tails of that breed were fragile or whip like, it would come off at three days of age.