covenant

Well, it's finally come, the decision to ban docking in the UK.

We all knew that the time would come when this would happen, deep inside not one single one of us wished any hurt to our beloved dogs, and that included docking and cropping.

Have our Breeders become complacent? We could have prepared for this eventuality by breeding in the desired characteristics from related breeds but we didn't and now what?

Riagogogo

Well...........I'm not a breeder.....I can maybe see the legislation on cropping....but docking is done at such an early age.....I kind of equate it to male circumcision. It is done without anethesia and no man I've ever met remembers it happening. I prefer docked tails myself.....I like that little wiggle butt with the nubby tail. Ears I don't care if they are cropped or not. Rudi is uncropped, I would like to have a cropped female int he future.

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The most loyal thing in the world is your dog. Whether you come home from Congress or from jail, whether you have lost your fortune or made millions, whether you return dressed in fashion's height or in rags, whether you have been hailed a hero or condemned a criminal, your dog is waiting for you with a welcoming bark of delight, a wagging tail (or nub), and a heart that knows no guile.-Peninsula SPCA

covenant

True, Icannot see the beauty in an undocked dobermann as the tail just doesn't look right, but playing the devils advocate, an uncropped dobi doesn't seem to bother me but then in the UK we don't know any difference. THe cropped ears do give the dobi an added elegance.

It is a shame that no serious breeding programme took place to breed in desired characteristics like the work carried out by a Stynmere kennels
http://www.steynmere.com/BOBTAILS.html so it can be done.

madam55

Great posting! Thanks, this was really interesting and makes you think!

Linda H

How were breeders supposed to breed bobtail in?

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MandysBlackRoses

AKC would never back that type of breeding program to take place. It's too bad. But I do see thier points too. If you go on to read about how the "Bob-tailed" Boxer came to be, it was at one point crossed with a Corgi. I wonder how many generations of pure blood they would need to get in order to register with AKC.... It is a really neat study.

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Raven- 5yo/F Boston Terrier (Blk/White)
Rowen- 17 Months/F Doberman (Blk/Tan)
Rayna- 17 Months/F Doberman (Blk/Tan)

"She not what you would called Refined, She's not quite what you would call Unrefined. She's the kind of person who keeps a Parrot." ~Mark Twain

Murreydobe

He was working with a lethal gene in doing that experiment, which he mentions in his conclusions. Doubling up on the gene that causes natural bob tails in corgi's can produce all sorts of terrible birth defects. It was an interesting experiment, but not one that probably should be carried out on any large scale.

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Lexus

I read that those pages about that experiment sometime last year, and while I agree with Murrey, that it was an interesting experiment by all means.... but not something to pursue with all c/d breeds. Not only with the possible birth defects, I feel that would take something away from the breed, even though it was eventually bred back to looklike a boxer. If anyone understands what I mean.

If it comes to that, IMHO I actually prefer them natural, so a doberman is a doberman, and is just as talented and fabulous with or without ears and tails. *shrug*

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MandysBlackRoses

I knew of a person who had a Doberman who ears stood naturaly. She planned on holding this dog back for breeding. Which was terrible because the dog was not great at all. He had the lightest eyes I have ever seen in a Black dobe. Terrible front and topline. Sometimes trying to breed for these kinds of things can do more harm then good.

It's horrible our goverments try to restrict our right to choose what is best for our pets. They might as well ban spaying and Neutering as well. I'm sure there both as painful as cropping and docking. Heck, but then so is having puppies...

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~Mandy
Raven- 5yo/F Boston Terrier (Blk/White)
Rowen- 17 Months/F Doberman (Blk/Tan)
Rayna- 17 Months/F Doberman (Blk/Tan)

"She not what you would called Refined, She's not quite what you would call Unrefined. She's the kind of person who keeps a Parrot." ~Mark Twain

JavasMom

No offence, but surely there are more pressing issues facing the British Parliament than arguing about whether docking a dog is to be considered illegal? Are the national kennel clubs not up in arms? And does it apply to docking horses as well?

Have to agree w/ Riagogogo's devil's advocate position - seems a bit ironic that docking an animal is 'inhumane' but circumcision isn't...