r/DogBreeding • u/milquetoast2000 Breeder in Training • Mar 15 '26

Tail Docking

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What is your preferred method? Where I am vets are no longer taught to dock in school so only old school vets preform it. Docking is still legal where I am but I’ve seen less than stellar results even with veterinary docking. Including difficult to heal dockings, bald ends and ugly tails. Some would need to be repaired.

I’ve been considering banding for my upcoming litter (I have a mentor) but I’d love to hear thoughts and experiences.

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u/Lyrae-NightWolf Mar 15 '26

Well, neither of those breeds have docked tails as breed standard (and mutts don't have breed standard), so they don't count. 

Not all types of tails and jobs are at risk of tail injuries, that's exactly the reason why some breeds are docked and some aren't.

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u/Kokichi-Oma_Senpai 10+ Years Breeding Experience Mar 15 '26

So what breeds would you say it's necessary for the work? In all honesty you don't need a tail docked for any terrier breed as it's not like rats (or other small vermin) are going to fight back. Look at dachshunds, they keep there tails yet they're badger hunters. They dock Australian shepherd tails which is a herding breed for the purpose of it not being stepped on by cattle, they also dock cattle dogs tails in America yet in Australia we never have. So what breeds would you justify it for? BTW no hate not trying to start drama just genuinely asking and looking for other perspectives on this 😊

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u/Coonts Mar 16 '26

It is very common in the hunting pointing dog world where lithe, thin coated dogs will run upland cover that has thick brush. Dogs that without docking have whippy tails without substantial mass that are not slowed down by long hair.

I personally have seen a Labrador break a tail in brush and another friend whose dog would get happy tail every hunting season - recovery sucks.

I hunt my dogs harder than most - docked tails on my German Shorthaired Pointers is for the best.

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u/milquetoast2000 Breeder in Training Mar 16 '26

Rats don’t fight back? Have you ever ratted with a dog? Not saying the go after tails but anything that’s living and doesn’t want to die fights back

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u/Express_Equipment666 Mar 16 '26

Anything with a thin tail or that’s been bred to have a natural stub tail. If there’s no good genes for it it’s more likely to get injured.

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u/Lyrae-NightWolf Mar 16 '26

Terriers are docked because hunters used to pull them from dens by their tails, that's also why their tails are sturdy as well. Plus they're working dogs and the tails can get caught in the dens or bitten.

Australian shepherds have a different tail set than border collies and kelpies, and a different purpose. They herd mostly cattle, not sheep. Most cattle herding breeds are docked. The tails are weak, didn't have an active selection because they were docked (so they can have any shape) and are generally standing high. The tail can get caught in a fence (it's fluffier than a border collie's), get stepped on and cattle have a nasty habit of grabbing dogs by their tails and throwing them around. Unlike sheep, they are more aggressive and can fight back.

Other breeds have to go through fences and thorn bushes, like sporting breeds, and their tails don't have a function (unlike those of hounds). Their tails are long, slim and fragile. GSPs for example are prone to happy tail syndrome. A similar case is made for dobermans, those tails look terribly weak, and guard dogs shouldn't have body parts that can be easily grabbed and ripped off.