what the vet said

[henaly]

a friend of mine took her puppies to be docked today and the vet said that the ban starts on 19th oct this year, i thought it has been put off but he says no they have been told that is it.

[*jean*]

the vets up here in sutherland are mostly all antidocking even with working dogs and vets who will dock dont want customers turning up just to get tails docked.( if they arent already with the practice)
 Its going to mean more long tailed working  (not pet) spaniels. Only time will tell how it will work out.

[Rhona W]

Jean - don't working cockers only have the end bit docked anyway? Do you think it will make that much difference?  (Not being funny. Just genuinely wondering.  )

[happydog]

Its going to mean more long tailed working  (not pet) spaniels. Only time will tell how it will work out.

  I'm really concerned about this. I have seen an undocked springers tail completely skinned on a shoot after flushing through brambles and Blackthorn  

[Rhona W]

I have seen an undocked springers tail completely skinned on a shoot after flushing through brambles and Blackthorn  

Ouch!  Perhaps that answers my question then.

[Cob-Web]

True working dogs can still be docked under the new law - although I think there are some debates raging at Whitehall about how a working dog is defined - especially in light of the increase in working strain spaniels in pet homes 

[daunting]

I don't agree with docking....

but

if a tail is causing problems for any dog then of course it needs to be docked

but

not every working dog needs to have it done 'as a matter of course' because of what their 'job' entails

many working dogs - though not enough imo - have undocked tails, and many other gundog breeds don't have/need docked tails


So may dogs are docked and they needn't be 
and i for one am pleased at the ban ( exceptions only on vets' advice )

[*jean*]

yes they just get the last 3rd off a lot of folk think my dogs have whole tails. even tho peppers tail gets really puffy after a hard day out and Im just dreading the day it starts to bleed as when they wag it non stop the blood just sprays everywhere. so far shes been ok fingers crossed. my gamekeeper pal has two undocked springers both who may have to have there tails amputated as they are a mess a lot of the time. It looks shocking. spaniels seen to be harder on their tails than other breeds. I dont think non working dogs should be docked however just for the look of it.
 another thing my dogs do is rip their tongues when out. blood everywhere. it will just be a small cut but the blood!
 and peppers eyes are always getting irritated with the heather. steroid drops sort that.

[*jean*]

also just wanted to add true working dogs still have to be docked by a willing vet... up here they are getting scarce.

[Helen]

Jean - don't working cockers only have the end bit docked anyway? Do you think it will make that much difference?  (Not being funny. Just genuinely wondering.  )

spoke to my working cocker breeder yesterday - they still intend to long dock (top 3rd of tail). the procedure they have been advised is as follows:

 the docking will have to be done by the vet and the pups will have to be microchipped at the same time and registered to the breeder - this is as a measure to ensure the docking is carried out as per regulations.  new owners will obviously need to change the chip so it registers to them

the reason they want to dock is that they had a spaniel with a very bad dock who's tail was constantly injured at shoots and ended up having to have her surgically docked at 2 years old which proved really problematic.  i don't condone the docking as i think this is a rare situation but i can see why they want to continue docking as they intend their litters to work.

[Helen]

also just wanted to add true working dogs still have to be docked by a willing vet... up here they are getting scarce.

as long as they're chipped down here at the same time they'll dock

[Rhona W]

the docking will have to be done by the vet and the pups will have to be microchipped at the same time and registered to the breeder

Can they be micro chipped that young then? Our pups were supposed to be chipped at 7 weeks but the vet refused to do it. 

[Cob-Web]

the procedure they have been advised is as follows:

 the docking will have to be done by the vet and the pups will have to be microchipped at the same time and registered to the breeder - this is as a measure to ensure the docking is carried out as per regulations.  new owners will obviously need to change the chip so it registers to them

Will breeders of working dogs have to register their intention to breed workers in some way, so allowing vets to dock, or will it be on an ad-hoc basis?

[Helen]

the docking will have to be done by the vet and the pups will have to be microchipped at the same time and registered to the breeder

Can they be micro chipped that young then? Our pups were supposed to be chipped at 7 weeks but the vet refused to do it. 

by the looks of it yes...i'm assuming if dogs can be surgically docked by a vet at an early age they can micro-chip too (rhona i'm guessing at this - pups are usually docked within the first day - 3 days of life.  if the regulations say they must be chipped i don't know if they will be done then or at 7 weeks.  I can't imagine they will be expected to be taken back for a chip unless it's with 1st vacc??? dunno really....)

[Jane S]

.

a friend of mine took her puppies to be docked today and the vet said that the ban starts on 19th oct this year, i thought it has been put off but he says no they have been told that is it.

The Animal Welfare bill is not law yet - it's still sitting in the Lords so knowing how slowly these things progress, there is unlikely to be a ban on docking in England at least before next year. Not sure how far the proposed legislation has got in Scotland but pretty certain it's not law there yet either.