Tail docking

[ejp]

sodpot2000 You are totally spot on with the 'thump thump thump' reply with the tail! Daisy was lying stretched on the couch last night, snoring gently. I made a comment to OH about her, and instantly the tail gave a lazy thump, without her moving or opening her eyes  I love her tail, so glad she wasn't docked when we got her.

[Blondeduke]

Hi perhaps ask for your dog to keep its tail. I had a show cocker but it was docked already. My dog spent its life with other animals fields horses etc basically out doing what a dog could do in long grass weeds covered in seeds always! Traditionally they were docked but now I think it’s just a tradition? I have come to the conclusion the body part on my show spaniel that hoovered seeds up was its ears but luckily these are left on. I always asked for his whiskers to be left on for “sensing” the same with my horse. So when I see spaniels more with tails on nowadays they all seem pretty fine tails wagging away rather than my dogs stubby missing non tail. Ask for it to be left on.

[Finvarra]

Milo was docked, but my rescue cocker had a tail, and Dylan has his tail. I love his feathery flag  .

But I wish his dew claws had been removed, like my previous spaniels. They are quite small and curvy, he absolutely hates them being touched and claw trimming is a nightmare. Some of my previous dogs have broken dew claws, it is so painful for them. I'd have all dew claws removed at birth.

Lesley and Dylan

[Emilyoliver]

Milo was docked, but my rescue cocker had a tail, and Dylan has his tail. I love his feathery flag  .

But I wish his dew claws had been removed, like my previous spaniels. They are quite small and curvy, he absolutely hates them being touched and claw trimming is a nightmare. Some of my previous dogs have broken dew claws, it is so painful for them. I'd have all dew claws removed at birth.

Lesley and Dylan

That’s interesting. My docked workers both have their dew claws...  vets don’t like to take them off, and research seems to show they’re used by dogs for grip and to aid turning. I read one report that said dogs without dew claws battled to get purchase on banks when getting out of ponds/rivers. Neither of mine have hurt theirs so far. But the one with a very long dock has injured his tail.

[its.sme]

Bea had her Dew claws removed and I've also read that they do have some use.

I remember my Nan's Lab had them and didn't like them touched.

[Nic]

Thank you so much for all these replies.  I love this forum so much I can see I am going to be on it all the time.  I really appreciate the respect everyone has for each other - and can tell how much you all love your dogs!  It has been wonderful hearing all your experiences. 

Our pup has been born - she is two weeks old today!!! - and we asked for her tail not to be docked as she will be a pet.  The other pups are all docked so we had to choose her from photos on day 1 and we are so happy with her!  Also, we can spot her in photos because of her long tail! 

[ejp]

Yay! She has arrived safely, and you have made your first choice for her. Exciting times ahead 

[its.sme]

Fantastic news, you are on your way to lots of fun   

I chose Bea at 2 weeks old, she was black and white, one eye had just opened and she didn't know she had legs yet, best decision I ever made 

Sharon

[bizzylizzy]

Do please keep us updated! Looking forward to seeing photos at some point.....

[PennyB]

My first cocker (1970's) was docked, as all cockers were then, and it didn't diminish his joie de vivre.

Wilf & Ruby were docked but it meant they had more of a wiggle bum, which I loved and you always knew when they were happy which was often

[Penelope]

Awww  puppy to join the COL family 
I chose Maximus at 2 weeks.  There were 10 puppies to choose from and it was a tough choice.
I narrowed it down to 4 puppies with some difficulty.  Eventually narrowing it down further to 2 boy orange roan pups.
They were both very white at the time without much of their roan speckles or splodges showing at all.
I eventually picked Maximus as he was the slightly chunkier of the 2.   It took me ages to decide but I have never regretted it for a moment.  I was lucky enough to be able to visit every weekend until we collected him at 8 weeks old, even though it was 140 mile round trip. 
I felt we already had a bond before we collected him and he has been brilliant.
So happy you have joined COL it is a great source of information on all things cocker!
Hope the weeks go fast for you 

[Blondeduke]

Just got new full tail pup. 1st with tail so far it wags and don't know what all tradition is with docking? It seems a very nice tail indeed. Always wished our other two spaniels tails were left on but already done. I was told it's because they have curly tails? Plus gun dog etc.

[Emilyoliver]

Just got new full tail pup. 1st with tail so far it wags and don't know what all tradition is with docking? It seems a very nice tail indeed. Always wished our other two spaniels tails were left on but already done. I was told it's because they have curly tails? Plus gun dog etc.

The tradition came from cockers originally being working gundogs, so their tails were docked to prevent injury.  As representatives of the breed, the show specimens had theirs done as well - until it was made illegal to dock non-working dogs.

They shouldn't have curly tails - that would be a fault.  However many of the working ones have very spindly ends to their tails so i can imagine these would be most prone to injury.

[Helen]

I'd never have an undocked working cocker.  As for tail injuries only happening to actual working dogs, well just go on to any Facebook group and see the amount of pet working cockers that are now having "adult amputations"

As for dew claws I have one with front dew claws and one without.  TBH I'd prefer them to have them as they really do use them (although Jago has no problem scaling anything including river banks without them)