GSP - Is there a law that allows gun dogs to be docked? Discussions

There are a small number of dogs with bobtails, Pembroke Corgi, Aussie Shepherd and even a certain strain of 'boxers'.

Hi All,

I have read this thread with great interest, My personal view is that there are certain breeds of dog for which docking is essential and I'm pleased that most of these breeds can still be legally docked in England

An excellent example of just one of these breeds is the Weimaraner, this is an HPR (Hunt, point, Retrieve) Gundog. its tail, if left undocked is a very long thin wispy tail with very little protective fur covering. This dog has been bred for many years to work and to hunt, this is a powerful drive whether the owner "trains it in" or not, even on a simple walk this dog will run through the woods, push through brambles etc and its tail is extremely vunerable if left undocked.

I have seen a few tail injuries to Weimaraners, pointers, spaniels etc and I know many people who prefer to have their dogs docked whether they intend to work them or not. it is much harder to aquire a docked puppy these days unless you have a shot gun license, Breeders who work the dogs themselves or sell to working homes as well as pet or show homes will still dock so many people will source pups of these breeders to avoid tail injuries in the adult dog.

Tail injuries in an adult dog should not be taken lightly, This is the one part of the dogs body that is very difficult to treat and often causes long term physical and psychologial trauma.

I do not feel that the docking of a 3 day old pup should be considered cruel or painful to the pup, I have seen a veterinary video of this procedure and it was clear that the pups were not in distress, pups can and will cry at the vets office, for many different reasons, tiny pups cry simply because they have been moved away from the mother, indeed I have witnessed a pup screaming whilst having a microchip fitted. Anaesthetic is not nessecary and potentially dangerous to the pup and I believe that if done correctly by a qualified vet then docking should be a quick and painless procedure.

I agree that this is an emotive issue but its good to discuss it as many people do not fully understand it. I do not agree with docking for cosmetic reasons, only for the long term health and welfare of breeds who are vunerable.

I`ve had 2 GSPs who have been docked. I really wish they hadn`t been. I think it must affect them adversely, but being dogs, they can`t tell us. My other dogs use their tails for balance, as a rudder when swimming, to signal to other dogs and to communicate their feelings.
I have lost a finger and know how sensitive the stump is still, how it feels so cold sometimes, and how I still (after years) try to use it.
My GSPs charge through the undergrowth madly, yes - but they are accompanied by my undocked dogs - who have suffered no injuries to their tails.
I feel this is a fashion - and will hopefully die out.

As a matter of interest do your other dogs with tails have hair?

That makes a lot of difference.

That is why Munsterlanders are not docked and why Longhaired Weimaraners are not docked. They have plenty of hair to protect their tails.

It makes a huge difference, it is not a fashion, as anyone who has had to live with a damaged tail can attest to.

For those breeds who do work in undergrowth like Boxers, Rottweilers, Dobermanns, Pointers there is no need to dock.

I hope that all relevant dogs in all relevatn breeds have their health and welfare protected by having their tails docked where necessary to avoid prolonged damage and pain.

I feel that with dogs docked to a stump (boxers, Rotties etc) do struggle to communicate. We as humans cannot read them properly so there is little chance of a dog being able to do it. And I agree that it may affect them whilst swimming, with balance etc.

However, I do not feel that a 1/3 or 2/3 dock is quite as limiting as a total dock. I can still tell whether Flynn's tail is rigid, held high, wagging etc and he can still swim very well, turning on a sixpence in the water (as well as on land).

I have 2 full tailed spaniels . the reason we dock them as a gundog is because when i take mine his tail is quite high so when going through heavy cover it rips the end to shreads and always bleeds. where as if its half the size it cannot get the height to get stuck as they normally work lower than a fully tailed dog. also labs arent usually docked as they dont go in the undergrowth . they simply track and retrieve . if i had the choice i would have had my 2s tails docked