Q: What is the current basis for carrying out preventive tail amputation/partial amputation on working dogs? A: Some commentators consider a long tail to be a potential hazard for some breeds of working dogs. For example, it has been suggested that: A guard dog could be seized by the tail to thwart its attack.7 Hunting dogs, such as pointers, may damage their tail tip in underbrush.8,4,16 Long-haired dogs may become more soiled if they have a hanging tail.17 These justifications for docking working dogs’ tails lack substantial scientific support. In the largest study to date on tail injuries in dogs the incidence was 0.23% and it was calculated that approximately 500 dogs need to be docked to prevent one tail injury.18 It has been suggested that certain breeds of dogs, or dogs used for specific purposes, have a greater incidence of tail injury. An uncontrolled study of German Shorthaired Pointers in Sweden suggested there might be a high level of tail injury subsequent to a ban on docking.19 Diesel et al18 reported that working dogs (predominantly gundogs) were not at significantly greater risk of tail injury than non-working dogs, but dogs that were kenneled were at increased risk. Differences between breeds that are docked and those that are not are often minor. For example among the very similar Pointer, German Longhaired Pointer and German Shorthaired Pointer, only the German Shorthaired Pointer is traditionally docked.20
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 07:41:56 +0000
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