Tail Docking

Normally I am against docking the tails and ears of animals unless theyre going to be shown to breed.  In this situation though Im in a bit of a dillemna.  My service dog is a great dane, which as you know are gentle GIANTS and I mean that literally.  Her tail and ears were not docked as a baby even though she is full blooded, because she is not appropriate color to show as a brindle.  I have no intention of breeding or showing her, however her tail is lethal both at home and in public.  As a service dog she is naturally very sweet nature and adores people which means her tail wags alot.  Shes already given two of our kids black eyes with her tail unintentionally and knocks things off shelves constantly with her tail in public.  She just reached a year and 2 months old.  Is that too old to get her tail docked?  Would it be painful for her at this age?

[Ghilly]

Brindle is an acceptable color in Great Danes, why was she considered unacceptable?  I LOVE Danes, I have always wanted one, the only thing that has kept me from getting one is the short lifespan.  It's difficult enough for me to let go after 12 or 15 years, I could never accept letting go after 6 or 8.

Tail docking came into being back when dogs were used by their owners to perform jobs around the homestead.  The reason tails were docked was to signify that the dog with a docked tail was a working animal and not subject to being taxed as a luxury.  Pets were once considered a luxury and if you could afford to keep one then you could afford to pay a tax on him.  When the tax collector came around, it was immediately apparent upon seeing the dog with the docked tail that he was, indeed, a working animal and therefore not subject to taxation.

At her age and size, tail docking would be a very painful procedure.  When puppies have their tails docked, it is usually during the first couple of days of life.  The reason for this is that the nerves around the tail are not yet fully developed and the surgery is very minor, doesn't bleed, and usually only one stitch, if any, is required.  Once a dog is full grown, all of the nerves around the tail are fully developed and it becomes, simply put, a big deal to remove the tail.  The tails on great danes have never been subject to docking.  They used to crop the ears until the rules were changed and they were allowed to be shown naturally, but the tails never were docked, they were always left long.  Dobermans used to get ears cropped and tails docked, but they have changed show rules so that even they can be shown au naturel.  Same for boxers.

Normally a vet will only dock the tail of a full-grown dog if there is an ongoing problem with the tail itself.  It's not uncommon for large dogs who wag a lot to end up with a sore on the tail that won't heal because it keeps getting reinjured by the dog hitting it on things when it wags.  In these cases, sometimes the vet will suggest docking the tail to put an end to the problems because it is painful for the dog and difficult for the owner to continually have to deal with an ulcerated tail that keeps getting knocked around.  Not to be funny, but it could be compared to performing a circumcision on a baby vs performing one on a grown man.  The opportunity for pain and problems healing are much greater when the animal is grown.

Of course, you can discuss this situation with your vet, but my guess will be that they will be reluctant to perform the surgery in the absence of a true medical need for it at this stage of the game, but you never know.  Personally, I would not do it, but I am not in your situation.

Ghilly

[Drkffyre]

I tried to respone sooner, but for some reason it didnt go through.  Scarlet also has anal gland issues where it has to be squeezed every couple of weeks or it causes her pain and can become impacted.  Because of this she is constantly licking her anus and the base of her tail causing sores.  This was the other reason I'm going to speak to the vet about.  She's scheduled to be fixed soon, so I'm going to ask him if he can do the surgery at the same time, so that she won't have to go through the pain of surgery twice.

[tonyb286]

I am sorry but for me tail docking is never acceptable, unless it is for an absolutely necessary physical reason when surgery is the only answer. I can tell you as someone that was once involved in showing English Sheepdogs that docking is one of the most painful things a dog can go through (the reason I stopped showing dogs actually). I entirely blame the Kennel Club (in the UK) for the continuence of this dreadful practice. It is only the breaders and subsequent owners of dogs that can stop this unnecessary torture. Sorry for being so blunt, but this really is a dreadful practice that needs stamping out. Tony

[ginger899]

I am very much against the docking of dogs' tails too. The only reasons I can think of for it ever being a good thing are either constant damage or a broken or seriously infected tail.
Tail wagging and its knock-on effects, I feel is something everyone is going to have to look out for, duck, and get used to! That kind of tail wagging I understand is a bit more of a dramatic thing wth a Dane than it is with a Jack Russell! But I honestly don't think her tail needs to be amputated because of that. People, including children, are going to have to learn to get out of the way.

[Ghilly]

I seriously doubt that impacted anal glands would be considered a reason by your vet to amputate a healthy tail.  In a grown dog, and especially one of a giant breed, this is no small operation.  I really do wish  you would reconsider having it done.  I have worked for many vets over the years and none of them would have done this surgery unless, as I said before, there was a chronic problem in one instance with a sore on a tail of a labrador retriever that wouldn't heal, and even THAT was only done as a last resort because the sore on the tail was threatening to send a systemic infection through the dog with its refusal to heal.  I don't mean to sound harsh here but I most definitely agree with Tony and Ginger in that it would be much better for people, including children, to learn to stay out of the way and avoid the tail.  It CAN be done, it just takes some practice.  :)

Ghilly