Docking Tails and Cropping Tails

Expressive Ears

Talented Tails

The Last Word

Take Action

The Natural Dog

Through genetic manipulation, we have created dogs as small as two pounds to dogs weighing 200 pounds. We have long-haired dogs, short-haired dogs, and hairless dogs. Then we have dogs with their snouts elongated and those with their snouts smashed in. We have altered the natural dog, making him or her into a designer original to suit our tastes.

Expressive Ears                                                                                         Back to Top

Altering a dog’s ears changes the appearance of the dog. It also changes how the dog uses his or her ears, which are sometimes as active as tails when it comes to canine communication. Neither should be tampered with unless there is a medically sound reason to do so. Cosmetic and breed-standards are not acceptable reasons to crop ears, or dock tails.

Ear cropping is typically done around 10-14 weeks of age under anesthesia. After that age, ear cropping is not recommended as the ear cartilage is less flexible. Tissue is cut away from the ears in such a way as to make them stand upright rather than flop down. To maintain that upright posture, the ears are taped to splints and then bandaged for a period of time so they will stand upright. As with any surgery, problems can occur with ear cropping. If the splints are not left on long enough or if the puppy damages them in some way, the puppy’s ear may have to be re-splinted and re-bandaged. Ear cropping typically is done to make the dog look larger and more menacing.

Talented Tails                                                                                           Back to Top

Unlike Marie Antoinette’s edict, which had dire consequences, when dog owners say, “Off with their tails,” the dogs at least are still alive. Yet, cutting off their tails alters their ability to communicate because tails are an expressive part of dogs.

Tail docking typically takes place on three- to five-day-old puppies. No anesthesia is involved. A rubber band is placed over the base of the tail, cutting off the blood supply to the tail, which falls off within three days. Or, a veterinarian simply cuts the tail with surgical scissors. Usually no stitches are used. The process involves the severing of skin, nerve, cartilage, and bone. If older than five days, tail docking should not be performed until the puppy is able to handle anesthesia as the surgery becomes more involved. Complications of such a surgery are bleeding, scarring, and removal of stitches by the puppy. Later in life the dog may experience pain due to the formation of nerve scar tissue in the stump.

Proponents of tail docking say it is for safety and hygiene reasons. For example, some hunting dogs may find their tail being bruised or caught in shrubs as they chase their prey. Long-haired dogs such Old English Sheepdogs and Yorkshire Terriers can get smelly butts. However, most of the breeds traditionally docked are house dogs and are not out coursing through brambles to find prey. And for those with hairy hind quarters, a bit of grooming on a daily basis takes care of any odor. Of course, some breeds have their tails docked simply to meet an artificial standard.

Tail docking is also done to avoid injuries when dogs fight. Regardless of the fact that the “sport” of dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, dog fighting is still a popular activity in both rural and urban settings. However, the general public is becoming more and more outraged by the horrors that occur in dog fighting rings.

The Last Word                                                                                          Back to Top

The American Kennel Club’s position on ear cropping and tail docking is that these are “acceptable practices integral to defining and preserving breed character and/or enhancing good health.” However, the American Veterinary Medical Association opposes ear cropping and tail docking when done solely for cosmetic purposes and encourages the elimination of both from breed standards.

Tails are used for balance on land and as rudders in water. Three-legged dogs often use their tails to maintain their balance as they walk. Tails show fear when tucked between the legs or happiness, wagging from side to side. They convey playfulness and caution. Dogs use their tails and ears to express themselves. Altering either for cosmetic purposes is inappropriate.

Some farmed animals also have their tails docked for convenience. Dairy cows have their tails amputated to make milking easier. However, cows are left with no way to swish flies or other insects off their body if they don’t have tails. Sheep raised for wool often have their tails docked to make it easier for them to be shorn. Pigs’ tails are docked to prevent cannibalistic behavior, which only exists as a result of the confined spaces in which they are housed. No anesthesia is used in any case. Just as with dog tails, cows, sheep, pigs, and all other animals’ tails should remain part of their bodies. They should never be removed for human convenience but only when medically necessary.

Take Action to Eliminate Unnecessary and Inhumane Surgeries

What can you do to change what is happening to our companion animals? First, educate yourself and others on the topic of tail docking and ear cropping. Other humane actions include:

• Accept dogs as they come. Don’t try to change their appearance to meet an arbitrary standard.
• If you wish to buy a purebred dog, talk with the breeder first about tail docking and ear cropping. Let the breeder know you are opposed to both.
• Support legislation to outlaw these unnecessary surgeries. The animals don’t vote—you do.

December 2009                                                                                        Back to Top

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