ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 19, 1997 TAG: 9701200001
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-10 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: claws & paws
SOURCE: JILL BOWEN
Q: I recently read they are trying to ban the docking of puppies' tails in England. I think that most dogs look much sharper with short tails. Why would the Brits want to ban it?
A: Let me say at once that as a veterinarian, I am in favor of the ban on tail docking. In the majority of cases, docking is an unnecessary mutilation and merely a fashion statement underlined by artificial breed standards.
Granted, docking only causes momentary pain for the puppy in most cases, but there are always a few instances where complications arise. Prolonged bleeding or infection are two possible problems. It is not the pain that is inflicted on the puppy that is the reason so many people object to tail docking, but the loss to the dog of what is a very useful organ. Fashion does not merit the wholesale amputation of young puppies' tails.
In the past, certain breeds had their tails docked for a reason. It was feared that spaniels would tear their tails while working game through thickets, and small terriers were docked so that they could be more readily removed from any den or lair when they got stuck.
Today amputation may be needed in certain medical or surgical conditions, but this normally occurs when the dog is an adult. Persistent bleeding, fractured tails, tumors, injuries from fights or traffic accidents are all legitimate reasons for docking a dog's tail.
Apart from the esthetics, a long tail serves a number of essential functions. The tail's primary function is to maintain balance when the dog is running. It acts like an airplane rudder when the dog changes direction when running and like a tiller when changing course when swimming. In addition, a thick bushy tail is essential for dogs that live outside. In cold weather, the tail is curled around the body and covers the nose, warming the air before it enters the nostrils. It also helps to keep flies away in warm weather.
Observing the position and movement of a dog's tail allows others to gauge its mood and attitude to other dogs and people, which is very useful in my line of work!
Generally, a tail carried higher than normal indicates self-confidence, awareness and dominance. A tail carried level with the dog's back or slightly down means that the dog is relaxed and at ease with the situation. A tail tucked between the hind legs means submission or fear. There are of course exceptions to these generalizations, working collies carry their tails low, both while working
and at rest, but this does not mean that they are submissive, while Greyhounds and Whippets in spite of curling their tails between their hind legs are not fearful.
Do not rely on tail signals alone when confronted by a strange dog. For example, if a dog facing you with its tail tucked between its legs is growling at the same time, it is prudent to take heed of the more dangerous signal, which is the growling. Most people greeted by a tail-wagging dog assume this means ``Hi, there, I am a happy friendly dog.'' In most cases, this is correct. A less social or independent dog wags its tail slowly when greeting its owner. A more socially outgoing or dependent dog has a rapid tail wag, and is likely to greet everyone like a long-lost friend, including its owner, even if they have only been out of the house for a minute.
Although working dogs, such as cocker spaniels, were docked supposedly to prevent the tail from suffering damage in thick undergrowth, this has not proved to be the case. Undocked dogs are now routinely used for flushing game with no higher incidence of tail injuries reported. Furthermore, hunters have found that by watching the tails of the undocked dogs they get a better idea of where the game is hiding.
It does not take long to get used to seeing dogs with long tails. Anything that prevents an unnecessary mutilation is to be encouraged. By docking a dog's tail we deprive them of one of their basic means of communication as well as a sophisticated organ of balance.
LENGTH: Medium: 72 linesby CNB