# Do you like the tails to be docked or natural?



## Hillary Hamilton (Jan 6, 2009)

Just curious to how many people like which state of the tail!! I like both but LOVE that tail!!!!! Although, people ask me all the time if they are mixed or not!! lol ](*,)


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Chop the dang thing off. Nothing uglier than a Rott with a tail. Wait till you get one with a curly cue. Man that is ugly.


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## Matthew Grubb (Nov 16, 2007)

I'm sure it's not PC but I like a docked tail on a Rotti.


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## Christen Adkins (Nov 27, 2006)

Nothing against docking, but I prefer the natural tail.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Nothing against docking but prefer the natural look on tails. Prefer cropped ears though on dobermans.


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

Deppends on the breed. I'm going to assume this is about Rotts? Deffinatly docked. I'd dock my GSD's just for the sake of keeping stuff on my coffee table and save a few bruises on my shins.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Michelle, you are so funny. I know your dogs are not in the house much - I wonder if you would change your mind if you docked their tails?!?!

Actually I agree with Lynn. I used to think Rotties with tails looked odd, but now that I am getting used to seeing them from Europe, I like the long tail. 

I think if Dobies with natural ears didn't have quite so much ear, very hound like to me, I might like a natural Dobie ear better. Then again, maybe it's just a matter of getting used to seeing them too.


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

I think it's a matter of people taking the dog serious. They look happy go lucky with long ears and tails. I bet if you did a test...Walk docked dogs on one side of the street and walked natural dogs on the other, more people would cross before walking past the docked dogs. That's my theory anyway. I also like the ears done on the pit breeds. We had a game bred pit at club with such long ears, he looked like a basset, too cute to fear. I heard he bit like hell though.

My point is to scare the jackasses away before they "need" to get bit. My Homeowners Ins may agree.


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## Alyssa Myracle (Aug 4, 2008)

I like the natural tail, but am always leery of joining the "no docking" cheering section. It should be up to the owner, IMO.

Ironically, I have a different view entirely on cropping. I guess it's the age of the procedure that gets to me.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Wackem! (correctly)
A Dobe with natural ears and tail looks like a B&T coonhound that got short changed in the ears.  :-#


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

I like tails natural, but I do think it changes the look of the dog and makes them look a little less scary - more like Labs.

On the other hand, with a POS dog, you can't see a docked tail clamped between butt cheeks.


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## Dwyras Brown (Nov 21, 2008)

Docked looks a lot more intimidating. Besides a lot of people wouldn't know its a Rott without the docked tail.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I don't like cropping on blocky headed mastiff/molosser style dogs like Dogos, Presas, pit bulls, etc. I think it looks silly to have a big wide head and little ears. Just lookswise, I think the only two breeds I don't mind the look is on Dobes and Beaceron, probably because their heads are more angular. I can go either way with the long tails on Rotties. For the ones with long tails, do they wiggle their whole butts as much as the docked ones when excited?


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## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

I think altering the dog for only vanity is just plain silly. If you want a better looking dog...go buy one. I also think the argument to dock them or no one will know it is a rottwieler...Wel///l silly also.

But I think people should have the right to be silly, especially since this is America. It's painless, and does not infringe on the dogs right to have a life without pain.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

It's getting to the point where it's no longer PC to crop and dock a dog but be damn sure you have it's nuts cut off of your a baaaaad owner! ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,)


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## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

I do not get the whole PC thing....I did not know docking and cropping was a political issue.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

James Downey said:


> I do not get the whole PC thing....I did not know docking and cropping was a political issue.


 
Ask anyone in the European countries how they got all the cropping and docking laws passed. Laws are made by politicians to appease the squeaky wheels. The silent majority needs to get off their ass and make some noise.


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## Amy Swaby (Jul 16, 2008)

I think rottweilers with docked tails look less intimidating, sorry i find docked tails cute if anything it's a freaking bob how is that making a dog MORE intimidating?

I mean do what you want but don't tell me to chop it off, I hate walking and getting stupid comments telling me to dock a 4 year old bitch or my 8 month male.


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## Tiffany Geisen (Nov 4, 2008)

I had a rotti with a tail and that thing was lethal..... couldn't put anything on the coffee table that damn tail would send it flying everytime he walked by.


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## Amy Swaby (Jul 16, 2008)

lol we have 7 rottweilers in total only one with a docked tail... no issues with things getting knocked off tables here...you folks must have very small tables. I don't see how a rottweiler tail is any more lethal than a malinois or gsd though LOL.


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## Meena Moitra (Jul 11, 2008)

I must be one of 4 people who asked an American breeder to leave the tail on an ADT. He has his tail, declaws, natural, unglued ears and at 5.5 months still intact. I love the tail, and common pet owners do too. My house is surviving the tail and the tail hasn't yet been hurt.


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## Marie Miller (Jan 16, 2008)

Bob Scott said:


> Wackem! (correctly)
> A Dobe with natural ears and tail looks like a B&T coonhound that got short changed in the ears.  :-#


 
Absolutely correct!! 
Regarding Dobies and tails, if the tail is left natural I hear it gets pretty cut up and scared. They are a strong animal and the tail wags and hits things. The tail gets cuts up and has difficulty healing becasue it continues to wag and re injure the area. Dobies have very little hair and callous very easily. I have a friend who hates the idea of crop/dock but beleives the tail is important to do that she gets only the tails done on her Dobie.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Some breeds are better without tails, then they can't put them between their legs.....


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## Ian Forbes (Oct 13, 2006)

Marie Miller said:


> Regarding Dobies and tails, if the tail is left natural I hear it gets pretty cut up and scared. .


It's possible, but not that common. German bred Dobes have had tails for 8 years now and most dogs do not suffer tails injuries any more than any other dog with a tail.

Whether you prefer the look is a different matter.....


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

We had them in the kennel and they are a bloody mess after a bit. Same with great danes.


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## Jaana Aadamsoo (Dec 5, 2008)

Rottie tails don´t actually bother me. Had one with a tail when they first banned it here (it was 2001 I think) and was unusual at first but I got used to it. Just looked less compact. But I like all cropped breeds more when they are cropped. It is clear that soon I will not be able to do anything with our cropped dogs in Europe- in Estonia there is only the show ban for cropped/docked dogs born and owned in this country but in Finland, Chech and other countries have banned cropped dogs from entering any event and it is likely that it will spread and sooner or later we will be stoned to death for coming out of the house with a cropped dog (a cropped dog was sent back to the breeder from Finland because the owners couldn´t take the judgement of the community). 

For the past few years I have been actively trying to get used to the tails and ears of the dober and been fairly succesful but be it a boxer, dane, pitbull, schnauzer, beauche or any other breed that was originaly cropped, I like it better without ears any time. They can ban and judge me as much as they like but I just do and, damn it, I have to be allowed at least say it if I am forced to own a floppy in the future anyway!


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## Jesus Alvarez (Feb 6, 2009)

For Rotties, docked tails look better imo.

I have 2 AB's one with a docked tail and the other with his tail. I have to say that since I got the one with the docked tail I'm preferring it. Things can stay on the coffee table.


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