# A Little Tail!



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

I'm in the process of trying to figure out if I want to band or have the vet cut the Bouvier tail at two days of age. They want to charge $50.00 to cut a little tail. Now I know I'm cheap at times but looking for imput. 

Ideas on the topic, please...


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

I say leave 'em. I've never seen a Bouv with a tail before.


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## Ian Forbes (Oct 13, 2006)

Kristen Cabe said:


> I say leave 'em. I've never seen a Bouv with a tail before.


Here you go:
http://www.zielebacherhof.ch/Z_funcy_e.html

Howard,
If you leave the tails on, you save on the vet fees and could tell buyers that that you are throwing the tail in for free......


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## Al Curbow (Mar 27, 2006)

Why do they dock the tails?


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Lots of breeders do it themselves. Not supposed to be a big deal at 2 days old. Do you know anyone that breeds docked dogs?


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

For your puppy buyers, charge $50 more for docked tails, but make sure they have paid in full to leave them natural since that's the standard in the States (but in Europe). Basically, have the price of the dock built into the price of the pup. The tail docks that I've helped with, the vet makes the cut by counting the right number of caudal vertebra and puts a couple sutures in to make sure the skin closes around it right. One of the vets I shadowed said he had to correct the jobs done by the breeders on a somewhat common basis as it takes some practice knowing where to cut, but botched ear crops were even more common.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

How is the banding done and is it as good after the tail is off? I don't even band my sheep tails.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

I don't like banding. I did this years ago with a litter of pups. The tails weren't nearly as clean looking IMO as the ones I had vets do a dock on. I've seen other pups who were banded, same thing. I'd definitely go with having the vet dock them. Bouvs have more hair then a Dobe, so it would probably hide any scar tissue on the end of the tail, but even so ... On some of the pups I've seen banded that have the scar tissue it has a tendency to dry up and flake, causing little dry/raw spots on the end of the tail.

For banding they have a tool that has 3 or 4 arms that spread out to stretch the band, you put the tail in it, then let the band close around it. It's easy to put the band on, you want to make sure it's on the joint. As the tail looses blood circulation it withers up and falls off.


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## Al Curbow (Mar 27, 2006)

Anybody know the reasoning for docking?


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## Will Kline (Jan 10, 2008)

Al Curbow said:


> Anybody know the reasoning for docking?


To be able to have a civilized gathering in the den or living room without the worry of broken glasses from a good tail whipping! [-X   :---) :---)


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## Al Curbow (Mar 27, 2006)

From time to time when these threads show up i always wondered the reason.......broken glasses makes sense, lol


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## Dan Long (Jan 10, 2008)

If that were the real reason, then Great Danes would be docked, as anything 3 and a half feet or under is fair game for her tail. It is literally a weapon, and seemingly wags at crotch height at the most inopportune times, and has tremendous velocity.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

I think some of the reason was as a protection dog, ears and the tail could not be grabbed. For some bomb dogs it is to keep the tail from moving. For humans, it was to keep us lower to the ground and made into tastie animals treats!


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Terriers were docked because the tail was often used as a handle to get them out of the ground. Grabbing to far back was a sure fire way to break the tail. Dock the tail and the only thing to grab was near the base. 
Nothing like a handful of tail!  :grin:


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