Why do they dock working dogs tails?

Historically, it was thought to decrease the risk of rabies and strengthen a dog’s back. The most common reason to dock in recent history is to decrease injury risk to working dogs—dogs who hunt, herd, or otherwise work in the field.

Is docking a dog’s tail illegal?

Tail docking should be banned as a procedure for all breeds of dogs, unless it is carried out by a veterinary surgeon for medical reasons (eg injury). Puppies suffer unnecessary pain as a result of tail docking and are deprived of a vital form of canine expression in later life.

What problems can docked tails cause in relation to how other dogs respond to them?

However this study shows that at the very least dogs with short docked tails are at a disadvantage when interacting with other canines and that can place them in jeopardy of misunderstandings by other dogs. Such cases of disrupted communication might in turn lead to aggressive encounters.

What does legally docked mean?

Tail docking means that part of a dog’s tail is removed. It has always been a contentious subject and in recent years tail docking – except for specific breeds – has been banned in England, Wales and Scotland. The procedure can no longer be carried out for cosmetic purposes but it is legal for certain working dogs.

Are dogs with docked tails more aggressive?

Dogs with docked tails express more aggressive behavior than dogs without docked tails, most likely because a tail is an important communication tool for dogs. If the tail was still, they would approach it in a less confident way. When a shorter tail was affixed to the dog, dogs approached it more warily.

Why are animals tails docked?

Purpose. Historically, tail docking was thought to prevent rabies, strengthen the back, increase the animal’s speed, and prevent injuries when ratting, fighting, and baiting. Tail docking is done in modern times either for prophylactic, therapeutic, cosmetic purposes, and/or to prevent injury.