Cutting off Poodle puppy body parts

A Poodle with a long tail looks like a mistake.

I once saw a Poodle whose tail had never been docked because his owner hadn’t wanted it done. The dog’s tail seemed to be a constant topic of conversation wherever she took her. The owner was quite defensive, letting everyone know that the dog was, indeed, a registered Poodle, not an accident, but she didn’t approve of tail docking.

Groomers didn’t know whether to shave the tail like a rat’s or leave it long and shaggy. Neither look was attractive. It was sad. Somehow I think the dog knew.

Three days after the puppies were born we took them to the veterinarian to have them checked over and to have the tails docked and dewclaws removed. She came in with her team of two assistants and the three of them performed like a precision machine.

We took the first sleeping puppy out of the basket and ‘snip’ went the tail onto the table, followed by a primal scream that lasted maybe two or three seconds and the puppy was back asleep. Meanwhile the tail was quickly stitched.

Then ’snip’ went a dewclaw… primal scream… tape… ‘snip,’ another dewclaw… primal scream… tape… and the puppy was sound asleep again back in the basket. The whole procedure was completed in about the time that it took me to write about it. Then on to the next puppy. When it was over, three tail snippets and six dewclaws lay on the table and three Poodle puppies were fast asleep in their basket.

Tail docking is something that should be done with Poodles so that they can live their lives looking like Poodles. The tail is shortened with a pompom at the end. It is a look that is unique to the Poodle. It’s part of their Poodleness. I see no reason to defy a tradition of the Poodle icon that has lasted for centuries, especially now that I see how minor the whole procedure is.

Dewclaws are totally useless appendages that serve no purpose and can often cause problems. Groomers have told me that often they had to cut the nail back to the quick because it has caught on something. That has to hurt.

One of my dogs ripped her dewclaw so badly just running across the grass that she had to have it removed surgically. It was not a simple ‘snip’ and it was not inexpensive. It called for an operation with anesthetic and many days of trying to keep her from opening up the incision. Even with surgical tape laced with a foul smelling liquid, reinforced with duct tape, and protected by an Elizabethan bonnet around her head, she still managed to open up the incision calling for a return to the veterinary office to have it restitched. It would have been far preferable to have them snipped off as a puppy.

The people who are fighting against the practices, I wonder if they even have dogs. With all the injustice in the world, don’t they have more important things to be concerned about?

Comments

[pam]

A friend of mine is vehemently against tail-docking. Her heart goes out to her beloved pit bull, whom she adopted from a rescue shelter. The poor animal had had his ears snipped off with scissors at home! It was in an attempt to make him look like a fighting dog.

I can get behind her loathing of people who maim their own dogs. That's just cruel. But I still approve of the traditional tail-docking as done by a vet. Maybe because I was with you the day the puppies got snipped.

[harmonica jim]

I did not know about this controversy until I read this thread. I ihave heard of puppies dying from botched docking.
Personally, I think a docked tail can keep a dog out of a lot of trouble with coffee table height crystal and dips and chips.
As for our toy poodle, her puff is always full and i never thought of her as having a small tail. Hers is a proud flag for a small and sovereign entity and she carries it high for other dogs to see.

[sonia]

my poodles are 3weeks old can they still have their tail docked?

[Michelle Garcia]

My Mini poodle is now 4 months old can she still have her tail docked?? the reason is not it's because she's a rescue poodle and they did not do it.

[jan]

Having the tail docked now is a major operation, requiring anasthetic and full surgery.
I would not have it done.
If she was meant to be a rescue dog, she can wear her tail proudly.

[B gillis]

I just picked up a 9 wk old mini poodle in another state...A great dog & good looking but the tail curves onto the body & lies flat...ugly. The photos I received before puchasing showed otherwise. Baid & Switch. I want to have his tail fixed...it is not too short. What to do? thank you.

[jan]

I answered your question in an email.

[Barbara Harvell]

The author states that poodles should have their tail docked to "look like poodles". How much more like a poodle can they look than with the beautiful tail that God gave them. My precious 6 month old toy poodle is beautiful with her long tail. She prances proudly with her plumme held high. No one can mistake her for anything other than a poodle.

[karen bailey]

I addopted a 15 week old Standard Poodle puppy. He was born at the shelter so they did not dock his tail. He also had a broken leg! By the time his splint was removed (4 weeks later)he was 4 months old. I had gotten use to the tail. I talked with the vet, My grooming friends, and also my agility instructer who Shows and breeds Standard Poodles. Everyone thinks I should leave his tail. He is Just too old. He may suffer pain and excess scar tissue in that area.And the procedure would be called an amputation. He is not registered even though both of his parents were. Shelters do not allow that. I have 2 other Standard poodles .Both with docked tails, Every case is different. I would have loved his tail to be docked,But should I put him through all that for looks? Probably not.

[grant]

think about science here. the tail provides a counterweight. without it, the poodles must overcompensate with their hip muscles, which is what causes their hind legs to fail later in life.

[Birtie]

Hi I have an 8 week old poodle puppy I bought but his tail isn't docked. Is it too late to have it done?

[Sallie Tamblyn]

I have had poodles my whole life, every one I have loved.I have just recently ...two weeks ago...bought my new little boy. He is the first one not to have a docked tail and for this I am so very happy. As a young girl I never thought or understood they removed my boys tails from them. I'm so very glad cadeau (my new poodle) was not inflicted with this unnecessary pain for our own vanity.

[AP11]

I find this discussion really interesting. I will be getting a standard poodle pup near the end of May/beginning of June. I can't wait!! One thing that I've been researching and looking into is whether it is better to leave a poodle's tail as it is, or whether to dock it. To be perfectly honest, I think both ways look really cool in their own way. I've noticed that a lot of European poodles have their tails longer. I think it looks really unique, and if it's left with a bit of fringe, it adds to the standard poodle's elegance.

If I do decide to leave it undocked, it sounds like I should let the breeder know well in advance since the docking is done so early. I still haven't decided, it might be easier to just have it docked since this breeder customarily has it done to all of her puppies.

I really enjoy this blog... I think I'll be reading the posts over later today. Check out my and Lola's blog as we prepare for our new poodle addition...

http://wirefoxandpoodle.today.com/

[Debra]

Have been reading over the questions and answers and now seem more confused than ever..I just got a 8week old toy poodle..the previous owner said that I wasn't to have her tail docked til 9-10weeks..that didn't sound right to me, I thought it had to be done within so many days from birth..we love her so and she is so cute now with her tail but I don't want it to be a problem for her later..nor do I want to inflict needless pain on her now that is unneccessary..Could somebody help me decide??

[Heather]

you are an idiot

[M.e.b.]

You say tail-docking is "part of their Poodleness"...I think that is ridiculous. There is no reason to dock a Poodle's tail other than for looks. Why mutilate the animal for your own selfish vanity? I think the long tails are beautiful. They are natural. They are MEANT to be long, or they wouldn't be born with long tails! I only agree with docking in the case of dogs with whiplike, fragile tails that are easily broken (ex: Dobermans), or for hunting dogs (such as Field Spaniels) who are likely to be injured if the tail is kept long. Otherwise it's simply unnecessary. Whether it causes the dog pain or not, I do not care -- I would no sooner dock a Poodle's tail than I would chop off a human's pinky finger.

However, all that being said...I am interested in hearing arguments for docking that are actually substantial, rather than consisting of, "Oh, well, it looks nicer."

[jan]

Thanks for your interest. Obviously no argument will ever convince you or me. So we should agree to disagree.

[zac]

I am guessing all of the people who are concerned and do not want to dock their poodles tails....also do not agree with circumcision in a baby boy?
Better check their boys to make sure they didn't do that...

[Dawn]

I have a 5 month toy maltipoo and was wondering whether his long tail is poodle or maltese. I assumed it was maltese, but after seeing the pictures on this site, I am convinced that my 3/4 poodle has a perfectly normal long tail. It is feathered and the hair wants to grow long on the tip but I keep trimming it off. I thought he looked goofy at first because I had only seen poodles with puffs for tails. The only reason I can see for cutting the poor boy's tail would be vanity. He loves to play with his tail and it is God-given! Thanks for the thread. I enjoyed hearing all the opinions.

[Nicole]

I just adopted a mini poodle, who is about a year old, and who ever had him before, didn't have his tail docked. I will say at first it was kind of weird looking, but now, I've grown to love his tail, and I think it makes him look unique.