Doberman with cropped ears and tail.

[cosikitty]

What would you do if you knew someone who owned a dog like this as both practices are illegal?
Should they be reported and to who?
I know it is the breeders fault not necessarily the owners, or they possibly imported the dog but should something be done to try to stop the source of this?

It's bloody horrible but I very much doubt anyone would be interested because they cannot pursue a case, no-one can prove how it was done.

But couldn't the RSPCA trace the breeder and prosecute or at least put a stop to it or remove any puppies from them?

If it's got cropped ears then it may have come from abroad. I have unfortunately seen a puppy brought over from Europe with freshly cropped ears but nothing could be done about it. It's horrible

Unless you could prove a hunt did it, then they would be after them.......

Why do people do this? Why would you, what benefit does it offer to anyone?

I heard something about tail docking in working dogs being common practice in UK many decades ago for safety reasons on farms but was ear docking used for same reasons?

I can't imagine our old English sheepdog without his beautiful tail - it sweeps dramatically across the coffee table clearing the surface in one swift movement!

There are some in the UK which have been imported from the USA, so they're legal. So no, realistically no further action.

It's barbaric and should be prosecuted but probably not possible. Poor dogs, they look so much better with their natural ears and tails.

I think docked ears are a fashion thing. Makes them look harder apparently.

Hideous practice. But probably nothing you can do about it.

The ears are a fashion thing. There's no other reason for it.

My boxers have docked tails, we once had a boxer that didn't have a docked tail and he'd always split it open :(

I've seen a lot of boxers given up as well because the tail was hurting the children's legs and stuff :(

Everytime you meet this dog, step back and gasp loudly, cover your eyes and scream Aaaaaaaaaaagh! Poor dog! OMG what barbarian mutilated that poor dog? Let the owner know what you think.

I've had 2 boxers - one with docked tail (was done before we got him), and one without.

The one with full tail has never injured it. Yes, it does hurt when she whacks you with it, but it's SO expressive. She can be curled up in a ball, and when she looks at you you'll see her tail start wagging like crazy before anything else moves. It always makes me wonder how much job we were missing with the other docked boxer.

Also, boxer's social skills are sometimes a little off, so when they approach another dog they stand 'proud' and can look quite intimidating - Boxer with her tail stands like that, but with her tail wagging madly she's showing a clear signal to other dogs that she's friendly. Boxer without tail would do the same, and fights would ensue - because he lacked a vital part of his communication system.

Sometimes you would see his little stump waggling and wonder just how happy he would look with a full tail wagging away.

bakewell what would that achieve? It might not have been anything to do with the owner.

My springer/cocker cross has a docked (albeit it still a reasonable length) tail. It was done by the breeder, for what she considered purely practical reasons when the pups were a few days old. Not my choice but it can't be undone.

We also had a boxer with a tail. He never injured it either. But he did use it to express his absolute joy at meeting people/other dogs/cats. Yes, it did hurt if he whacked you with it, but that's true of lots of other types of dogs too.

Depends how old is a dog and where does it come from. It has become unacceptable only a few years ago. Before that it was a standard practice, even for show dogs. Some countries might still find it in practice

Unfortunately it's legal here in Ireland as well.

I was always confused by Scooby Doo being a Great Dane because his ears were wrong until I realised Americans dock ears. Horrid. I can understand tails being docked in certain working breeds but never ears.