Hi

Its me again with another docking question, and again I am sorry if I upset anybody who is against docking.

I joined the CDB Express member and have only been given one vet tahts will carry out the docking. I am just waundering if all vets know what length tails should be docked.

I am a little nervous as they may or may not know as to what size a weimaraner's tails should be. I have seen a few different lengths about.

Please somebody reassure me!!!

Jay

You're quite right.  Generally, Vet's don't have a clue about the correct length of tail, any more than they have any idea of pedigree dogs' breed standards! :( It's up to the experienced breeder to advise.

Take along a picture of the correct length. Many are docked far too short.

I am really worried about them docking too short!!

I am really stressed and wish you could go to vets who specialised in your particular breed.

Dont rely on the vet to know the correct length for your breed.

The vet I use has always asked me to specify how much to take off, and sought confirmation that I was happy before 'snipping'. If you are not sure, I would try and get in touch with an experienced Weimeraner breeder for some advice about what to tell the vet.

Any weimaraner breeders on here?

Any advice very very much appreciated.

Thanks you everyone your all a friendly bunch and very helpful

Jay

Do you not have a weimaraner book, or a photo of the top winning/working dog that you are trying to emulate?

I have lots but will the vet be able to take a GOOD guess at the size as the pups tails are going to be tiny  and will have to grow in shape with its body.

I have had people say you count the amount of bone things... also someone said that you put your fingers next to the tail and cut at the end of the knuckle.

I am just hoping that the vet is very experienced at this!

You'll need to tell him between which vertebrae to cut!
You should be able to look at "the balance" of an adult and do the same with the pups.  Is your bitch correctly docked?  You can count her vertebrae.

I think she is but then sometimes I think she is a tad to long maybe one vetabrae but am not 100%

I will have to contact a few weimaraner breeders and ask their opinion.

The amount of research and work that goes into breeding a litter is huge but enjoyable too.

I'm sorry but I find it disappointing that you have mated your bitch with so little knowledge of the breed! :(
Try contacting your local breed club and see if anyone will help to guide you through, for the sake of your bitch.

Val

I have done a huge!!!!! amount of research and have to admit I did not even think that the tail docking would be a problem.

But the fact I have only been given 1 vet is a little disappointing and also raised a little alarm of worry as they may not know much about weims.

Hi Jay how old are you??

I am 35??

could you not take a pic of your dogs tail and tell the vet that is how you would like it.

I'm not sure whether show breeders use a more exact science, but all of the working breeders I know just specify the fraction to be removed.

When I have had working spaniel pups docked I have asked for one third off. Most of the Weimeraners I have seen look about one third off (but dont take my word for it as I have very little experience of the breed). Admittedly this can cause slight variations between the pups as all the tails dont start off exactly the same length.

I own Weims and have also bred them and like you, the vet I went to asked me what length, rather than knowing where to dock.  I believe that in Weims (and I stand to be corrected), for showing purposes, the correct length would be to have the tail long enough to cover the privates in the female and male, so it would really be docked at the point at the top of the legs.  It really is up to you whether you want them shorter or longer, but this seems to be a middle of the road length.

Vizslas are docked to one third off and there tails are left longer than the weims, so one third of may look to long. The breed standard requires it to cover the scrotum or vulva so quite a short dock ,i would imagine 1/2 would be more than adequate but if you are placing puppies into showing homes the dock must be as the breed standard.
If you show the vet the mother a good vet will know what length to do them! if not i would take advice from the breed club.

I have read on all the breed standard sites that their tails should cover there privates lets just hope the vet knows his stuff, I can tell and show him on pictures but then think I will be unsure by sight whjen the pups are here.

Why get all stressed out?
The solution is so simple.
Do the pups a favour and leave the tails alone!!

ANDEE do yourself a favour and leave her alone!!!!!    she wants them docked and theres no reason why she shouldnt-  :p

Doesn't sound like a HUGE!!!!! amount of research to me...however no point in giving you a hard time over it....you've mated the bitch now, I only hope you did the right amount of research regarding your choice of stud dog as you could be letting yourself in for problems if not.
Around 50% 0ff is the norm but slightly longer is better and get the dews taken off at the same time.
Generally done at between 3 and 5 days old.

Sadly many people aren't prepared for the downside of breeding and the possible heartache....we are witness to that first hand at the moment and our bitch is fostering a litter of 10 rotties who's mum died after giving birth.
Many people don't think that they will be unable to sell their pups and when they have a large litter still at home at 13 or 14 weeks or more then begin to wonder why they did it, especially when all the buyers have changed their mind when the bitch actually has them, (amazing the excuses you will get).
Or even the prospect of a very expensive C Section to get 1 dead puppy.
Perhaps more should do the HUGE!!! amount of research first.

I know everyone has to start somewhere but at least ask the advice of a respected breeder first and ask for their help re choice of studs etc.

Good luck with them (Genuinely)

Ditto Gary.

The qty of research people sometimes think is huge varies a "HUGE" amount :-)))

I find it incredible puppy searchers, that post sometimes on here, " puppy wanted mail me on blah blah"  like people are just sitting with puppies.

I know it is  off topic BUT :-) I had 2 calls through the breed club last week first one was from a lady who had already had the option of a puppy from a much respected breeder and at a vary reasonable price it was the pick of the litter that had not turned out what she wanted for showing, never the less a beautiful puppy  but the lady wanted to travel around a few litters and see what she like as she knew exactly wanted and would be able to tell by looking at the 8 week old puppy. BTW when she called she only wanted a WHITE westie she wasn't interested in any other colour LOL ( I know experienced people may think like this , with an option of picking  but the breeder with an outstanding reputation offer a healthy beautiful puppy for a quality pet that I have to had was snatched by the next enquirer who was not as daft)

  Then on the same day I gave another very respectable breeders name who had puppies also, before I got the number out the caller she went on to say, " ahhh but the the price was a bit steep I already called her".   I went on to ask the quoted price ,although it was not my business,  I did to at least tell the lady yes or no her thoughts were correct. The breeder only asked for £450 , now what breed nowadays can you get a quaility , beautifully bred puppy for £450 from a respectable breeder baring in mind westies  only have on average 4 puppies.  You know I never do this often :-(  but I hung up as she was just wasting my time and hers.

My point from my rattling on is that when are people going to realise that dogs are not commodities and good well bred ones are not just sitting there like a carton of milk in the local spar shop. :-))

I have my bitches breeder behind me and I have also had a different weimaraner breeder and judge have a look at my bitch to see if she is a good standard of the breed.

I have asked advice on what kind of stud dog would compliment my dog from many differnet breeders and I have looked back into her lines to see if there have been any problems. I have also been to many shows to compare the different varieties that you see.

We are keeping 1 or maybe 2 pups from the litter and have 2 homes waiting.

I know all the hard work is yet to come but can honestly say we are looking forward to it.

p.s where do you get the smilies from?

p.p.s Thanks Dizzy

Jay, I did a huge amount of research before breeding a litter, and like you never gave the length of docking much thought until my bitch was pregnant - after all, there are things far more important - better to have a litter of well bred healthy dogs and tails a little too short or too long. Luckily with my first litter I was close enough to a vet who had docked puppies of the same breed, so I was more than satisfied with the result. Sadly I then moved and found a vet through the CDB.Whilst he asked how much to take off, and I told him no more than half, and pointed out that the dams tail was a little too short (she was present), I'm afraid he took off more. I think that perhaps you should come across as firm and knowledgeable and even then you have to hope for the best. HOWEVER only one of the puppies from that litter is in the ring, and I dont think the length of the dock has affected his placings. The main thing is that the puppies are all healthy, happy and much loved by their new owners.

well done on all your research!!!!! i bet with all the other things you were looking into docking may have not seemed like a real issue i suspect!!! like youd be easyily be able to find a experinced knowledgable vet!!!! is there such a thing?

I am going to call the vet and have a chat to him hopefully he has docked this breed before and is confident at what he does.

I have to say though I am a little disappointed that you only recieve 1 vet from the CDB and it cost £25 I think if I'd of had a few to pick from I might of found somebody who has docked a few of my breed.

Your £25 is not just to give you the name of a vet but to support the CDB if you find the vet does not meet your requirements they will give you another although you may find the next one is much further away.  I hope price is not too much of an issue with you as it is going to cost you considerably more if the vet is some distance away :)  My litters cost about £150 as my vet travelled over an hour each way and I would not consider taking a litter that sort of distance to him.

i would have thought youd have got a list in your near area at least!!!!!

There are not many vets willing to dock, not in my area anyway, my own vet has no problem with docking but won't do it herself because of the hassle she might get.

never heard of any problem in my area,but its quite rural (if that makes any differance?) & alot of the vets at my practise seem to have spaniels

: - ) together = :-)

: - ( together = :-(

There is a page on here to tell you how to do each one but I couldn't find it. :-)

Thanks Blue..

Isabel its not a price issue but I just thought they would give you a list so that you would feel comfortable with having a choice. I just don't want to be disappointed if the vet docks them wrong, I know they will still be loved but all the work that has gone into picking a stud, lines etc etc it would be nice to have a vet you felt confident with.: - ) together

There simply aren't that many Jay and some people would like to get their hands on a full list of the vets willing to do it for their own purposes ;) so its probably best that they don't issue the information all at once.  Why not give the CDB a ring and ask if they can help you with a vet with specific breed knowledge, you never know :)

I think I will call the cdb and see what they suggest.

Where about's are you Jay?

Jay, I know of a specialist weimaraner breeder also a vet who docks. Where abouts are you.  I can also recommend the vet I used for my weimaraner litter, again depends on where you are.  You also need to find out if the vet recommended by the CDB cuts, bands or laser?

If you want to e mail me direct I will help all I can.

kidmal.weimaraners@ntlworld.com

Lynn

Dizzy
What happened to freedom of speech.
Oh SORRY forgot. Not allowed on here is it!!!!!!!!! HA!!!!!

Freedom is what it's all about, ANNDEE. Docking is legal (and before you snipe at me, I prefer dogs to be undocked), so Jay should be free to have it done without people having a go at her. If or when it becomes illegal, then go ahead.
:)

Yes--thats why i replied !!!!!!

We have just moved to Liverpool from Irby (cheshire) but I have phoned all the vets in the Liverpool Yellow pages and all have said they don't dock.

Lynne I have emailed you but I am not sure if it has gone through as I am having a few problems with email again!!

Hopefully we don't live to far apart.

Thats the main problem - finding a good vet you can put faith in! Before I moved house, I had a vet I would have trusted my life to, as well as my dogs, but I despair of finding another. Then for docking you have to put faith in one you have never met. 

Do you not think that some show Wei's are slightly too short in their docks now, I am totally in favour of docking but I feel - the same with the show ESS - that the tails to short that it doesn't balance out with the other end, their heads?

As for not doing enough research, I own a breed which isn't really customarily docked now, a couple of breeders still dock and I have seriously though about docking my 4th litter - if I breed from Mia.    I have no idea on how much is taken off and I've had my breed for almost 17 years now so I can fully sympathise with Jay!

Good luck with your litter Jay and I hope you find what you want.

Hiya jay,

We have got 2 terriers and we got the tails done, we put a 10p piece under the tail and cut from that, thats what we heard and now its done the puppies are great. No probs at all....

Racheynew, different breeds require a different length of dock. What right for one (I was always told by people who work their terriers that their adult tail should be about 4 inches long - long enough for a man to get a good grip when the dog is being removed from a hole) isn't right for another. OES have the entire tail removed, Dobermanns and Rottweilers not much less, whereas other breeds are only 'tipped'.

i know ther is mixed emotions about docking, myself i prefer docked but at the right length, ive allways had dobes, not an experienced breader, there loyallty is far better than any humans. i once seen a litter of pups and there was all lengths one little sad bitch couldnt sit down as her tail was too long she was in agony, i bought her took her to the vet they shortened it for her, what a different pup, i then found her a loving home where she is very happy as i couldnt keep her but i couldnt leave her either, but dont you think banning this has made it that bit worse, surly you would rather take them to a vets to get done than do them yourself, as people are still doing them anyway, clearly why this pup was in a state,

Unfortunatley you are only given 1 vets details and the one I have comes to my house, again I prefer that than a young litter travelling two hours !  I also pay around £150 for the litter usually of about 5 - 6 in a litter.  The vet always asks me what length I want them too.

Working terriers tails are easily docked because you just cover the vulva/scrotum slightly with the tail then snip off whats left it usually ends up about 4-5" long when mature which is just enough to wag!
Our vet is retired but still docks tails for proven working terriers he won't dock rottweillers or show breeds that are not worked.
He charges £5 per pup tails only as our dogs keep their front dew claws as we find it can mean life or death to a working terrier as we have seen them pull themselves up scree slopes & out of tight holes using their front dewclaws. They are never born with back dew claws.