We have been searching for  a litter of working strain pups which are undocked and cannot find any so far in Scotland. We would love to find a female pup ready for homing this summer ( to an active family, lots of long walks around and a walled garden!)

I think you'll have a long wait for an undocked working springer, I'm afraid. Most pups from working strains are destined to themselves become workers, and will therefore be docked.

Ya i agree with  Jeangenie people ask for the puppies to be docked, i dont know of any breeders in my area that will leave a working springer pup with a tail.  If you want a show springer then it would be easier to find one with a tail.  If you really want one with a tail, then maybe you could ring local breeders and say that you want a pup with a tail and they might leave it on for you, but you might have to give them half of a pups price or a deposit, so then they know that you will have the pup. As it is normally harder to sale working springers with a tail.

Even though i am not worried if the dog has a tail or not i have both and dont find it a problem.

Good luck.

You should live in Doncaster - there are dozens of undocked working-type Springers. They come in all shapes and sizes from elegant setter-types to one that looks like a long-haired Basset Hound. They are all hyperactive and yappy, and are all KC regstered - I did ask if the Basset-looking one was a cross and got my head bitten off!

<I did ask if the Basset-looking one was a cross and got my head bitten off! >

LOL

Having got an un-docked springer recently, I wouldn't have another undocked one.

We've never had a problem with our docked springer doing what springers do in gorse, but the un-docked one is constantly cutting the tip of her tail, the vet has given us an antiseptic cream to apply to her tail before and after walks to try and prevent infection,  but I feel its only a matter of time before she gets an infection in her tail.

If you aren't going to walk your new springer in area's where they are going to be rooting round in undergrowth thrashing their tail from side to side as they go then fine, and when they're are happy, boy does that tail thrash, you can hear the tip thumping against her ribs.

Just my own experiance of owning an undocked springer, not an invitation to debate the fors and against of docking.

Robert, have you tried dipping the end of her tail in an alum solution? That's a styptic and will toughen the skin. You can also put some baby oil on to stop the toughened skin becoming dry and brittle. It worked like a charm with my old dal who had been forever splitting her tail.
:)

Thanks JG.

I was talking to a lady who used to breed Springers before her sight started going and she suggested a " a solution beginning with A" :) but she couldn't remember what the "A" stood for.

Holly caught her tail as she went under a barbed wire fence this morning at a rate of knots and skinned the end of her tail, so the vet has advised against of lead exercise till the end has healed over, so thats the end of her runing round like a mad thing for awhile any way.

If you join and pm me I can put you in touch with someone who breeds working springers that have tails.............. and that work ;)

We had the same problem as you Robert and our springer had his tail amputated when he was just over a year old.  My cockers have 'tipped' tails and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I have  a working cocker that has been docked but you wouldn't know it,  (I only found out while talking to an informed and helpful gentleman who saw my dog and stopped to chat to me), because he has been 'hock docked'. which means only the tip is taken off, to stop it snapping when the dog is busy in the undergrowth and then becoming infected.I thought he hadn't been docked as he still had a long tail,  apparently breeders have lost a lot of puppies with infections after tail tips had snapped off. spaniels have very busy tails!!!!!!!!        so perhaps you might reconsider and look for a pup that has only been hock docked, would that be a compromise you could accomodate?