I don't mean to start arguments was just wondering, I am about to breed my Rotti for the first time before I get her spayed, I have made sure she has a worthy sire and that.
I was speaking to a few people who didn't have their pups tails docked but they said they found it really hard to sell them
I was just wondering if I choose to have them docked (which probably won't happen) who do I go to, I heard the kennel club will come out is this right ??
if not how much would it cost me to have them done ?, I have heard Rottweilers can expect upto 14 pups ?

The kennel club won't come out. if you wanted your pups docked, you need to contact the Council of Docked breeds, join them, and they can send you details of a vet that will dock. You will find them on the net, can't think of their web addy, but you could put in a search for them and find them that way. Price for docking can vary, from about £10 per puppy to £30 per puppy, this is what I have been told. It is harder to find homes for them with tails, you will find that people who like a docked breed will expect a docked puppy, however that all hangs on what happens with the new animal welfare bill. By the time your pups arrive, it may well be that docking will not be an option. But, you have to do what you feel is right for you, and if you don't want your pups docked, then don't. you will find homes for them, even if it takes a bit longer. The quality of home is the important thing, not the length of the tail, and its obvious that that is your main concern. There are a lot of undocked dogs around now, thing is to get them advertised early, thereby getting maximum exposure, an internet advert on the various sites, which i will PM you, stating you have a planned litter, and they will have tails, may get you genuine people waiting. There are actually a lot of people out there now who want a dog with a tail, it's finding them when you want them! There is also a website, think its called the anti docking alliance, do a search for them, they may be able to help advertise for you too. Don't know about the likely size of your litter, but have a look on the sites I will send you, see how many puppies are advertised in their litters. Maybe that a book on the breed may tell you this too, and your stud dog owner should some idea if he has used his dog before, also have a chat with the breeder of your bitch, see how many pups in the litter/s your bitches mum produced. good Luck!

To be honest after speaking to other breeders we have all said that once docking is banned (which it more than likely will be) it is going to be hit and miss as to how easy these pups will be to sell, I know many rotts with tails but I know a lot more people who would prefer their rott docked, if you can get names down for your pups early you may well have a better idea but trying to shift 8 + rotts with tails in my opinion is going to be tricky at first for the most sought after breeders therefore I would hang fire to see what goes on - at the end of the day the last thing you want is to end up with 8 pups that you cant sell as the likely hood is that you cant keep them all?

How old is your bitch by the way and is there a reason why you want a litter form her before having her spayed?

Interesting comment Enfielfotts, I was just thinking about that....I know some do like undocked dogs, but many pet owners don't like the look of them (particularly, if yesterdays phone in on radio was anthing to go by).  I wonder how many undocked pups will end up in rescues looking for homes (not from responsible breeders or course - but those that breed to have a litter to sell).

I certainly take your point re people not being happy with tailed dogs from trad docked breeds, but as with most things the more exposure they get, the more 'common' it is to see them, the more likely people will accept them. i think if you genuinly like a breed, then the fact it now carries a tail does not detract from its overall nature etc. To be honest, if someones main concern was regarding the tail, ( for a pet home) i'd wonder just how much they really like the breed in the first place, there are far more important factors to consider when buying a puppy than if its docked or not. Obviously, this is a different matter of you want a working dog.

That's right, at the end of the day we all want great homes for our dogs and when a traditionally docked breed suddenly has to have a tail things are bound to alter and given time I think things will continue much as today as it will become the norm but many people are a little naive to it all and I have a feeling that we will be seeing many rotts with tails, on all the rescue pages very soon. 

When you think that when some people ask for the tails to be kept on the breeder normally asks for full payment up front as they know full well it will be tricky selling a pup with a tail if all goes wrong how is it going to be trying to shift a whole litter? 

I have nearly all of my pups booked before they have homes but think it would be a very different story if they had their tails!

Yeah I see your point but many people like (including me) the rottweiler not only for their general character but also because of their look and their look generally speaking is without a tail.  I wont stop owning the breed as I love them with or without a tail but think it will take time for people to get used to the look of them with tails when for so long they have not had one - this is why I think for those people starting out breeding they should be careful as it may be hard to sell pups at such and early stage in the change - given time this may change but who knows?

Also just to add - I know of someone who recently sold two pups to two separate people from Sweden (they are friends friends) who came and got the pups and flew back with them because in Sweden it has been banned for a long time yet they didn't want a pup that was un docked so they imported - now that is a country where it should in theory be the norm?  These homes were fab and the pups are doing very well, it's just that the owners prefer the docked look!

Hm, bit confusing with the exact same thread in 2 places!!

Were these pups for showing perhaps? Certainly your average pet owning Swede by now will think a docked dog looks strange. For instance my aunt (in Sweden) has an undocked Rottie, she must be about 12 now, and every time my mum visits me here and sees a Rottie she remarks on how very strange it looks without a tail.(Wheras I go home to Sweden for visits and remark on how odd all dogs look there.) I have a friend in Sweden who has an imported docked dog (not Rottie) and she regularly has to defend herself to the general public explaining how the dog was NOT docked in Sweden and no she didn't have it done herself, as people accuse of her of all sorts.

Yeah I am confused too LOL!

No they are not for showing, one of the owners is actually a vet and one has horses so neither are for showing just as pets but they both wanted a docked rott - guess some people are just stuck in their ways :)

I can understand that, and it is of course VERY easy to import animals from the UK to Sweden. :)

I guess it depends on what you define easy as - my friend was not to sure about doing this but as they are friends of her friend they are very trusted and they took the time to come over here to stay with the pups and get to know them before flying them home - there were lots of routes to go down before letting them out of the country, certainly not as easy as handing a pup over to someone 10 miles away LOL!

Do not post duplicate posts on the same subject please