when looking through the dog papers, when those dogs that where usually docked are now being photographed that have tails
why do people put there hands over the tails of the dogs to make the dogs look like they are still docked ?
i would like to see the tails in the pictures ?
or is it the done thing now to have the picture taken so the dog still looks docked,
just wondering why people are doing this ?
carolann

well i cerainly hide my chaps tail when stacking him, i think its ghastly!

> why do people put there hands over the tails of the dogs to make the dogs look like they are still docked ?

I wouldn't presume to know the answer, only ever having the 'tailed' version, but I was talking to someone recently who now has an undocked puppy.  She said that she is having to learn a whole new way to stand (her:not the dog) as she said she has needed to readjust her centre of gravity to accomodate the longer reach from head to tail tip.  She said that she instictively just moves to the place where the tail used to end!!

She was telling me that at her ringcraft classes there are a few of them having the same trouble with new puppies and when they got a fit of the giggles, were all sent outside to calm down.  Made me smile as it sounded a bit like school...  :)

Don't know the answer but would think it is the traditional way of presenting the dog, it may have a tail but there is no reason why the traditional outline of the dog should not be shown, it would make it easier for any onlooker to assess including the judge. Photos of dogs are taken for the benefit of other enthusiasts of the breed and will therefore be handled in the traditional way, photos of dogs doing what dogs do will be snaps taken for the pleasure of taking the dogs.

Not everyone has an undocked dog by choice, it is a law - not a unanimous decision.

A good law though I think.  Having tails docked purely for aesthetic reasons is, imo, a tad barbaric.  We have a docked dog and an undocked puppy with a gorgeous tail.  We requested that our dog be undocked before he was born, but the breeder 'forgot'.  This was before ban.  Animal welfare should be foremost.  Obviously, different kettle of fish for working dogs.

I fear we could go way off topic if you introduce the question of whether docking improves animal welfare or quite the opposite.  Perhaps you should start a thread of your own if you wish to throw in such statements :-)

No, I merely continued from previous post - still about docking.  If pics in dog mags have people 'hiding' the tail (ie. pretending it's not there) as pointed out in the original post, there are still plenty of folks who would rather their dogs were docked.  Appearance is all.

> there are still plenty of folks who would rather their dogs were docked.

Yes, of course but preferring the appearance does not exclude a believe that it is also beneficial to the dog.  But there you go, we are getting into the debate about docking generally and I don't believe that is what this thread is about :-)

I show a traditionally docked breed but our tailed versions are shown the same as docked i.e tail in full view. I had to learn to hold the tail about the same place if it had been docked but to ensure I keep it straight and not kink it.

i have two adult boxers and have just bought a puppy from a steynmere line(bobtail) hoping to have some bobtails in the future. but the puppy has a tail. which she will stick in the fire, which she set fire to the tip, leave it sticking out on the floor , she doesnt know any different not having one but thinks its fun to nip at my older two dogs lack of tail.she doent seem to wag it right at all it just goes in circles,squares, up and down. my older dogs have the lambada down to a T