Can anyone help? I need some advice and info on tails in the German Shorthaired Pointer breed.

Im currently researching into the breed as im hoping this breed could be the latest addition to our family.

Ive shown and bred dogs for years so im hoping to continue this with the GSP breed but can anyone advise on the rules and regs etc with the tails?? to purchase a puppy docked or with a tail??

Does anyone have any experience with this breed??

Thanks

docking is illegal in this country except for working dogs

I know people with GSPs both full-tailed and docked. They say there's no difference. Will you be wanting to use the dog as a working gundog or just a pet?

Im wanting to show the puppy and of course a loving family pet :) but i also have a friend who shoots game etc so i will be able to take her to take part every so often.

If you want to show the pup then you'd be better with an undocked one because there are more shows available to them. Dogs docked after the general ban cannot be shown at shows where the public pays an admission fee.

A lot of GSP breeders still have dual purpose dogs, so will have their dogs docked (as the law allows) as their dogs are true working dogs.

Is have GSP and my dogs are worked and shown at championship and international level.. All are docked. There are very few shows that you cannot attend with a docked puppy so from a showing perspective having a docked tail is no disadvantage. Our top dogs are docked year after year.

As many of the established breeders of GSP aim for duality the vast majority seem to dock, now there are a few notable exceptions so if you want an undocked puppy from established breeders with proven track record you will have a narrower range of breeders to approach.

Personally I would not work an undocked GSP so if you plan to try your hand at gundog training I would recommend a docked dog. I recommend all new owners attend basic gundog training even if there is no plans to continue long term. By attending training with people who understand HPR breeds you will learn how to read your dog when it is off lead,  it WILL be hunting even if you are just planning a walk. By training with knowledgable trainers you will learn to read when your dog is on scent and recall or stop the dog before it gets trouble.

I would also recommend attending a few shows to meet breeders and see which dogs actually take your eye to help focus you to a kennel or breeder who would like to buy a puppy from. Please feel free to contact me for a chat if you like. 

The only shows you can't attend with a docked dog are the ones where the public are charged admission to enter the show site. My advice would be to look for a few GSP breeders who breeds dual-purpose dogs and speak to them about the issue. Personally I don't see the point in going for a docked dog if you're just looking for a show dog and family pet because you will never be able to take the dog to shows like Crufts and the tail doesn't make a difference from a pet perspective.

I have an HPR breed that used to be docked.  I much prefer tails and probably wouldn't have chosen this breed if they were still habitually docked, although I do understand the reasons and benefits as expressed by those that work their dogs and I've also now seen tail damage in my own dogs...

My dogs are pets first and foremost but I also show them and being able to show at Crufts is something I really appreciate - although there are many other (more relaxed and nicer!) championship shows where docked dogs can be shown.

If I were looking at a GSP though I'd look at breeders first and consider tails as a secondary issue.  A truly dual purpose breed with little or no split between working and showing is becoming a rarity and should be supported wherever possible.  If you have time to wait perhaps a visit to a few shows before Crufts in March might help consolidate your thinking and focus you on a few preferred breeders.  Where in the country are you?  Perhaps we could let you know what shows to visit.

I walk a GSP and her tail splits open regularly when I take her on countryside walks, she is undocked, so I would always go for a docked  dog  of this breed as they don't have a lot of hair to cover the end of the tail where the damage is done.  I also walk a working bred Cocker who had a full tail, it got so many infections it was amputated and she now has a one inch stump.  If she had been docked in the first place she would probably still have the docked tail length.  Neither of these dogs are working dogs but it shows you how easily tails can be damaged.

Couldn't agree more Christine!

Just because a dog doesn't work doesn't stop it acting like a working dog on walks, so unless always kept on lead they are at the same risk as their working counterparts.