Docked dog breeds are dog breeds that have had their tails removed at birth. They were typically born with a short, stubby tail. Over the years, many dog owners have opted to remove their dog’s tail for various reasons.

Some people prefer their dogs without a tail. Breeders have been adapting to this for some time now.

So, let’s learn the words tail docking and understand the process. It is an old practice where parts or the whole tail of a dog are removed. This practice is illegal in the US, and many other countries, though. When it happens after the dog’s birth, it is called tailed docking, and such dogs are said to belong to docked breeds.

This should not be confused with bobtail breeds where the lack of a tail is natural and not from any cutting or surgery by humans.

Tail docking usually happens when dogs are older than six months old. But sometimes younger if there’s no risk of infection in that breed or will heal faster with younger dogs than older ones.

Tails help some dog breeds maintain their body balance. Dogs use their tail to communicate. Dogs also use their tail as a rudder when they swim. It used to be that hunting and working dogs with docked tails weren’t taxed. You could save a lot of money if you cut off your dog’s tail. But it was a very long time ago.

So that’s why some people criticized the AKC for promoting tail docking as part of their breed standards, making it impossible to register an undocked dog. But AKC still believes it is acceptable.

Organizations like the American Veterinary Medical Association are trying to get these standards removed. But there are still docked-tailed breeds. In this post, I will list 5 of them.

Do you have a specific question about the breeds with the docked tails? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page. 

Boxer

Boxers are not born with short tails, and they also have tails. Boxer puppies often have their tail docked to make the dog meet AKC standards.

Boxers are being punished because they have a short tails. It is their appearance, and it has no other purpose.

Some bobtail boxers were being bred over time and exported to other countries, but they are rare.

You will most often find these animals in countries like Australia. There are breeding clubs that require this type of animal to be bred.

The regular Boxer has a long tail, though.

Rottweiler

The American Kennel Club includes a docked tail in their breed standards for Rottweilers.

In the past, people cut off the ends of a dog’s tail for different reasons. They would do this because they thought it would help make the dog stronger or prevent injury while they were playing. Some people did this to make the dogs look more like other dogs of their breed. These beliefs are not true, though, and now we know that.

People still do tail docking today. Some people do it because they think it’s good for their dog’s health, but most people do it because they want their dog to look better.

There has been a lot of debate about tail docking. One side feels it is wrong to dock dogs’ tails, and the other agrees with following the breed standards. E.g., Germany has banned all forms of Rottweilers’s tail docking.

Australian Shepherd

People have been docking Aussie’s tails for a long time. The Romans did this because they thought that when dogs had long tails, they could catch rabies. So the Romans would cut off the top of their dog’s tail so that they wouldn’t get sick. Some people believed that a shortened tail increases speed, and this idea was passed down since hunting dogs used to assist were often reduced in the tail.

We know now that none of the things we thought were true are actually true. Why do Aussies still have their tails cropped? The two most common reasons are to keep a breed standard and to prevent tail injuries.

Corgi

A Pembroke Welsh Corgi must have their tail cut off by the AKC breed standards. That is why if you buy an AKC Pembroke, it will not have a tail.

Pembroke corgis are also bred without a tail. There is a smaller percentage that will still have a tail. And those corgis usually get their tails docked regardless.

Weimaraner

One of the reasons why Weimaraner tails used to be docked is because they can get caught in things. For example, they can get broken if the tail gets stuck in a brush.

Weimaraners are dogs that were bred for hunting. They can get injured if they don’t have their tails docked and dewclaws removed. The Weimaraner Club of America supports this because it prevents injuries and helps the breed stay healthy.

Credits: thanks for the cover photo to Canva.

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