birdman652001
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Posts:194
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| 06/10/2009 8:02 AM |
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Ive seen several dogs have different tail dock at different length... Remington is quite short, I wonder why vets have standards of what they can and cannot dock off for measurements in different states or just is it the vet's or breeder's preference to cut what length? |
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Dwayners
Toronto, ON
MH
Posts:271
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| 06/10/2009 8:34 AM |
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some say it's docked at the first white portion, but I don't really know if that's true. |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:3914
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| 06/10/2009 8:36 AM |
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| Where the tail starts to thin is where we like it. |
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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singltrak
Las Cruces, NM
MH
Posts:1051
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| 06/10/2009 8:50 AM |
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Its definitely tricky business. Puppy tails are docked at 1-3 days of age, actually the earlier the better because there is little blood supply there. If you take the tail (when it is full length) and run it between your fingers, there is a taper midway and that is a natural docking spot. The breed standard calls for removing 2/5, but that is very hard to estimate on a baby. If possible, the breeder will leave a bit of white on the tip as the white hair not only grows over the stub more quickly but is easy to see in the field. Sometimes, the pup has a solid liver tail and that's just not possible.
So, yes, there is a standard they are docked to, and it is always easier to dock a bit longer. You can't add it back on later. |
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Look to the Past, Breed for the Future |
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Kerplunk105
Bucks County, PA
MH
Posts:712
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| 06/10/2009 9:10 AM |
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| Even though there is a standard, I think it depends a lot on where you are located. For some reason, a lot of the GSP's I've seen around here (PA) have much shorter tails. I met a guy who got his hunting GSP in Kansas. Her tail was very long. Leena's is in the middle. |
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Elizabeth
Leena RIP 11/08-9/17/09
Bliss, the Labrador
Tegan, the Weim/Labrador
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singltrak
Las Cruces, NM
MH
Posts:1051
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| 06/10/2009 11:54 AM |
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| I don't agree on this...seems like you are saying so what if there is a standard? Some vets don't have a clue either and will dock them to look like Boxer tails, really ugly and upsets the visual balance of the dog on point also. MHO as a breeder who tries to stick to the standard. |
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Look to the Past, Breed for the Future |
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carlower1
Kansas
MH
Posts:1253
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| 06/10/2009 12:43 PM |
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| well I don't know who did what but Wachter barely has a stub.. so who-ever did it ... did it WAY too short! |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:6744
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Dwayners
Toronto, ON
MH
Posts:271
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| 06/10/2009 1:33 PM |
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Michigan has a short little stub, too, but there is white at the tip. Though personally I think it is a bit too short, since we got her from a shelter I don't really mind. The tail is not a deal breaker, as Texas Belle infers. |
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birdman652001
MH
Posts:194
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| 06/10/2009 3:43 PM |
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| well my breeder said the vet did all his dogs before they opened their eyes due to nervous system arent fully delvopled and said that they may YELP once but doesnt focus on their tail once its docked, they will go back to feeding or sleeping whatever they are in the mood for. I just noticed how most of your GSP here have a medium cut where Remington has a pretty short cut. but does seem like it gets longer as he grows??? does that sound right? |
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mase
MH
Posts:109
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| 06/10/2009 4:06 PM |
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I feel it does grow
here is a pic of mase when i got him and one now his tail is alot longer
it does look longer of corse he has grown i know of a litter of GWP that all got docked the same lengths and as they have grown some seem longer then others all the thick tails are shorter and some have thin tails that are longer ??? strange |
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dnauer
Colorado Springs, CO
MH
Posts:156
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| 06/10/2009 4:28 PM |
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To achieve the recommended 40% of tail in the standard, we've had good luck with the rule of thumb that the docking point is the digit above (towards the dog) the point where the tail is even with the bottom of the vulva/testicles when the tail is gently pulled down for that measurement. It has given us pretty consistent results. We have a friend who is a vet tech that comes to the house to do the docking at 3 days of age.
Dave |
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Dave in Colorado
Voyager GSPs
"If there are no dogs in heaven, when I die, I want to go where they went" -- Will Rogers |
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lauralee
Plainfield, CT.
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Posts:449
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| 06/10/2009 4:31 PM |
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It's easy to dock the tails at the wrong length, because the tail doesn't always grow at the same rate as the dog. It's common to want to dock the tail too short, and if you dock the tail at the proper length at 3 days old, it will appear to be too long., but as the pup grows it fills into it's tail.
A lot of show breeders use the method of taking the tail and placing it down to just cover the crotch of the pup, and dock so if looking at the pup from the rear, and the tail is in a down position, the tip of the tail would reach to just were the testicles are. This appears to be too long, but it ends up a correct length when the dog is mature. I have never seen a tail come out at the wrong length when done this way |
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lauralee
Plainfield, CT.
MH
Posts:449
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| 06/10/2009 4:33 PM |
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| Hey Dave, I guess you and I were posting at the same times, and also posting the same method of tail dockin,lol |
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dnauer
Colorado Springs, CO
MH
Posts:156
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| 06/10/2009 4:39 PM |
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Yes -- and the tails do look too long at three days old when this is done, but usually end up the right length or occassionally slightly longer. Before we adapted this rule of thumb (and we didn't invent it, we found out about it) our earlier litters had tails that we felt were too short relative to the standard. So we were thinking alike! 
Dave |
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Dave in Colorado
Voyager GSPs
"If there are no dogs in heaven, when I die, I want to go where they went" -- Will Rogers |
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