I have got a new puppy!

[Mad Doug Biker]

Well, at the other end of the spectrum, Cindy has been loosing weight for no reason over the past week or two, and was at the vet earlier for a blood test. We all hope it is nothing, but at 12 years old, we know she wont go on forever.

 

[SD1]

Well, at the end of the spectrum, Cindy has been loosing weight for no reason over the past week or two, and was at the vet earlier for a blood test. We all hope it is nothing, but at 12 years old, we know she wont go on forever.

Could have quite a few years in her yet. What breed is she?

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Shouldn't the title be, 'I've got a pre-owned puppy? It's second hand isn't it?

 

[SpokeyDokey]

FWIW:

http://www.britfeld.com/tail-dock/facts.htm

 

[Saluki]

Gorgeous pup there.

My old PJR is a working dog (docked tail), she came to me as an adult with no tail. Our little JRT, we got as a pup and she has a tail, very waggy it is too.
Although I prefer to see dogs with tails, I am enough of a country girl to prefer not to see working dogs covered in blood. I groom a lot of working Spaniels, none of which have long tails. In fact, I groom so many, I have seriously considered changing my business name to "The Spaniel Lady" as that is what many of my client's call me, as in "I'll give the Spaniel Lady a call and see if she can fit Molly/Milly/Billy/Jazz/whatever in for a groom"

Your Sway looks all business already @SD1 loved the pic where she is all wet from the river. Loved the mouse-hound shot too I hope that you have many happy years with her.

 

[fossyant]

Justifiably defensive. By that reckoning you could snip off a newborn baby's little finger with secateurs and they wouldn't feel a thing. Still, if you're OK with this, suit yourself.

I'll add some balance. I have to question why chopping off a male dogs bits is acceptable too. It does adversely affect health. As a male of the homo sapien verity, the little snip caused me to lose function in my jewels, so I have to now have injections as I'd be laid up in bed feeling like crap with zero energy as I have no natural testosterone. This does indeed have me thinking that we are way too happy to cut important bits out of animals to stop breeding, but it will affect health.

Just saying. If a dog is a working dog and the tail is a known cause of health issues through injury, then it might be better removed. Not if its a pet of course.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Could have quite a few years in her yet. What breed is she?

Not a Spanniel, she's our 3 legged Staffie (leg lost in a car accident before we got her). She might have her back left leg missing, but her tail is intact, albeit with a kink in it.

Staffies get such a bad press, but if brought up properly, that's half the battle. Also, Cindy was a Pedigree, but as rescue dogs, they loose their papers, so that you cannot go about buying up lots of cheap dogs for show. We think she was intended for show, but when she lost her leg, the owners didn't want her any more.

She's a lovely dog, and here she was at the weekend meeting @flyingfifi. I can't account for the idiot with the lead though, and who cut the bottom of her off?? :

She was very dark when young, but she has faded with age so now has large bits of brindle and grey too.

I can get much better pictures of her if you want

 

[buggi]

Be careful you don't walk her too far too soon. Doggy leg bones don't join up for a few months. Vet will advise but I think short five minute walks in first few months increasing slowly.

 

[buggi]

[QUOTE 3910480, member: 9609"]why would you do that ? unlike a dogs dew claw the little finger on a human is very useful and causes no problems later in life - where as a dew claw serves no purpose whatsoever and if the dog spends much time in heather it will cause no end of pain and discomfort, I would have thought the dog was better off having them removed when just a couple of days old. I have never seen it done but have been told by ghillies that snipping or pulling them out at a few days old causes no reaction in the dog, its as though they don't even feel it.[/QUOTE]
If they don't feel it then why do vets put them under anesthetic? It's not like cutting a nail, it's pulling it out. I'm with Tiny on this one. Docking is a cruel practice and in this day and age no need for it. If the tail is in danger of being damaged through working then maybe the question should be why are people putting their dogs in a situation where it can become harmed. Is the dog even actually working? Or is it just a working breed. And tails do have purpose. Balance. It's like cutting your big toe off. Without anaesthetic. Also a communication tool.

Anyway clearly this was beyond the OPs control so perhaps a discussion for another thread.

 

[SD1]

Shouldn't the title be, 'I've got a pre-owned puppy? It's second hand isn't it?

Obviously? I got it from the breeder at 7 weeks. If you count that as second hand then I suspect 99%+ are second hand dogs. Not sure what your point is?

 

[SD1]

If they don't feel it then why do vets put them under anesthetic? It's not like cutting a nail, it's pulling it out. I'm with Tiny on this one. Docking is a cruel practice and in this day and age no need for it. If the tail is in danger of being damaged through working then maybe the question should be why are people putting their dogs in a situation where it can become harmed. Is the dog even actually working? Or is it just a working breed. And tails do have purpose. Balance. It's like cutting your big toe off. Without anaesthetic. Also a communication tool.

Anyway clearly this was beyond the OPs control so perhaps a discussion for another thread.

They don't use an an anesthetic as the dog doesn't feel it. I was merely informing as to the procedure. Docking can't take place after the 5th day. The dew claw serves no purpose other than to cause problems for the dog. Left over from a previous evolution.
"be why are people putting their dogs in a situation where it can become harmed" That is merely an anti hunting statement.
Its a 14 week old pup of course it's not working. The shooting season has just started. So no chance of working her till this time next year.
I have yet to see a dog with a docked tail with poor balance. Her mother walks along a telegraph pole without being asked without a problem.
The hackles are the main communication tool between dogs or at least the important one. I think there is more than sufficient tail to communicate happiness and fear to me.

 

[buggi]

[QUOTE 3910761, member: 9609"]My comment was just about the dew claw, I have had two labs, neither working dogs but both have spent huge amounts of time hill walking with me, the first lab was from a game keeper and arrived with no dew claws, our second arrived with them intact. I'm sure the first had a moment of discomfort when they were removed but i'm also sure the second has had much more discomfort with them snagging on heather - as for not putting the dog in harms way by not taking the dog wild camping and hill walking, I would suggest the fun he has had up in the hills greatly outweighs the occasional problems they have caused.[/QUOTE]
Yes but I doubt wild camping and hill walking damages a dogs tail, that's my point. and if I pulled your finger nail out, you could class that as a moment of discomfort but I'm pretty sure you'd be p!ssed off about it. Anyway pulling out a dew claw is not like cutting off an appendage... Which a tail is. They may not be able to say it but I'm pretty sure its more that discomfort. You have dismissed Tiny's reference to the finger by stating the tail is not important like a finger. But its still an appendage and that was her point.. It would hurt just as much. I'm pretty sure if I had a tail,I wouldn't want anyone to cut it off.

 

[buggi]

They don't use an an anesthetic as the dog doesn't feel it. I was merely informing as to the procedure. Docking can't take place after the 5th day. The dew claw serves no purpose other than to cause problems for the dog. Left over from a previous evolution.
"be why are people putting their dogs in a situation where it can become harmed" That is merely an anti hunting statement.
Its a 14 week old pup of course it's not working. The shooting season has just started. So no chance of working her till this time next year.
I have yet to see a dog with a docked tail with poor balance. Her mother walks along a telegraph pole without being asked without a problem.
The hackles are the main communication tool between dogs or at least the important one. I think there is more than sufficient tail to communicate happiness and fear to me.

Yes they do use an aesthetic... Unless the dog is too young to complain or bite them... They wouldn't try it with an adult dog they know it would defend itself. It doesn't hurt more bcoz they are adults. It's just they can defend themselves.

People without big toes learn to walk again, didn't mean it wasn't before they lost it.

Personally I feel that if you are willing to be this cruel to a dog you shouldn't own one. But I suppose that's my opinion and you can't argue with psychos or country folk... They always think they know best.

 

[vernon]

Yes but I doubt wild camping and hill walking damages a dogs tail, that's my point. and if I pulled your finger nail out, you could class that as a moment of discomfort but I'm pretty sure you'd be p!ssed off about it. Anyway pulling out a dew claw is not like cutting off an appendage... Which a tail is. They may not be able to say it but I'm pretty sure its more that discomfort. You have dismissed Tiny's reference to the finger by stating the tail is not important like a finger. But its still an appendage and that was her point.. It would hurt just as much. I'm pretty sure if I had a tail,I wouldn't want anyone to cut it off.

You haven't let facts get in the way of your opinions have you?

 

[vernon]

But I suppose that's my opinion and you can't argue with psychos or country folk... They always think they know best.

You can't argue with opinionated folk...They always think that they know best.