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Originally Posted by DFrost
I am a police officer and a trainer of police dogs. In my 40 years as a trainer for police dogs, I can count the number of tails that had to be docked for health reasons on both hands. The number of dogs I've worked, trained and worked with goes well into the thousands. Surgery on a dog is either for health concerns or cosmetic. I just don't think too many dogs are suffering from low self esteem needing cosmetic surgery.
DFrost
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I think that police dog work may be just a tad different than running in the field for 8 hours at a time. The wear and rash that is on the chest and belly are raw enough without adding in the damage to the tail. Put a "pointing" labrador and a Weim or GSH in the field all day and see who comes out worse for the wear on their tail. We're talking about minimizing damage, or even eliminating it on a what could be daily or weekly basis. And again, you admit that even the breed you work with in that field have had injuries to tails. Do you think that the injury at that point in life was the same as the injury to a docked tail at 48 hours of age? Any pain, discomfort or recovery differences??