# tails



## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

Ok, I hope this isn't a stupid question, but I was just looking at all of the great pictures of Vizsla's in the picture gallery, and I noticed that some of them had longer tails than others, just curious as to why? Is it just a preference?


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Docking (amputating) the tail of a puppy is probably an inexact science, if you know what I mean. They are so little to begin with... I think the way the AKC standard reads, it is supposed to be a 1/3 tail dock, with 2/3 remaining intact on the dog. This is done to prevent injury of the thinnest part of the tail while the dog is hunting. 
Willie only has about 1/3 to 1/2 of his tail remaining. He came to me that way, and if it was up to me, it wouldn't have been docked at all. Also, I think it is interesting to note that in Hungary, the dog's tail is left complete and in its natural state. Docking is frowned upon there, and after all, the Vizsla is the national dog of Hungary.


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## Big Rick (Apr 14, 2009)

Maybe some of our European members can confirm or deny this but I believe that it is illegal (in some countries) to dock dogs tails. We started to buy a Rottweiler from a breeder in Florida but he had a full tail and the breeder said he followed the German standard which forbade the docking.


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## DixiesMom (Feb 5, 2009)

Rick, you are correct, most European countries ban both ear and tail cropping.


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## Mercutio (Jan 18, 2010)

Australia also banned tail and ear docking / cropping a few years ago.

Which apparently has led to some breeders of some breeds refusing to breed any more dogs. 

I understand in some cases it is done for health reasons for the dogs but Merc seems OK with his tail. Although there are times when he has whipped one of us with his tail (or cleared a coffee table) that we've though "social" reasons for tail docking might be acceptable


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## Chilli monster (Sep 16, 2010)

chilli has a full tail but unfortunately she hurt her tail while hunting... 

here is the result 6 weeks after...


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

I read that tail docking is/was done to prevent tail injury during hunting, as well as, to allow the dog to move in in cover with less noise.


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## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

That's interesting information, did not know that most european countries and Australia do not dock the tails. Poor chilli I hope her tail is feeling much better now, that looked painful.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Good reason to dock the tails if you ask me.


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## willbill59 (Mar 23, 2011)

I was told by the breeder and then confirmed by my vet, the reason that they are docked is because their tails are brittle at the end. The breeder said once it takes a good hit on the tail it will crack and split. This being said while hunting if the tail hits a tree or any hard object the tail splits. Docking the tail of a Vizsla will prevent the dog going through any excruciating pain. Hope this is helpful.


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## Kailua (Feb 12, 2009)

The older Vizsla (Snickers) is a 'local boy" that had his dew claws removed and tail docked. The second Vizlsa (Peanut) is from New Zealand where the breeder didn't dock tails or remove the dew claws. When we got both dogs neutered we chose to remove the dew claws since Peanut is so active. If I had a choice though, I would like to have had Peanut's tail docked as a newborn. That tail of his is a WHIP! However, from a distance, that tail is the only thing that I can tell the two dogs apart from.


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## zeko07 (Jul 2, 2011)

hi all
i am new to this site. our Vizsla, Zeko, split the end of his tail @ 3 weeks ago whilst he was in kennels (never again). apparently he was wagging his tail too much against the wire fence?! anyway, my question is this, is there any special treatment to hasten the healing process as the tail heals then quickly weeps again with a flick against a door or chair leg? i am hopeful the tail will make a full recovery and want to avoid docking, will it just be a matter of time, or will it be a problem for life. Zeko is 20 moinths old.


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## East0352 (Jul 24, 2011)

I read up a lot on this, and what I found is that the docking for Viszlas and Weimarinars are due to the tails being injured while hunting or just playing around. My WH-Viszla's tail is broken right at the spot where it should have been docked. The tail is so thin that a good whack against a corner of a door jam can cause dislocation and breakage. It doesn't bother him, but he has a very distinctive Check-mark shaped tail. Also, one day I left for a few minutes to run to the store and when I returned there was blood from one end of the house to the other where he clipped the end of his tail and started bleeding profusely. Anyway, there where dark brown spots on every wall at about the 26-30 inch mark which required every room to be repainted. This wound would regularly open up and bleed a lot, for about 3 weeks. I recommend Docking if possible. He tends to beat himself in the face when laying on the couch in a ball and starts to wag his tail too. It's a deadly weapon.


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## Ms1234 (May 14, 2010)

My Vizsla also has a full tail. I got her in Canada, but the breeder used to live in the UK and still abides by their standard of not docking the tails.
The end of her tail unfortunately got jammed in a door 4 weeks ago and we are still trying to get it to heal. The accident caused a u-shaped cut that had to be stitched. The vet had to tape a hard plastic tube over the end of her tail to prevent her from whacking it on stuff and re-opening the wound. Tail wounds are particularily hard to heal as it is impossible to get a dog to stop wagging their tail. East0352...I can sympathize....an injured wagging dog tail does indeed send blood flying everywhere. What a mess! 
The vet suggested they may have to remove the last 1.5 inches of her tail if this wound will not heal. I'm hoping that it will not come to that as the healing process for that would also be lengthy. I guess I am still on the fence about tail docking...but at this point if she had just come with a docked tail it would have saved me about $600 in vet bills due to this injury.


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