min aussie with tail

RL Valley Ranch Aussies always leaves tails intact on our puppies!!  We have had a TON of requests for tails to be left intact, and done a ton of research.  I will always do what is best for my dogs.  Always.  And docking a tail unnecessarily just does not follow that.  We want to be a part of changing the perception of what an aussie looks like.  A lot of people assume aussies are born without a tail (fun fact, about 15% of aussies are born with natural bob tails).  But in fact most aussies tails are docked at birth.  

Facts:  Docking is illegal in all European countries, Australia, and Brazil.

Facts:  Docking is condemned by the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Hospital Association (links below)

Where did docking originate?  Interestingly, docking was originally thought to prevent rabies.  (obviously that is not true) Now days, tail docking is done “to prevent injury to the tail and/or spine.”  It’s thought that docking in herding breeds such as australian shepherds might prevent the dog from having it’s tail stepped on while working stock.  However, this is widely debatable, and there is very minimal research to support this.  The largest study to date on tail injuries in dogs the incidence was 0.23% (less than 1%!!!)  totaling up to 500 dogs need to be docked to prevent one tail injury.  (reference https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docking_(dog)) Miniature and toy aussies are not going to be “working stock” anyway.  So there is zero reason to dock.  Accept cosmetic reasons (i.e. people are used to aussies with docked tails)  I believe that is no longer a good enough reason.  An aussie is so much more than a tail (or lack there of).  Their “look” is so much more than an amputation.  The aussie look is their beautiful head, strong athletic body structure.  Their soft beautiful coat.  A tail left intact certainly does not change the inherent characteristics that we know and love about our aussies.  

I challenge everyone to read and research.  I think it’s easy for us as humans to point and say “look, there’s plenty of dogs with docked tails that are fine, happy and healthy!”  This appears to be true!  I own many with docked tails that are in fact, to the best of my knowledge, healthy happy dogs.  I think one thing is missing from that attitude though.  Dog’s cannot communicate with us in spoken words.  And by their very nature, dogs are “stoic” and “hide any signs of pain”.  Therefore, I feel that saying all docked dogs are “fine” isn’t a true representation.  There are numerous studies that have actually dug into brain waves and pain nerve receptors that say otherwise.  (links below!)

miniature australian shepherd with tail

I have compiled some reading materials for those that want to dig deeper:

Links to read:

This one is not written by vets, but I found it interesting and humorous:  https://barkpost.com/discover/strange-origins-tail-docking/

By AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Assoc)  https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/ear-cropping-and-tail-docking-dogs

 Another By AVMA https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/welfare-implications-tail-docking-dogs

 Michigan State University Animal Center Law (this one talks about laws and docking):  https://www.animallaw.info/article/cropping-and-docking-discussion-controversy-and-role-law-preventing-unnecessary-cosmetic

An interesting read written by a veterinarian:  http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/talking-down-tail-docking-one-docking-beleaguered-veterinarians-ta

This article is mainly about dew claws.  But I found it relevant in that it talks about pain, and how dogs by their nature, do not tell us about pain:  https://sugarfactoryvetclinicmt.com/resources/medical-articles/do-the-dew-claws/?fbclid=IwAR3M0ZWXoO5e2y8FQWVo3dxj86RYZOlU7PF3cbpDB-_70k_EQC88BmxF_GM#

An interesting article on the perceptions of both other dogs and people to dogs with docked vs intact tails:  https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/dog-spies/tail-docking-and-ear-cropping-affect-dogs-and-not-just-physically/?fbclid=IwAR0Yn7NzZxBNPs_XdSD_v7GvYPZHjcbXuHegMozvI4tdUuqEMcLMXItA7H8

One of the most comprehensive studies on docking that I’ve found thus far:  https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/19013/direct?fbclid=IwAR1W0FadQFLn-h8TSxOHtPaiH2Sjpj5TwWp4rEpSfNzW9lLsduThgzk_1KI

A very detailed review of studies done on neonatal rats, lambs, and puppies.  It dives deep into actual studies on if neonatal animals do in fact feel pain, and the long term effects of tail docking.  Surprisingly, the studies find that puppies under 7 days of age do not in fact feel pain like a mature animal.  BUT the long term negative effects of docking are significant in the studies.  It is documented in this article/studies that docking DOES cause long term heightened generalized sensitivity to pain, and in the tail stump, neuroma induced chronic pain and greater sensitivity to touch that elicits pain.  It also dives into evidence that tails are in fact “necessary appendages” and suggests that laws need to be stated that way.    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6028921/?fbclid=IwAR02HIRQqej2PqSkNjp7pUXbGSRatGXkkjqiFm-03raolQEB7FWyDEUGG6c

I emplore  everyone to research.  Read.  Ask questions.  Ask yourself what is most important to you.  For me, it is happy, healthy dogs.  We are proud to raise aussies with their beautiful tails!!  Do better, Be better. 

Here’s some links to puppies we have raised with tails: 

Pics below are our pups, both as puppies and grown up, with their natural, beautiful TAILS!!!

More pics of past puppies with their tails here on our past pups page!

Pics below of aussies with tails.  They are not our dogs, but shared with permission.  I’m very much looking forward to pups we retain for our program to have their beautiful tails.  I look forward to being able to share pics of mini and toy aussies with tails as they all grow and mature!

miniature aussie with tail

mini aussie with tail
miniature australian shepherd with tail
miniature australian shepherd with tail
miniature australian shepherd with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
miniature australian shepherd with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
mini aussie with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
mini aussie with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
mini aussie with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
toy australian shepherd with tail
mini aussie with tail

I would like to thank all the folks that graciously shared their photos of their aussies with tails!! I’m a part of a facebook groups Aussies with Tails- Breeders- Australian Shepherd & Mini American Shepherd and ISO Australian Shepherds with Tails (check em out!)

I’d also like to make a shout out to the families that first asked for tails to be left intact, thank you for paving the waY!

Also I have to thank my kiddos. For inspiring me to do better, to ask questions, and to be brave.

Enjoy this adorable video of our puppies with their happy TAILS!! (feel free to follow us on youtube!)

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