Q: Our Rottweiler has a docked tail, as do many dogs in the U.S. While watching a British dog show on television, I noticed that all the show dogs had natural, undocked tails. Why?
A: Many countries ban cosmetic tail docking, or amputation of the tail, because the risks of long-term problems are greater than any perceived cosmetic benefit.
Tail docking handicaps dogs, robbing them of the ability to use their tails to signal their moods and intentions. Conversely, when a dog with a full-length tail wags it to greet another dog, the other dog is less apt to feel threatened and respond aggressively….