I have a litter of Doberman Pinscher pups that were born a few days ago. Sadly, my veterinarian is refusing to dock their tails. She is one of those tree huggers that thinks it's "cruel" to dock their tails. I am so upset. I asked her for a referral to a vet that does dock tails and she says that she won't do that, as she doesn't condone the practice. She said she will remove dewclaws, but is going to charge me for local anesthesia! I told her that they are newborn puppies and can't feel anything, yet she is so ignorant that she thinks they need local anesthesia and refuses to remove the dewclaws without! I didn't even bother asking her about ear cropping! Does anybody know how to remove dewclaws and tails at home? The last thing I want is puppies with tails. That brings down their purchase price dramatically and they look like gross mutts!
Your vet is in line with what is allowed by law here in the UK, (except for the shortening of tails in bona fide working gundog lines). As you mention ear cropping, I presume you are in the US, and so can only suggest that you either try some other vets, or ask the stud dog's owner, or your bitches breeder for advice.
Yes, I am in the US. My bitch came half way cross the country. There is no problem with docking/cropping in that area. Where I am, the liberal tree huggers don't want any dogs to have their tails or ears done. Vets are refusing to do it. They think it's mean or cruel or whatever bull. Best case scenario is I do it on my own. Worst case, I have to sell pups with tails and ears. I'd rather euthanize the entire litter than do that!
If you can't find someone local that can do it, then either leave them natural or travel to someone who will do it... Easy peasy
What a good vet. You should treasure her. She has the best interests of your dog(s) at heart and acts on those interests
A few days old and can't feel anything is total BS. Not getting into the dock and crop debate as there are differing opinions and not getting into that. Docking though has a chance of many life long injuries even when done by the best of vets.
Given you are in the US, do you not have a society that will recommenced a vet who docks , In the UK, before the tail docking ban, if you had a traditionally docked breed, you would get in touch with the "council of docked breeds" and they would give you the name of a vet local to you who would be willing to dock.......... do you not have something like this in the US, or what about the Dobe club, wont they have a list you can contact. you cant balme a vet for not doing it, its all about individual ethics, and I hasten to add you should have had all this in place before they were born. As for them looking like mutts I have to disagree, they are still dobermans with long tails, we in the UK have gotten use to seeing them now and its not an issue, and this is from someone who had Boxers with docked tails.
What a totally insane statement to make! And you call yourself a dog lover with a breed's best interests at heart! Disgusting.
She didn't say it, I was kind of being sarcastic. Generally those who breed are dog lovers & breed enthusiasts...well you'd hope they are anyway! But anyone who can be so shallow as to turn their backs on a breed altogether or talk about euthanizing a litter just because they're tails/ears are intact is NOT what I would consider a responsible & devoted breed person. If you're in a breed you like the breed for it's entirety, not just because it's ears sit in X style.
That was my point, as well. She never said that and many people aren't like that who breed dogs. I believe she is a troll anyway. I doubt she even has those dogs and she's lying about vets refusing to do it. In America, it's a common practice and I've never heard of vets that refuse. I'm not even sure they have that legal right. She's just saying all this to get a rise out of people.
