Puppies and Tail Docking

Our question this week was:

Why do some puppies have their tails cut off?


Tail docking is the surgical removal of part of the tail. This procedure is most often performed in healthy puppies between 2 to 5 days of age.

A similar procedure may be performed in older pets, but this is considered a tail amputation, not a tail dock.

Tail docking is most often performed in puppies to prevent tail damage in certain breeds, for hygiene reasons and to comply with specific breed standards.

Here is an article that gives more information on how it is done: Tail docking.




Our question this week came from Lyndl U., from Seattle, Washington.




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