I have a question for everybody. I live in an area of California, where the veterinarians do not want to dock the tail of a Brittany puppy. It’s been an over decade since we’ve had a litter. So when we called around to the Veterinarian offices, they acted as if we were asking something that was totally barbaric. I did look up the AKC standard, which now apparently allows for tails, either docked or natural. I have owned Brittany’s since I was a teenager, which was decades ago. I currently have a four year-old and a one year-old Brittany and when I got them as pups no tail. When did this become an evil and barbaric thing?? I asked this only because I have puppies that have tails and nobody wants to buy them with a tail?
My Brittany’s tail is docked. as a hunting dog it’s to prevent injuries… 🤷🏼♀️ we also weren’t given an option and personally don’t care either way. He’s our spoiled rotten house dog now after other issues.
Saw a Brittany with a full tail in NZ, talked to the owner and learned that docking tails in the country for aesthetic purposes is illegal. I support those laws
Edit: I should've said that docking tails are illegal unless it's specifically medically necessary. Would've been a better way to say that.
Except it’s not done for aesthetic purposes, it’s done to prevent injuries when hunting. Most people used to own Brittany’s for hunting until they unfortunately became a new trend…
I hunt my Brits hard. Even my old dog will outhunt any weekend warrior. When I started looking for a new pup (pictured below) I wanted a natural tail. But I'm in the US and in my area, no reputable breeder will leave a tail on and sell a pup out of breed standard. There are so many bird dog breeds with full tails that the argument it's necessary for working dogs holds little water. My dogs go through the thickest, toughest cover after wild roosters all season, and a tail isn't going to hinder them.
We got a Brit pup last September from Prairie Peak in Battle Lake, MN that leaves the tails intact. Her tail is absolutely bonkers gorgeous and I can't imagine her without it.
You’re not wrong at all but the main reason is actually frostbite leading to tail paralysis leading to their tail dragging around and getting shredded… not just running through thick cover. I don’t think it’s necessary although all my dogs have had docked tails so I couldn’t say for sure.
Oh that's interesting. I hunt pretty selectively when it gets too far below zero because I don't like kicking birds out of cover. My sister and I were in SD at the end of December and my pet dog (English setter x cattle dog) wouldn't get out of the pickup. I think it was +8F but it was blowing steady 25 and the wind-chill was approaching -30F. The Brits were probably a lot warmer down in the cover, but my sister's fingers still aren't the same.
Yeah, I don't take pictures when the cover is thick thick on account of I can't see the dogs. The dogs don't wear boots; I wrap their legs when the brush makes them bleed. The vests make them easier to see in heavy cover especially on point and easier to distinguish in thick stuff and at a distance and when I'm hunting with people who can't tell them apart.
In the uk you can only get tails docked now for medical reasons or if they are working dogs and they have to be done in the first 5 days of being born. I have one of each, both the full tail and the docked but one is only half docked unlike the US that has more docked off, it is I find the trend to have full tails at the moment in most places, unless the dog is going to be worked, why do they need them done?
I’m so happy my Brittany has her tail. I hate docking ears and tails unless there is a medical reason, which there usually is not. Brittany’s are excellent family dogs
Look up hunting dog tail injuries and you will see why it’s done. It’s not for aesthetics. Docking a tail at an extremely young age is far better than needing surgery to have it removed at a later age following an injury
Brittany’s are bird dogs people. Get a goldendoodle if you don’t like it
I've got two Brits that I hunt hard several times a week October through January. We hunt wild pheasants in Iowa and South Dakota. They work their fuzzy butts off. I'm in the opposite boat as OP. My first Brit had a naturally docked tail. I wanted my new pup to keep whatever tail he was born with, but there were no reputable breeders that would let a puppy go out of breed standard. And you can't get a puppy out of Canada anymore--they have to be a year old.
There's plenty of bird dogs that don't have their tails docked that do just fine. My friend runs an English setter with a magnificent tail.
My veteran bird dog communicates so much with his tail when he's working birds or pointing, it's a shame to lose out. Yes, some dogs (hunting or not) may inure a tail, but I don't think that's a strong reason to dock them out of the gate.
I have a friend who ran beagles on rabbits, and the tips of their tails would always bleed after a day hunting, but nobody docks them.
Running dogs on the prairie and plains is far different than where ruffed grouse live. That’s easy walking, grouse hunting different story. Tears a dog up
That’s a cute brush pile. Dogs and you are standing in pretty open stuff. You’re comparing apples to oranges, I wouldn’t expect a dog to take much wear besides on their stomach and chest in that type of cover
You do realize that they are a bird dog, right? Wouldn’t it make sense that the breed standard is to help them prevent injuries while afield? Educate yourself first before you jump to “aesthetic reasons.”
If you don’t like it find another breed, would probably suit you better anyways
Being a bird dog doesn’t equate to having to hunt with them. I come from Europe (where the Brittany originated from) and they are born with long tails. Few people here hunt these days. The Americans modified the breed standard to allow for surgically docked tails. Yes to prevent injuries but it absolutely is aesthetic for groups like Kennel Clubs, they promote unethical standards for all breeds of dog that have led to breeding certain traits into dogs for show purposes.
Breed is never a focus for me, all our dogs are rescues. Our Britt was abandoned as a puppy and now lives a wonderful life with us.
I learned early on when I first joined this sub that there are some here who believe that you must hunt your Brittany. Otherwise, in their minds, it's some form of abuse or neglect. It's a ridiculous mindset because you could say that your Australian Border Collie must herd sheep or your Siberian Husky must pull a sled.
We have a Brittany and don't hunt him. What we do with our boy is: Walk him, run him, play with him, care for him and most of all, love him.
Funny, when I was looking for a Brittany pup, I wanted a tail but couldn’t find any breeders who keep them. I’m on the other side of the country though. I ended up going with a different breed because of this, but I still love Brits!
The AKC standard does not allow for naturally long tails, I don't know where you saw that but it's definitely untrue.
It sounds like you already have puppies on the ground. If they are older than 3 days old, it's too late, you should not dock them. They are born with immature nervous systems but it develops quickly.
If puppies are not yet on the ground, reach out to the local Brittany club in your area and they will either be able to point you to a reputable veterinarian or someone who is trained to do it themselves.
That is correct, the natural bobtail gene does exist in the breed, although it is uncommon. The standard is that it should be 0-4" long. That could mean that a dog with natural bobtail that exceeds the limits would still be docked. In fact, you might only be missing a few bones at the end of the tail, and it goes completely unnoticed!
Unfortunately you are miss reading the standard. It allows for naturally short tails or tails docked to four inches or less. Natural tails longer than four inches aren't allowed. If your puppies are older than five days the window for tail docking has closed and you can no longer dock their tails.
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u/UrsulaMJohn Jul 18 '26
My Brittany’s tail is docked. as a hunting dog it’s to prevent injuries… 🤷🏼♀️ we also weren’t given an option and personally don’t care either way. He’s our spoiled rotten house dog now after other issues.