Natural bobtail is a naturally occurring mutation in the T-box transcription factor T gene resulting in a shortened tail. Phenotype: Dogs with natural bobtail have naturally bobbed (shortened) tails.
The most familiar dog breeds with docked tails include Australian Shepherd, Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog, Brittany Spaniel, Danish Swedish Farmdog, Jack Russell Terrier, Schipperke, and Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Many of those are due to a gene mutation called C189G. Breeding removed their tails.
A: Tail docking of some breeds may be based on a belief that their non-working members experience risks similar to working dogs; more commonly, however, it is to conform to a distinctive breed appearance or standard.
The trained eye can identify a natural bobtail from a docked tail, as the bobbed will have tail bone which narrows to a point with a fleshy pad covering the end and usually a tuft of hair at the tip of the tail to finish, whereas a docked tail will be blunt.
Generally, a docked dog will have some kind of scar or clear suture line at the “tip” of the tail. In my personal experience, NBT dogs have a little skin tag or blob of fat at the tip of the tail. Either way, this procedure is traditionally done at two to three days, long before the bones have joined together.
However, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and British Veterinary Association (BVA) maintain that tail docking is painful and may negatively affect the development of a puppy's vulnerable nervous system. Additionally, poorly performed docking can lead to chronic pain.
The Australian Shepherd is one dog breed of many that gets its tail docked. This involves using surgery or tightly constricting the tail to get it to about four inches total. In doing so, your animal could compete in dog shows, as it meets breed standards. Their shorter the animal tail may also be more hygienic.
A natural bobtail is an animal's tail which due to a mutated gene grows unusually short or is missing completely. The genes for the shortened tail may be dominant or recessive.
Bobbed tails are naturally shortened (bobbed) tails that dogs are born with. The length of the bobbed tail can vary for each dog. Docking is when part or all of the tail is removed from the dog. It's typically done when dogs are only a few days old because their tails are still “soft” at this time.
General Information. The stumpy tail occurs in some breeds: Australian Shepherd, Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog, Braque du Bourbonnais, Brazilian Terrier, Epagneul Breton, Jack Russell Terrier, Mudi, Polish Owczarek Nizinny, Pyrenean Herding Dog, Schipperke, Spanish Water Dog, Welsh Corgi Pembroke, etc.
In 2004, tail docking for non-therapeutic reasons was banned across Australia. Since then it has been illegal to dock dogs' tails unless there is a veterinary medical reason for the operation.
A dog's tail has 20 vertebrae (although some breeds with short tails have less) and can pack a pretty good wallop. Happy tail syndrome in dogs occurs when this strong tail repeatedly hits solid objects with force during a wagging session, resulting in the thin skin of the tail splitting open.
Complications - As with any surgical procedure, there is potential for complications, such as excessive bleeding, infection, delayed healing and necrosis. Neuromas, which have been associated with chronic pain, may develop, but their incidence and persistence is not known.
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) reports that tail docking is a painful procedure and that puppies have a fully developed nervous system and are fully capable of feeling pain.
Short-docked tails have been associated with increased incidence of rectal prolapse in some studies. Though there is pain associated with tail docking, fly strike can lead to discomfort, pain and eventually death of the lamb.
Tail docking occurs in one of two ways. The first involves constricting the blood supply to the tail with a rubber ligature for a few days until the tail falls off. The second involves the severance of the tail with surgical scissors or a scalpel.
In Victoria, prohibited procedures relating to dogs are ear cropping, debarking and tail docking. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (the Act) protects the welfare of all animals in Victoria.
The practice is banned or restricted in 36 countries; in the United States, docking must be performed by a licensed veterinarian but some vets are voluntarily refusing to perform this procedure, as it is believed to be largely cosmetic in this day and age.
In some breeds, selective breeding and nature have caused tail docking. Genetics has made natural bobbed tails and short tails in breeds such as the Old English Sheepdog, Australian shepherd, French bulldog, Boston terrier, Welsh corgi, English bulldog and Brittany spaniel.
This practice is now outlawed in most of Europe but is still a common practice in the U.S. Approximately 70 dog breeds are subject to docking for their breed standard.
Are Poodles Born With Tails? Yes, Poodles give birth to puppies with long, natural tails. In litters where docking is performed, it happens at 1-2 weeks of age. The procedure should preferably be done by a veterinarian to ensure a sanitary process.
In the case of the Australian Shepherd pup, tail docking is a procedure that benefits the life of the dog. A shorter tail prevents potential breaking later in life and ensures a cleaner and more sanitary lifestyle for the dog and its owner.
The breed's most distinctive feature, for which the breed is named, is the frequent lack of a tail. When there is a tail, it is quite short, no longer than 10 cm (4 in.), and undocked.
Other dog breeds that are not docked, such as Border Collies and Rough Collies, had a risk estimate of only 0.08%.
Traditionally, a Rottweiler's tail was docked (cut short) so it would not get in the way when the dog performed certain tasks, such as pulling a cart. If a working dog's tail is docked, it cannot get caught in something or be stepped on. Tails are also docked for visual appeal and home safety.