Here at Shadowside we can still have our puppies legally docked. There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding docking, so I am going to try and clear these issues up. DEFRA took control on the docking of puppies in April 2007 and as breeders of traditionally docked dogs you have to fill certain criteria to be allowed to have puppies docked (on some breeds there is a complete ban) the bare minimum that you need is a shot gun licence, it also helps if you can prove that the dogs are to be used as working dogs. The next hurdle is finding a vet that will dock as most vets will not dock now, (because of the politics) even if you do fulfil the criteria needed.

Before DEFRA took control in April 2007 just about every breeder who bred a traditionally docked dog docked their puppies, it will be quite hard to find a dog that has not been docked pre April 2007. There was no control on docking and we were allowed to dock ourselves, we are not allowed now and a vet MUST dock and fill out the DEFRA paperwork to say that they have docked. All docked dogs post April 2007 must now be micro chipped also, DEFRA have stipulated this. The micro chipping must also be carried out by a vet as they also need to fill out the DEFRA paperwork to say that they have chipped the dog. Qualified micro chippers are not allowed to chip docked dogs post April 2007. It clearly states on the DEFRA paperwork that docked dogs must be chipped by a qualified vet or a vet nurse supervised by a qualified vet.

When puppies are docked they are normally docked at 3 days of age (any older than this and they shouldn’t really be docked) the docking does not hurt them and if they are asleep they don’t normally even wake up. It is a lot worse taking off dew claws as they are near a major artery.

Some championship dog shows are not allowing docked dogs post April 2007, this is true. So effectively it will become harder to have a champion show dog that has been docked post Aril 2007. Docked dogs post April 2007 will not get to Crufts. Docked dogs pre April 2007 are allowed at shows. Most open shows allow docked dogs but only some of these are crufts qualifiers and no tickets are given out to promote your dog to become a champion.

Most breeders now will tell you that they haven’t docked as their puppies will be good enough to show, in some cases this may be true. You will also be told that it is not healthy to dock puppies, this is not true. The reason the breeder is not docking is probably due to the fact that they now can’t dock!!!!!!! Cockers are a gun dog and they will hunt, well some of them, show type Cockers are rarely used as gun dogs now as we have developed the Working Cocker a much quicker, agile, eager dog ( in most cases). If a show type gets on the scent of something i.e.; a rabbit it will attempt to flush, if it sees a rabbit and begins chase and the rabbit runs through brambles the Cocker will give chase and follow. Now begins the first problem, if the Cocker has a tail and has a full coat of hair the hair on the tail can get caught on the brambles thorns thus causing the dog to self amputate. Ouch say no more!!!!!!!! Also because they are a waggy breed there is always the chance of damaging their tails on furniture and door frames etc.

My wife shows some of my dogs for me and as we try to produce dogs that are good enough to show I am no longer going to have my puppies docked., I have youngsters that are qualified for crufts and unfortunately if they had of been docked they would not be going.

I can still have puppies docked if anybody requires one and this will not be a problem. The puppy will have to be chosen though before it is 3 days old. For further information on purchasing a docked puppy you will need to speak to me.