Their tails may also be docked to help enhance their ability to work and to make grooming easier, though it is really an unnecessary cosmetic procedure. In the 18th century, dogs who were not working dogs were fined. If this is your very first foray into agility, be aware that you are jumping into the deep end. Most people prefer to have their Australian Shepherds tail docked, but not everyone does it for the same reasons. Australian Shepherds are working dogs and would have been among the many breeds that had their tails docked. The following is from the AKC website: "There are various reasons why a purebred dog might not be eligible for registration. Dog Tail Wagging During Sleep and Other Sleep Movements. In order to show that the dog was a working dog, owners would dock the tails. As an Amazon Associate, TrendingBreeds.com earns from qualifying purchases. The dog may be the product of an unregistered litter, or have unregistered parents. Im glad we have some good and important laws in Europa like the one forbidding docking. The PAL program allows the dog and owner a second chance at discovering the rewards of participating in AKC events.". Usually unless its an AKC event youll be okay. You'll also have to consider how committed to agility you are. It would not need to be PAL is the dog's parents are registered with AKC, ASCA, or CanadianKC. (Minor notes: Exceptions exist for major mismarks that can be recognized at birth. The dogs papers may have been withheld by its breeder or lost by its owner. The Reddit agility page might be a better place to ask this question, but I bet you can register it with the AKC PAL (purebred alternative listing) program. The other agility organizations I can think of are USDAA and UKI, so you have options if AKC doesn't work out you just may need to do a little research! They exist and occasionally breeders who dock have a random tailed litter, but they're few and far between. Australian shepherds have docked tails to adhere to the breed standard and help protect them from injury. My tailed aussie is currently in agility foundations class. If you are in the US, there are very few reputable breeders breeding Aussies with tails because the standard calls for docking. There are plenty of purebred aussies with tails and regular registrations. About Us | Privacy Policy| Terms and Conditions | Cookie Policy. Docking the tail generally makes grooming and hygiene easier. Tails are docked at 3-5 days old. Hello! Still, the breed standard requires the tail to be docked, and many breeders continue to dock tails for this reason alone. The breed standard requires the Australian Shepherd to have a tail that is less than 4 inches long. Things such as having a tail or being a color that is faulted or disqualified does not stop them from being registered as part of the breed and being able to compete in dog sports. They are, as my breeder put it, "a lot of dog". I would do a lot of research especially if you plan to compete in sports and are looking for a specific kind of temperament. The standard Australian Shepherd stands between 18 and 23 inches tall and weighs between 40 and 60 pounds. If you have an Australian Shepherd and are thinking about getting its tail docked or are curious about why some Aussies have their tails docked, read on to learn more. Dogs with faults or DQs in the breed ring are able to compete in performance sports without penalty. Happy you got a natural one and OP is considering the same. Additionally, registration is used to track lineage, not conformation. I'm looking at getting an Aussie at the end of the year and as much as I'd like to pretend to have some noble reason for wanting an undocked Aussie, I just like fluffy tails tbh. Maybe I misunderstood your statement but sounds like you are saying Aussies aren't naturally born with tails? Australian Shepherd tails have been docked for many years, and many people do it to simply continue the tradition. So sad to know there are still countries like this in this world. Now, it is a long, hard search to find a good breeder that leaves tails on, and you need to be willing to travel! I love my Aussies swiffer tail. Agility is not a breed restricted sport, and even mixed breeds can participate. aussiedoodles & TX heelers) should also be posted elsewhere. **Since Mini American Shepherds are now recognized as their own breed, it is requested that all MAS, minis or toys are posted in subs for those breeds/mixes. The tail is considered a fault, not a disqualification. ASCA allows it. Press J to jump to the feed. ** If you adopted a dog through a shelter or rescue group that you believe is an aussie or part aussie, you are welcome to share here. Some people find it inhumane and unnecessary. Puppy mill dogs can be registered. The Answer May Surprise You! /u/TentacleLoveGoddess has a reputably bred aussie with a tail that competes in agility. 2022 TrendingBreeds. You should also consider the pros and cons of docking the tail and whether or not you will be showing your dog and care about the breed standard and cosmetic preference. The repeal of the dog tax in 1796 and the discovery of a rabies vaccine in 1885 reduced tail docking, and many people began to feel it was unnecessary. If you have any additional questions or need help finding breeders, etc. Australian Shepherds have a natural instinct to herd and protect, and they were bred to be very vocal to let their owners know when the livestock was in danger, to alert the livestock, or to scare away predators. A good breeder would either be leaving all tails undocked or docking them all to standard. Silly question maybe, but I'm curious as to how it works. Why are Australian Shepherds tails docked? Docking is illegal in many European countries, and when they sell a dog for European breeding programs or to someone abroad, they will not dock. It really depends on the breeder. They are drivey. I'm more than willing to help! The Miniature Australian Shepherd stands between 14 and 18 inches tall and weighs between 25 and 40 pounds. Ignore things like ConKC, ASDR, etc., those are famously used by BYBs and puppy mills. Tail docking has been done for hundreds of years. Its simply awesome. Dog sports such as agility, obedience, rally, barnhunt, etc do not care about conformation. Dogs with major disqualifications can still be registered. While natural bobs do exist in the breed, the majority of Aussies are born with tails and docking occurs at a few days old. They could be stepped on by livestock, caught in fences or traps, and get burrs, ticks, and insects attached to them. I know its maybe not your opinion, but its so sad to read. There are lots of undocked aussies in agility. In fact, the majority (if not all) of reputable breeders that are leaving tails undocked will be focusing on agility. Trixie is my first "real" agility dog, and I didn't know just how much I didn't know until she put me to the test. My girl is dual registered with AKC and ASCA. Aussies with tails can even compete in the conformation ring! All that is required for registration is for the parents to be registered. ASCA may be more stringent but if you have papers showing genetic history you should be fine. While dogs without docked tails are still allowed to compete in club events, if the tail is not docked, they can be penalized for having a full-length tail. Tail or no tail has nothing to do with how the dog is registered. Leaving tails natural is a popular selling point for many BYBs, ever since they discovered that there is a market for it. Can Australian Shepherds Hunt? They are intense. Here are some of the most common reasons why Australian Shepherds have their tails docked. All Aussies are welcome. Absolutely. Dogs who do not conform to the breed standard for a variety of reasons can still compete. Undocked Australian Shepherd tails can be long, messy, and easily matted. Was just curious as to whether an undocked Aussie is acceptable or not. We also participate in other affiliate programs and are compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies (at no cost to you). Im German and a member of ASCA. Welcome to /r/australianshepherd. The toy variety is 10 to 14 inches tall and weighs between 15 and 35 pounds. The tail is considered a fault.. The ancient Romans docked the tails of their dogs because they believed it protected them from rabies. Many of the conversations with my breeder consisted of her trying to dissuade me from getting a pup haha. If you are thinking about adopting an Australian Shepherd and are trying to decide if you want to have the tail docked, its a good idea to understand the reasoning behind tail docking for this specific breed. In an effort to support responsible breeding practices, purchased designer mixes (eg. Veterinarians stopped docking tails because they found that the process was painful, dramatic, and caused more harm than good. We've been able to make it work, but I'm lucky that my life circumstances allowed me to devote a lot of time to her. This way ASCA had to change their standards, which is the only way to stop aninmal abuse. Anywho, I'm interested in giving agility a shot. A common comparison is that it is the equivalent of learning how to drive in a Ferrari. I have an Aussie with a tail, and agility is our main sport. Herding dogs, ratting dogs, and select breeds of hunting dogs had their tails docked to show that they were working dogs. When dogs are working on farms or ranches, they can get muddy and have burrs and ticks stick to them. There are four different size variations of Australian Shepherd. While tail docking is common for Australian Shepherds, not everyone agrees with it. Docking the tails of breeding bitches makes the birth process slightly less messy as well. Docking the tails reduces the risk of any of these issues and others. Yes, theres a house down the street that train agility dogs professionally and they own 2 collies with long, bushy tails. If a breeder allows you to choose which one to leave undocked, then they simply are not doing things responsibly! The breed standard requires the Australian Shepherd tail to be less than four inches long, and most breeders or owners will dock their tails at an early age. In general, would not recommend XD. As someone else mentioned, sport events aren't really judging for the same thing; however, you should check with your local breed club for clarification. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. After all, it IS in the standard. Why are Australian Shepherds tails docked? Although my aussie's tail is docked, that's how we are registered because we are not her original owners. We drove 7ish hours each way, as an example. The recent Westminster 20" class agility champion was an Aussie with a tail. Your dog is just required to be spayed or neutered. Sometimes, it is the dog itself that was lost. There are many dogs enrolled in the PAL program after they have been surrendered or abandoned, then adopted by new owners from animal shelters or purebred rescue groups. Be very careful to research properly. Today many veterinarians still refuse to dock tails for cosmetic reasons or breed standards, but there are some breeders and veterinarians that still prefer to dock the tails of some breeds. All rights reserved. That being said, in the US, you will be hard pressed to find reputable breeders that do not dock. It makes the coat look nicer, and it creates a sleeker appearance to the dog. Many breeders who are breeding for standard dock the tails of their puppies. Some Australian Shepherd owners dock the tails just because they prefer this look. To answer your question, Aussies with tails are more than welcome to compete in agility. Do NOT support a breeder that allows you to "keep the tail if paid upfront". My area AKC and NADAC are the most popular so I am thinking of registering with NADAC as well. Also, some breeders that leave tails natural still dock longer NBTs - these are puppies that would end up with awkward 1/4 to 1/2 length tails). Good breeders make placements at 6-7 weeks old. An aussie's registration is not changed by having a tail or not. My only word of caution is to be very judicious with your breeder. My aussie has an AKC PAL registration and that allows him to compete and earn titles in most sports, except for conformation or sports that are breed/group specific. By and large, the breeders doing things properly will be breeding for sports prospects, and as such, these dogs are quite different from the average pet Aussie you may have encountered. In the 17th century, England imposed a tax on all companion or pet dogs. I do know many breeders who selectively do not dock if the owner requests it. Even mixed breeds can compete in most dog sport venues anyway. It may depend on what kind of registration/organization your pup has, though. You might want to look into who holds most of the trials around your location and then make a decision where you want to register. Because Australian Shepherds are working dogs, there are a lot of ways their tails could be injured. If you are in the US, these are the registries you would be looking at. The teacup variety is less than 10 inches tall and can weigh between 4 and 9 pounds. That being said, depending on where you live, finding a reputable breeder, truly a reputable breeder, who will leave tails on may be a challenge. Australian Shepherds are herding dogs who have friendly temperaments and are loyal protectors. If you are looking to show your dog in conformation, I would expect most breeders would prefer docked because the dog will be judged against the American breed standard which requires a docked tail. Here are some of the most popular so i am thinking of registering with as... ( Minor notes: Exceptions exist for major mismarks that can be recognized birth... Of ways their tails docked to show that the process was painful, dramatic, easily... Popular selling point for many BYBs, ever since they discovered that there is a popular selling point many... Between 18 and 23 inches tall and weighs between 40 and 60 pounds an event... Of an unregistered litter, but its so sad to read a fault, not conformation for hundreds of.... 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