Are all Old English Sheepdogs tails docked or are some born without tails?

http://www.akc.org/breeds/old_english_sheepdog/

Here's the breed standard. The tail is docked short to the body if not naturally bobbed. No, you can't ask a breeder to not dock the tail as this is done at 3 days old. The whole litter will be docked, if needed, and you can't choose a puppy before 3 days old.

@ Borderline Collie......I almost always agree with you, but not this time. NO breeder can tell how a 3 day old pup will turn out. If the breeder were to NOT dock just one random puppy, what would happen if that one turned out to be the PICK that they would keep and show? Nope, ain't gonna happen unless it's a BACK YARD BREEDER who doesn't give a shyte because they don't show or work their dogs anyway.

Add: I just wanted to state that when I use to breed Dobes, I was only asked not to dock a pup ONE time in the 11 litters that I bred. The couple was an older couple that had 3 previous rescue Dobes, all natural, and they wanted the same but this time decided to go to a breeder. They wanted a male pup, but a b*tch would be OK too as they had no other dogs at the time. I told them NO, and explained why. Anyway, they did end up with one of the only two males in the litter, and I did NOT have that pups EARS cropped. Their referral to me came from two very reliable sources, so therefore I felt it OK to not crop the ears. This dog, Stormy, was castrated at 7 months old and stayed in that home until it's death 10 years later, as did the other rescue dogs they had in the past. I think that the PROFF was in the pudding with this senior couple because of their past history with Dobe Rescue, but Stormy's tail WAS docked.

There is a variety of this breed called the Bobtail. This variety is born tail less. If an Olde English Sheepdog is born with a tail, the breeder has it docked at a very early age. If you don't want to have a dog with a docked tail, you should research breeders that are breeding the naturally tail less. But, it isn't inappropriate to ask the breeder not to dock the tail of a puppy. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he will agree, but there's no harm in asking. Most likely he won't agree to this because it goes against the breed standard, and puppies are docked at just 3 days old. If, for whatever reason, the breeder agrees, this isn't the best thing. You just have to be careful because this will give you a limited choice of puppies. You will only be able to get the puppy with the undocked tail. This is why it's just better to try to find a naturally tail less dog if you're against docking. If it's the no tail that bothers you, then I suggest you find another breed, because having no tail is part of the breed standard.

Old English Sheepdog Tail

They may be natural bob tail or docked . No responsible breeder is going to leave a puppy undocked for you. They are not going to risk ruining a show or working prospect dog by leaving its tail in tact, as neither can be determined at 2-3 days of age when docking is done unless the dog has a major fault.

You can ask, but a proper breeder wouldn't comply - that much fur makes for a huge mess, and there is good reason for them to be docked.

Some are born 'bob tailed' . If in the UK it is illegal to dock the tail if born otherwise , in the US however the standard calls for it

Yes, but you will have to do so BEFORE the litter is born.

This also limits you as to which pup you get.

If a breeder specifically does not dock one pup for you, that is your pup regardless of temperament.

Add:

Julie.D, I wasn't referring to reputable breeders, although I did not word that in the way I would have liked re-reading it now.

I meant to say more along the lines *if* it were to be requested and *if* the breeder for some reason complied, that would have to be "their pup" regardless of how it's temperament played out within the later weeks.

Any dog,purebred or mutt,can have a congenital defect called "natural bob".

NO,no sane breeder on the planet will ruin a neonate for some twit.

Talk to the breeder.

Here's a simple answer: http://www.onekind.org/uploads/publications/tail-d...

please read it with an open mind and heart.