| Docking Tails - A Photographic Essay Disclaimer: the information on this page is used entirely at the reader's discretion, and is made available on the express condition that no liability, expressed or implied, is accepted by the authors or publisher for the accuracy, content, or use thereof. |
Last Updated 07.20.2007
Copyright: Genji Bailey
Copyright: Genji Bailey
The metal Housekeeper's box
on the left is my favorite dog
supply find. It is easy to clean
and holds everything!
I have found that the gray/ash
colored styptic powder, such
as the brand Durvet does not
work as well as the tan colored,
such as the brand Kwik Stop.
Just a personal preference.
The Kwik Stop powder also
does not seem as messy on
light colored puppies.
on the left is my favorite dog
supply find. It is easy to clean
and holds everything!
I have found that the gray/ash
colored styptic powder, such
as the brand Durvet does not
work as well as the tan colored,
such as the brand Kwik Stop.
Just a personal preference.
The Kwik Stop powder also
does not seem as messy on
light colored puppies.
Before I begin, I need to understand where I am
going to cut. On a Cocker tail there is an
obvious thinning of the tail approximately half
way down the tail from the rear end of the
puppy. I can generally see this spot easily if I
smooth the hair with my fingers, and can almost
always feel where it abruptly thins. Immediately
AFTER the thinning spot is where I cut, NOT on
the thicker part.
going to cut. On a Cocker tail there is an
obvious thinning of the tail approximately half
way down the tail from the rear end of the
puppy. I can generally see this spot easily if I
smooth the hair with my fingers, and can almost
always feel where it abruptly thins. Immediately
AFTER the thinning spot is where I cut, NOT on
the thicker part.
These are the two tools I use for docking and
dew claws. They are both large-breed dog
toenail clippers. I prefer the orange handled
one for tails because it give me more strength,
and the silver handled one for dew claws
because it allows me to get closer to the paw
without cutting anything that doesn't need to be
cut. (The liquid on them is rubbing alcohol.)
dew claws. They are both large-breed dog
toenail clippers. I prefer the orange handled
one for tails because it give me more strength,
and the silver handled one for dew claws
because it allows me to get closer to the paw
without cutting anything that doesn't need to be
cut. (The liquid on them is rubbing alcohol.)
These are the products and tools I have on-hand
for docking. I also have a generous supply of
clean rags and towels nearby before I begin.
for docking. I also have a generous supply of
clean rags and towels nearby before I begin.
When I began docking my own puppy's tails, I marked the line where I was going to cut
with a Sharpie marker, just to make sure I did not get it too close to the body. The cut
spot can be seen in the photos above, just after where it thins.
with a Sharpie marker, just to make sure I did not get it too close to the body. The cut
spot can be seen in the photos above, just after where it thins.
After soaking the large-breed toenail clippers
in alcohol for several minutes, I hold the
squirmy puppy still on the ground and place
the clippers where I am going to dock. Once I
choose my spot, I clamp down just enough to
keep the spot and brace the puppy so it does
not wiggle when I cut - this is MUCH easier
said than done, be forewarned.
in alcohol for several minutes, I hold the
squirmy puppy still on the ground and place
the clippers where I am going to dock. Once I
choose my spot, I clamp down just enough to
keep the spot and brace the puppy so it does
not wiggle when I cut - this is MUCH easier
said than done, be forewarned.
| WARNING!!! DO NOT GO FURTHER IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH!!! THERE IS BLOOD IN THE FOLLOWING PHOTOGRAPHS!!! |
Once I make the decision to cut, I do so in one
swift movement. This spares the puppy pain and
allows me to pinch off the wound more quickly.
The above photo shows that there is not any
blood Immediately after the cut has been made.
There will be blood in a few seconds, but the
blood is washing the toxins out of the body so
that there is no infection, so I don't stress, and
just stop the flow of blood as quickly as possible.
See below for ways I do so.
swift movement. This spares the puppy pain and
allows me to pinch off the wound more quickly.
The above photo shows that there is not any
blood Immediately after the cut has been made.
There will be blood in a few seconds, but the
blood is washing the toxins out of the body so
that there is no infection, so I don't stress, and
just stop the flow of blood as quickly as possible.
See below for ways I do so.
This is what the cut off end
of the tail looks like.
Sometimes there is a call for
tissue samples for genetic
research, so I try to check to
see if the ASC or another
group might be able to use
the tails, before I flush
them. If so, I bag and freeze
them as soon as possible.
of the tail looks like.
Sometimes there is a call for
tissue samples for genetic
research, so I try to check to
see if the ASC or another
group might be able to use
the tails, before I flush
them. If so, I bag and freeze
them as soon as possible.
As soon as I make the cut on the tail, I pick up
my rag and pinch the tip of the tail hard and
hold it. I pinch off the blood flow for a slow
count of 60, at least. The puppy IS
complaining at this point, both from pain, and
because it does not like to be held still. I DO
NOT let go of the pinching though, no matter
how much it complains. Once I stop pinching,
I Immediately dab the tail into Stop Bleed, or
styptic powder, as is seen below.
I lift the powder, in the cap of the product, up
to the puppy; I do not dip the pup down into
the powder. Then I roll the tail gently in the
powder and avoid tapping the blunt, newly-cut
tip of the tail on the bottom of the cap. I roll
the cap around so that I get the entire tip of
the tail covered.
my rag and pinch the tip of the tail hard and
hold it. I pinch off the blood flow for a slow
count of 60, at least. The puppy IS
complaining at this point, both from pain, and
because it does not like to be held still. I DO
NOT let go of the pinching though, no matter
how much it complains. Once I stop pinching,
I Immediately dab the tail into Stop Bleed, or
styptic powder, as is seen below.
I lift the powder, in the cap of the product, up
to the puppy; I do not dip the pup down into
the powder. Then I roll the tail gently in the
powder and avoid tapping the blunt, newly-cut
tip of the tail on the bottom of the cap. I roll
the cap around so that I get the entire tip of
the tail covered.
Sometimes, no matter how well I think I have
pinched off the blood flow and covered the
end of the newly-cut tail in styptic powder,
the tail will begin to bleed again. If this
happens, the styptic powder that I have
already put on will hamper getting it
stopped. First, I pinch the end of the tail
again in a rag, and when releasing, after a
slow count to 60, I pull off some of the
powder in the rag. I then reapply the
powder in the same manner as above. I
ALWAYS recheck the pups after about 5
minutes, and again after about 10 minutes,
to make sure that the blood flow has not
restarted. If it has restarted, I repeat this
process again. This happens about 20% of
the time.
pinched off the blood flow and covered the
end of the newly-cut tail in styptic powder,
the tail will begin to bleed again. If this
happens, the styptic powder that I have
already put on will hamper getting it
stopped. First, I pinch the end of the tail
again in a rag, and when releasing, after a
slow count to 60, I pull off some of the
powder in the rag. I then reapply the
powder in the same manner as above. I
ALWAYS recheck the pups after about 5
minutes, and again after about 10 minutes,
to make sure that the blood flow has not
restarted. If it has restarted, I repeat this
process again. This happens about 20% of
the time.
This is a shot of a tail on which the
bleeding has stopped, and where I
used the ash colored styptic powder,
not the tan colored type, as above. I do
not keep adding more and more styptic
powder if the tail has begun bleeding
again, because it does not cut off the
flow, I o through the pinch process and
then add clean powder. Once the
bleeding has stopped for a full 10
minutes, they are safe to put back in
with Mom.
See Dew Claw Page for another
photographic essay.
bleeding has stopped, and where I
used the ash colored styptic powder,
not the tan colored type, as above. I do
not keep adding more and more styptic
powder if the tail has begun bleeding
again, because it does not cut off the
flow, I o through the pinch process and
then add clean powder. Once the
bleeding has stopped for a full 10
minutes, they are safe to put back in
with Mom.
See Dew Claw Page for another
photographic essay.