Before starting the article, I want to clear that American Shepherd is one of the breeds of dogs. It is not something related to sheep or shepherds in America. LOL!!!!
Reading the title of the article, some people who don’t have any pet or idea about the breeds of dog will think, ‘what is the article trying to say? This is some meaningless article. Will there be any dog without a tail’ and so on.
When you read the article, you will understand the facts and meaning of the article.
What are interesting Facts on Australian shepherd?
The Australian shepherd is one of the dog breeds whose size is medium. There are many disagreements about its origin, but, unlike its name, it is known to be developed on the ranches of the United States. Its population is very less, which can be considered as less than 1% in Australia. This breed is the 17th most popular breed in the United States.
Do Australian shepherds used for spy in Military operations?
These dogs are very obedient and have an ample amount of energy and drive compared to other dogs. This is the reason they excel in many dog sports and also used for detection, service, search and rescue, disaster, etc.
Must check– Where to buy Australian Shepherds
What is height and weight of an Australian shepherd?
They have an average height of 18 to 23 inches and weigh 35 to 70 pounds on an average. There is also an organization named ASCA, which stands for The Australian Shepherd Club of America that decides some standard limits on this particular breed.
Do Australian Shepherds have tails?
Now coming to the exact discussion, do Australian shepherds have tails?
During their birth, some Aussies (nickname for this breed) have partially bobbed or naturally bobbed tails. But the majority of them are born with full-length tails. For many years, breeders have been docking the tails when the puppies are born. But this practice is not followed in many countries like the United Kingdom and Europe.
These countries have banned docking of tails as the researchers suggested that it may cause unwanted pain and stress to the dogs. In these countries, any length of the natural tail is permitted. Some detailed research by experts says that one out of five Australian shepherds is born with a tail.
The length of the tail of this breed depends on the dog and bloodline. The number of vertebrae varies by someone or two when compared to other races.
The dogs with a bobtail have less number of vertebrae, so their tail end would be blunt. Their tails may also have a kink like a shape at the end.
Why people docking the tail of Australian shepherds?
There are many reasons for the docking of the Australian shepherd tail. Still, two reasons are considered to be the most satisfying:
- Their blunt tail without any tapering would seem like a halfway cut tail, and it doesn’t look aesthetic. So they believe docking the tail for giving an excellent look to the dog.
- The second reason is their kink shape. This is not liked by many of the dog owners. The particular form is considered as a malformation of the body. So they cut the tail for their satisfaction.
What method people use for docking of dog tails?
There are two methods followed by the breeders to cut the tails:
- By using a good old pair of scissors. This process consists of cutting all the tendons, muscles, and several nerves that are at the position. One point to note down is that this process is carried out without any use of anaesthesia or painkillers.
- The second method is by using a tight rubber band. This is ties to the tail for cutting off the blood supply. When tied for long, the tail would automatically fall off. But this method is less often considered.
The first method would cause pain to the dogs. But the word ‘pain’ has many controversial issues. Some say that puppies don’t feel any discomfort, and some say they would. So many of the researchers say this practise should be banned.
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Now, when we think about the reason for docking we can see the breeders have explained some reasons:
- Dogs of this breed can run fast. The surroundings in which they survive have many tall blades of grass and bushes and plenty of weed. This may cause damage and injure the tail. And also, treatment for tail injuries is painful. So docking is insisted.
- This breed of dogs has fluffy hair all over the body. So there are more chances of debris collection by them on their tails. There can also be chances of their faeces sticking to its tail, which would be unhygienic..
So, we can conclude that not all Australian shepherds have a tail.