Old English Sheepdog - Docking

Docking

Undocked Old English Sheepdogs are becoming a more common sight as many countries have now banned docking. The Kennel Club (UK) and The Australian National Kennel Council breed standards do not express a preference for (legally) docked or un-docked animals, and either can be shown. The American Kennel Club breed standard states that the tail should be "docked close to the body, when not naturally bob tailed", even though the practice of cosmetic docking is currently opposed by the American Veterinary Medical Association. It is believed that the practice of tail docking came about in the 18th century as a result of taxation laws that required working dogs to be docked as evidence of their working status, but nowadays, in places where the practice is still legal, tail docking is mainly performed for purely cosmetic reasons.