The friendly fluffy sheepadoodle is a house dog that every individual falls in love with instantly. They are a mix between the old English sheepdog and a poodle. A combination of these two breed’s characteristics makes the sheepadoodle a perfect companion.
Confusions rise among dog lovers and owners regarding sheepadoodles’ physical attributes. Today we’ll unravel that mystery. So let’s get started.
Do sheepadoodles have tails?
Sheepadoodles have docked tails which means their tails get cut off at an early age when they are a few days old. The parent breed of the sheepadoodle, the Old English sheepdog also had docked tails because they were working dogs. Therefore some sheepadoodles inherit the smaller version of the tail.
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Do sheepadoodles get their tails docked?
Most dogs that have a docked tail get their tails docked at a very early age when they are 2-5 days old. In the case of sheepadoodles, their tails get docked by the breeder mainly because of the breed standard.
Cutting of a dog’s tail is known as docking. Tail docking is done because of various reasons including hygiene, safety, and breed standards. However, since the sheepadoodle is a mixed breed dog there isn’t any specific set of rules for its size or color.
Sheepadoodles ancestor, the old English sheepdog had working roots and that’s why the owners used to cut off the tail to minimize the risk of injury. But its predecessors have inherited that biological trait and now most of the sheepadoodles have a small wiggly tail if any.
Why do you dock a sheepadoodles tail?
Safety precaution:
Docking a dog’s tail is considered a safety precaution. Longer-tailed dogs are prone to inadvertently damaging their tails.
Because sheepadoodle s are house dogs who can grow up to 22 inches in height, owners want a shorter tail to avoid any potential risk.
Using as a farm dog:
The Old English sheep dogs used to live in farms and help the livestock move from one place to another.
As they were working dogs, their tails were docked and their predecessors are sometimes used for the same cause. That’s why sheepadoodles have their tails docked.
Hygienic Issues:
Sheepadoodles, by nature, have a fluffy tail. If they are not well disciplined and have long hairy tails, their feces will make conditions untidy. That’s why many breeders decide to dock their tails early.
Short tails make it easier to clean your sheepadoodle’s hind legs, and they don’t become filthy as often.
The breeder’s choice:
Breeders dock their puppies immediately after birth because they wish to keep all of their canines identical.
As a result, when a customer arrives to purchase aussiedoodle pups, they can’t tell the difference based on the length of the tail.
While this provides all of the sheepadoodles a fair chance for adoption, the breeder’s motive is still dubious if you consider it from an ethical viewpoint.
Safety measure against rabies:
There was a time when it was widely thought that docking dogs’ tails reduce their risk of contracting rabies later in life among many other health benefits.
However, the legitimacy of such belief has been questioned by the critics of tail docking.
Is tail docking painful to sheepadoodle puppies?
If no sedation is given to the sheepadoodle puppy, docking might be unpleasant for it. Supporters of tail docking feel it is an essential medical operation for active dogs who may injure their long tails in the future.
Plus, dogs will be able to keep clean since a shortened tail makes cleaning much easier.
Animal rights activists, on the other hand, argue that docking is extremely damaging to any dog, regardless of age. Because the tail is a feature of their anatomy with a proper nerve system, removing it may have long-term consequences for the dog.
In addition, dogs need their tails to balance, communicate and run properly. That’s why tail docking is such a debated topic.
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) believes although tail docking might not actively cause pain in puppies during operation there are certain biological parameters that show puppies are in pain.
Can a sheepadoodle puppy pass away from tail docking?
Although docking is considered cosmetic surgery, there might be some serious complications if the surgery isn’t done properly.
If the docking is done by someone inexperienced or someone who isn’t a veterinarian, due to excessive bleeding during the operation the puppy might lose its life.
If you take out the risk of life, even then there are other long-term risks of tail docking. For instance, the nervous system may be affected during surgery and as a result, the puppy might not be able to defecate or urinate properly.
Sheepadoodle puppies, however, have ancestors who had their tails docked as well. And this has led many breeders to do the same with these puppies as well.
While there have been no direct reports of sheepadoodle puppy passing due to tail docking, it’s always safer to opt against it.
Will my sheepadoodle tail grow back?
Since tails are a limb of the sheepadoodle’s body, if it gets docked, the tail won’t grow back. Tail docking surgery is done at an early age and after that, the sheepadoodle will have to live on without its tail.
In many parts of the world, tail docking is done because of aesthetic purposes. In order to maintain the breed standard, set by international organizations, the tail gets cut off. However, in the case of sheepadoodles, there aren’t any specific breed standards as it is a mixed breed dog.
Once you decide to dock the tail, there’s no going back. Even though a shorter tail is aesthetically attractive to some, in the long run, it might have a lasting effect.
So, it’s better to decide early, as an owner of the sheepadoodle, whether you want a shorter tail or not.
What happens when you cut off a sheepadoodles tail?
As of now, there haven’t been any reports that cutting off a sheepadoodle’s tail has caused any severe harm to the dog. If the procedure is done to maintain proper guidelines then you shouldn’t worry about it.
Purebred poodles, one of the parents of the sheepadoodle breed, have a docked tail as per the international breed standards. That’s why breeders prefer to cut off the tails of sheepadoodles.
According to the AKC (American Kennel Club) standards, one-fourth to one-third of the poodle’s tail gets docked. The same standard is also followed in the case of sheepadoodles.
During tail docking, their dew claws also get removed. Which gives them a safer life from rabies and a cute outlook along with safety.
Is it cruel to dock a sheepadoodles tail?
Tail docking is perceived differently by people of different backgrounds. While supporters of tail docking believe it’s a necessity for dogs because it prevents future injuries. On the other side of the spectrum, the critics believe it is cruel on the sheepadoodle dog.
Medical experts say if the tail docking is carried out by expert vets using proper surgical measures it isn’t harmful to the dog. Docking needs to be carried out just after birth so that the pain isn’t too severe. Plus, sedatives or anesthesia need to be used as well.
However, in the modern era, most dogs are used as companion pets rather than work dogs. So, the intent for tail docking becomes invalid for some of the breeds.
Do you dock a Sheepadoodle tail?
The ideal time to dock a sheepadoodle tail is within the first few days after its birth. So, if you have a sheepadoodle with a fluffy long tail, you shouldn’t dock its tail.
Breeders who have bred the sheepadoodle dog normally get to decide if they want to dock the tail or not. While most breeders dock the tail, there are some breeders (Very hard to find) who are against docking.
If you want a sheepadoodle with a tail, then you should get in contact with a local breeder and let them know what type of tail you want. Since sheepadoodles come from two purebred parents, you should be able to find a long-tailed sheepadoodle without much of a hassle.
Finally, to sum things up, tail docking is a debatable topic in the pet world. But no matter the tail size of your sheepadoodle you should love it the same way. They are one of the best companions to have irrespective of the tail size.
Frequently Asked Questions:
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