Why do I dock tails?

It’s not just “to dock, or not to dock” when it comes to solid color poodles

When someone approaches a breeder asking for a poodle with an undocked tail, here’s what I think: The issue isn’t just about tails. It’s about people breeding dogs without truly understanding what they’re doing. You wouldn’t buy a house built by someone who didn’t follow the proper building code, right? The same goes for breeding dogs.

Breeding isn’t just about whether the tail is docked or not. It’s about the entire dog—structure, genetics, health, and following the breed standard. Too many (we’ll call them ‘hobby” because no one likes the term ‘backyard’) breeders don’t even know what a correct poodle looks like or the importance of a pedigree. That’s like a woman not knowing her family’s cancer history before deciding not to get screened. A pedigree tells you the genetic risks, the traits, and what you might expect for the health of your dog. Without this knowledge, you’re gambling, and it’s the dog that pays the price.

And these hobby breeders often don’t even care about the standard. They think they know better, or they’re trying something “different” or even scarier, “Everyone loves my dogs’ temperaments and they want a puppy from him/her/them” or “I want my kids to experience birth just once”. In reality, they’re playing with the lives of innocent dogs. Buyers should run from descriptions such as “rare” or “new” and in poodles, “merle”, “teacup”, “moyen” or “royal” in the U.S. These so-called breeders are not following a proven formula that preserves the health, structure, and temperament of the breed. Instead, they dabble and introduce genes that will damage the breed, and it’s the buyer who has to deal with the consequences when something goes wrong.

Here’s the truth: breeders who know their stuff will dock tails because that’s what’s expected in the U.S. when competing in conformation shows. And who wouldn’t want one of their puppies shown in the ring? Conformation isn’t just about showing off—it’s about experts judging the dog’s structure against the breed standard. Those titles and ribbons aren’t just for fun—they prove a dog is an excellent example of the breed. And trust me, passing hip and eye tests doesn’t mean much without a deeper understanding of the whole dog. That’s just scratching the surface.

I look forward to the day it happens, because if docking were banned here, you’d see top breeders with natural tails, but until then, those who take breeding seriously will dock. Ask breeders where they got their knowledge about structure. Who taught them? How do they know their dogs are sound? Ask for proof. You deserve to know the foundation behind the dogs they’re producing. It’s not just about looks or one particular choice (such as not to dock tails); it’s about breeding the right way. I am in support of the holistic viewpoint.