Why Do Australian Shepherds Get Their Tails Cut Off?

Cutting off a dog’s tail is known as “docking,” while some dogs naturally have a bobbed tail. Most Australian shepherds are born with a tail, with only about one in five having a naturally bobbed tail. So, why do so many Aussies have their tails cut off?

Australian shepherds get their tails cut off (docked) primarily because of breed or conformation standards. Sometimes, it’s done just for cosmetic reasons, as breeders often want their pups to have a certain look. In other cases, it’s to prevent a working dog (especially herders) from an injury.

Throughout this article, I’ll discuss these reasons in more detail and explain how this trait came to be associated with Australian shepherds.

Why Some Australian Shepherds Don’t Have Tails

If you’ve spent any time looking at pictures of Australian shepherds, you may have noticed that some of these dogs have a full, bushy tail, and others don’t have much of a tail at all.

Below are several reasons why Aussies have their tails cut off:

Breeders Follow Appearance Standards of the Breed

Despite the rarity of a naturally occurring bobtail, many people prefer Australian shepherds with this bobbed tail look. Much of the appeal is driven by breed standards published by organizations like the American Kennel Club (AKC) or the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA).

The AKC’s official standard for an Australian shepherd is that the tail is straight and doesn’t exceed 4 inches (10.16 cm) long (either naturally or docked). Similarly, the ASCA calls the Aussie’s natural or docked bobtail an “identifying characteristic.”

Because of these appearance standards, many breeders dock the tail shortly after birth to make the puppies more desirable and more fitting to the well-known characteristics of the breed.

Docking Fixes Cosmetic Problems, Like a Curvy Tail

Even if a breeder doesn’t automatically dock every Aussie’s tail or an owner doesn’t intend to use their pup for a show dog, there are still circumstances where docking the tail may be used to correct a cosmetic defect.

Some Australian Shepherds are born with a blunt tail that looks too short and doesn’t taper like most dogs’ tails. In this case, the tail is usually docked to look more “normal” and is more aesthetic.

Another cosmetic reason for tail docking is if the tail is curved or has what looks like a kink in it. Because this tail shape doesn’t look like the typical tapered, feathery type that many Aussies have, many breeders and owners choose to dock the tail. This shape is usually viewed as a malformation that should be corrected through docking.

In other cases, the tail is perfectly normal and looks like any other Australian shepherd, but the owner simply prefers the look of a docked tail. In these cases, the tail may be cut for aesthetic preference.

A Shorter Tail Can Prevent Injuries in Aussies

While cosmetic reasons and breed conformity are the most common reasons to cut an Australian shepherd’s tail, some owners dock the tail to prevent injuries to the dog. Some owners believe that the tail can become a risk for injury for working dogs.

Some examples of potential work-related hazards for tails include:

A guard dog or police dog could be grabbed by the tail during a pursuit, causing injury.
Hunting or herding dogs could injure the tail tip in the underbrush.
The tail could be stepped on, causing injury while working with larger animals.
The tail could collect sand spurs or other sharp items in certain environments.

However, some research has shown that the actual risk for tail injury is very low or that the risk for injury is only reasonable for specific dogs carrying out particular tasks.

Docking Makes Grooming the Tail Easier

Some breeders and owners dock their Aussie’s (or other dogs’) tails due to improved sanitation or cleanliness. Long-haired dogs (like Australian shepherds) can be challenging to groom, especially around the tail area.

The fur around the tail can become matted if it’s not cleaned and brushed. In addition, long hair can pick up dirt, debris, plant material, or waste. Without cleaning, the area around the tail can become irritated. The FURminator works great to remove the undercoat and the HERTZKO Slicker Brush can help crush out mats if this becomes a problem.

Some anti-docking advocates argue that docking the tail for sanitary purposes is unnecessary and doesn’t improve the animal’s health or wellbeing. Tail docking is a highly debated topic, with many people who think there is no reason to put the animal through such a painful procedure.

Others argue that the procedure is performed when the puppy is just days old when the nervous system isn’t fully developed, meaning the puppy won’t experience the same pain level as an older dog.

Is It Okay To Breed Bobtail Australian Shepherds?

Since some Aussies are born with a natural bobtail, some people may believe that they can or should be bred with this feature rather than docking the tail. An incomplete dominant gene causes this natural bobtail.

Puppies that inherit one copy of this gene are born with a naturally bobbed tail.

It is not okay to breed bobtail Australian Shepherds using two genes from dogs naturally born with bobbed tails, as puppies born through these genes may likely die. Such genes can also increase the risk of spina bifida or other defects related to the spinal cord in Australian Shepherds.

Spinal and other defects sometimes occur even if the breeding pair are not naturally bobtailed. The Australian Shepherd Health and Genetics Institute (ASHGI) performed a survey on Australian shepherd breeding dogs and found that 2% produced natural bobtail puppies with severe, fatal congenital disabilities.

Breeding Aussies with natural bobtails is extremely risky, as puppies can have severe defects that may require euthanasia, which is devastating to any breeder or owner.

Today, the need for docking the tail has remained prevalent within the breed.

Final Thoughts

Australian shepherds often have a very short tail, a look that’s become a well-known trait for the breed. Most Aussies are born with a tail, so a veterinarian usually removes the tail shortly after birth to achieve that look.

Australian shepherds have their tails cut off to meet the breed characteristics and appearance standards set by various kennel club organizations. Some remove it to prevent injury or keep the fur clean, but most people do so for cosmetic reasons.