The AVMA recently, and stupidly, strengthened their position against tail docking.  I got to witness (as much as I could handle) the amputation of an adult dog's tail.  To me this isn't "docking"; it's the surgical amputation of an adult dog's tail.  There is a huge difference.  The dog was apparently a happy one, and it beat and broke it's tail repeatedly from wagging.  Treatment of this condition is tricky at best, and usually doesn't work.  This poor dogs tail had been repeatedly treated, and was not just infected, but rotting when surgical amputation was done.  Hunting dogs regularly suffer similar tail injuries,

Surgical amputation of an adult tail is grotesque.  I would never do it to a dog over four or five days of age, unless the tail was so damaged it had to come off.  I believe the AVMA is against this procedure because most veterinarians have no earthly idea how simple and easy docking a days old puppy really is.  In fact, they are totally in FAVOR of dew claw removal as it can prevent injury.  The procedure we use at Marshfield Kennel on the tail is identical to dew claw removal, and it causes the same amount of discomfort to the pup.  So how can it be wrong if we do it to the tail to prevent injury and OK to do it to the dewclaws to prevent a lesser injury?

So anyway, here is our stance on docking and dew claw removal:

1. Tails will be docked and dew claws removed within 84 hours of birth and preferably between 24 and 72 hours.
2. Docking of tails and removal of dewclaws are prophylactic procedures to prevent future injury and painful adult surgery.
3. We will use the most humane method we know of, and constantly search for a more humane method.  Our current method is favored in veterinary offices and by breeders all over the world.
   
4. No puppy who appears poorly will be docked or dewed.
5. Any puppy who is not docked and dewed by the 84 hour deadline will not be docked or dewed.
   
6. In the event we have an early bloomer, no puppy whose eyes are open will be docked and dewed.
7. Any puppy who is not docked or dewed will be sold as per usual with his tail and dew claws.  We will hope it avoids injury for a lifetime.
8. We will not sell a pup to anyone who wishes to surgically amputate a healthy tail either because the dog was not docked by us, or because the person feels we left it too long.
   

We dock our GSP tails long.  They are not show dogs, they are hunting dogs.  We remove enough to prevent injury, leaving them with some tail for style on point and balance on land and in the water.  We feel anyone who doesn't like it is scrutinizing the wrong end of the dog.  Honestly, we aren't interested in having as one of our owners someone whose priorities are that backwards.