page_title: Docking (dog)
section_title: Legal status of dog tail docking and ear cropping by country
hierarchical_section_title: Docking (dog) / Legal status / Legal status of dog tail docking and ear cropping by country
context_page_description: Docking is the removal of portions of an animal's tail. While docking and bobbing are more commonly used to refer to removal of the tail, the term cropping is used in reference to the ears. Tail docking occurs in one of two ways. The first involves constricting the blood supply to the tail with a rubber ligature for a few days until the tail falls off. The second involves the severance of the tail with surgical scissors or a scalpel. The length to which tails are docked varies by breed, and is often specified in the breed standard.
  At least 170 dog breeds have naturally occurring bobtail lines. These appear similar to docked dogs but are a distinct naturally occurring phenotype.
caption: Status of docking   Unrestricted   Restricted (can only be performed by a vet)   Ear cropping banned, tail docking permitted or restricted   Banned for cosmetic purposes   Banned with few exceptions