Docked tails are commonly seen in various dog breeds including Rottweilers. Some people are not really aware about this, but this has been the case even in the past.  It was believed then that docking or removal of a part of the dog’s tail is necessary for a variety of reasons like rabies prevention or back strengthening.  Some people also believed that docked tails were key in promoting increased speed for the dogs.

But the most common reason for docking tails in the past is for health reasons.  Dogs in the past were used as helpers for hunting or for herding cattle, for example.  Because of these duties, the dogs, particularly their tails, are exposed to possible dangers like dense bushes, sharp objects like plant thorns, and rocks. With constant contact and friction from these elements, the dogs’ tails frequently get cuts and scrapes which expose them to injury and infection.  To protect their overall health, breeders in the past cut a portion of the dogs’ tails.  It is also said that constant wagging of the dogs’ tails, especially those with long fur, is also unhygienic for dogs as these may come in constant contact with their own feces.  This situation could again bring infection and sickness to the dogs.

In modern times, the practice of docking dogs’ tails continued with breeds like Rottweilers.  Many people today consider this an improper treatment for dogs.  Many dogs today function only as pets and are not exposed to the same dangers as the working dogs in the past.  So many people consider tail docking as unnecessary and animal cruelty.  Some people also claim that docking Rottweiler and other dogs’ tails is only done for aesthetic reasons and serves no other purpose.  Because of this concern, some countries have some restrictions to tail docking for some dog breeds.  There are even countries that ban tail docking for any type of dog including Rottweilers.