My husband and I bonded as we courted over your photos. We have just about every book you ever published — children’s and art. The only missing one is a counting board book that had one entry featuring a stuffed bear with really googly eyes. It totally freaked out my son so we had to banish it. But aside from that, we have them all. Every year, Husband’s office has your regular calendar and mine displays the puppy calendar.
I don’t understand, as someone who loves dogs so much, how you could continue to dock the tails of your dogs. The American Veterinary Medical Association is against cosmetic docking of tails and ears; it’s illegal in much of Europe and in Australia. There is no good reason for it other than some people thinks it looks better. So you are subjecting dogs to surgery and its potential risks and the pain of recovery for the sake of how it looks. Frankly, I like the way a natural tail demonstrates a dog’s opinion of his world, of how she feels about herself, or you.
You are an artist, and that makes how things look important to you. But really, would you force your child to have unnecessary surgery just to make a piece of art look better? That’s what you’re doing every time you dock a puppy’s tail.
We still love your work. We just hope to see some with the curved exclamation point of the dogs’ tail soon.
Happy New Year.
Lisa
Lisa–long time no see! Love reading your work. Couldn’t help commenting on this piece. Do you own a Weim??? Ironically, I have three, and we’ve met Mr. Wegman. I too adore his work, and the Weimaraner.
On the subject of docking. Know that a Weim is part of a breed category called a Gun Dog, that is to say, they were originally bred to be hunters of large game(Germany 1700’s)and were introduced in more current times to accompany hunters as bird dogs. Let me be clear, I don’t like hunting, or guns and my girls will never see either. But the docking of the tail is considered a functional requirement for a hunting breed.
To put it simply, tail action and the noise it makes in the bush can give a dog away to its prey or spook its companion’s prey. That’s the practical side of why its been done for centuries on Weims and other gun dog breeds. Breeders who show, or sell their dogs are required to comply with AKC and breed standards, blah, blah blah.
I agree it has no real function for a dog if you don’t hunt. If I bred my own dogs, I probably would dispense with the task. But here’s the last tidbit. There is no surgery involved. These dogs don’t grow a tail and then have it cut off. Breeders put a small rubber band around their tail when they are very tiny pups and the tail sluffs off like a belly button, no pain involved. Needless to say, they never miss what they never had. Love my girls. Would never do or support anything that is inhumane.
Just thought I’d share this and use it as an excuse to get back in touch. Check out my website. My Sommer is featured on page one. Happy to share other photos.
Ellen
Ellen — I totally agree that if there is a practical reason for something, that’s different. But when you’re talking about using your dogs for pictures or just a housepet, there’s no reason for cosmetic alteration of animals.
We talked about getting a Weimeraner, but I hear they’re pretty high strung. We ended up with Katie, a 16 year old (now) lab/pit mix who has been the best dog in the world. She’s getting to the end of her days, but still chases rabbits, pulls you across the street to see someone who might pet her, and gazes lovingly at my husband, secretly wishing I would drop dead so she could take my place.
Stay well!
Lisa