What Dogs Are Born With Docked Tails?

No dogs are born with docked tails. Tail docking is a surgical procedure that usually occurs within the first month of a puppy's life. Owners choose to dock a dog's tail for aesthetic or functional reasons. A few dog breeds have a gene that causes a naturally short tail or even no tail at all. In breeds where the trait was beneficial to the purpose of the dog, breeders continued to pass the trait along to future generations.

  1. Bulldogs

    • Both French and English bulldogs are born with naturally short tails. The breeds' tail ranges from 1-inch screw tails to no tail at all. The English bulldog breeders bred for strong jaws, small ears, thick necks and no tail to get in the way of their bull baiting. The French bulldog evolved as a smaller version of the English bulldog and retained the screw tail trait. The cousin of both dogs, the Boston terrier also has a naturally short, screw tail or sometimes no tail at all.

    Braque du Bourbonnais

    • The Braque du Bourbonnais or French pointer has a naturally short, straight tail or sometimes no tail at all. The dog was specifically bred for the docked tail aesthetic. Sportsmen use this hunting dog to point out prey; the dog must stand silent and still indicate the place where its owner should shoot. The short tail helps to emphasize the line of sight for the hunter to follow.

    Australian Shepherd

    • The Australian shepherd, despite the name, developed in the United States as a working ranch dog. The name comes from the Australian immigrants via Spain who brought the dog with them to the U.S. The Aussie has a naturally straight and short tail that ranges from 4 inches -- the maximum show dog length -- to a bobtail. Aussies are working herding dogs that also frequently work as guide dogs, drug-sniffing dogs and search-and-rescue dogs.

    Welsh Corgi

    • The Pembroke Welsh corgi is born with a short tail and sometimes a bobtail. The breed was developed as a herding and farm dog. Breeders bred the corgi for the bobtail trait so cows and sheep could not step on the dog's tail since the corgi is so low to the ground. Emphasis on the corgi's tail length has varied throughout the breed's history. When a corgi is born with a longer tail, the breeder usually has the tail docked. The maximum tail length of a show dog is 2 inches. A similar breed, the Cardigan Welsh corgi, is born with a long tail that is part of the breed standard.