If you own a boxer or frequently come in contact with them, you may have noticed that they have very short tails. Most dog breeds have tails ranging from 3 to 12 inches. However, there are some boxers that have tails in the range of 1 to 3 inches. Today we are going to explain the main reason why boxer dogs have short tail.

Why do boxer dogs have short tails?

There are two reasons that boxer dogs have short tails, genetic mutation and docking.

Genetic Mutation: 

Due to a mutation in the T gene (C189G), many boxers have short, naturally occurring bobtails. This genetic mutation can be recessive or dominant. There are some breeders who are purposely breeding their boxers to mutate this T gene, since docking is becoming more and more controversial. In total, there are 24 breeds that have naturally occurring bobtails due to genetic mutation. These include breeds such as  Jack Russell Terrier, Mudi, and the English Shepard. There are also some cat breeds that have genetic mutations that cause short bobtails.  

Docking:

The second and most common reason that boxer dogs have short tails is because of docking. Docking refers to cutting off a significant portion of a boxer’s cartilage. This is usually done within the first week of the boxer’s birth. There are many reasons that boxers have their tails docked. It is thought to help protect the boxer from rabies, improve balance and speed, and prevent further injury when fighting other animals. It is also very common for boxers to get their tail docked if they work in fields. This is because a long tail can pick up a lot of insects and burrs. 

Is docking a boxer’s tail controversial?

Yes, over the last 50 years tail docking has become a very controversial topic. Many veterinarians claim that there is no real health benefit, and the only reason people dock tails is for cosmetic reasons. In the United States, tail docking in dogs is legal but there are restrictions. The procedure must be done by a certified veterinarian, and tail docking is only allowed in certain dog breeds (including boxers). There are also restrictions on ear cropping. Since many people think that tail docking might be illegal in the future, they have started breeding boxers with short tail breeds in order to create the short tail naturally.