While this is not a disease, yet it happens frequently that puppies suffer not a little from this being clumsily done. It is not a painful operation if properly done and before puppy is weaned. Fox terriers, poodles and a few other breeds should have their tails docked to conform to present bench show requirements. An old superstition exists with some people yet that a tail must be bitten off, which is simply erroneous and disgusting. Never use a shears or scissors as the pinching before the cut would cause more pain than the cutting. Before you are ready to cut the tail get an ounce of tincture of iron. Have a solid block or table, have an assistant hold the puppy up to it with its tail laid on the block; calculate how long or short a tail you want (three inches is about right), then let assistant hold puppy up to table with tail lying on it; have a sharp butcher knife ready, and with one quick and rapid cut the tail is off. Tip your bottle of tincture of iron up to and against the end of tail and drop your pup down in the yard. I have docked the tails of a litter of poodle pups when not one of them gave a cry or yelp from the operation, but did not seem to notice it at all and went on playing as usual as if nothing had occurred. The mother will lick and take care of the tails, and they will heal up in due time. Pull the skin back with your left hand when you are ready to do the cutting.