h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Beverley,

I'm writing with regards Terrierman's column in the magazine. I've followed his blog for a long time, before I worked with you, and I really enjoy reading him.

I've also read Dogs Today for a long time - when I had my first dog Buster I read it a lot before I had J[Personal details removed by Moderator] and had to switch to baby magazines. I remember how long and hard you campaigned for banning tail docking - something I begged my mum not to do to the Yorkshire Terriers she bred in the 80s (which she ignored or she 'wouldn't be able to sell them', so that was one of the reasons I was so passionate about your magazine and how happy I was to have a chance to work with your, even for just a short time. I love seeing my name in the mag from the Think Tank, but have to rethink contributing to the blog.

I know my opinion probably doesn't hold much, but I was really upset to see Terrierman's 'pro-docking' article this month. It's not the first one that has grated a little bit, not really seeming to fit in with the tone of the magazine, but this one I couldn't keep quiet about. On your blog about Marmaduke you wrote "I could go on about the terrible ear cropping on so many dogs but most obviously the Great Dane" yet in your magazine Terrierman claims that your concerns over the years about tail docking are "nonsense". Columnists in the magazine should surely be aware of the ethos of the magazine, and not try to overturn years of good work? Terrierman is great in his place, I love reading about working terriers, and this article on his blog would not have upset me - it's his opinion and he's entitled to it. But when that opinion is published in a magazine that has previously published their opinion on terrier docking as "There is no reasonable purpose for chopping bits of terriers' and boxers' anatomy off, other than fashion" something is not right.

Mina

Hear hear. I've always regarded this practice in much the same light as female circumcision or foot binding.

She has in the past likened it to footbinding herself, so to publish a pro-tail docking article is beyond belief.

Tail docking is awful, it's good you wrote a letter. Does it still go on in the UK or was the article just hypothetical? I thought it was banned. It's been banned here for a few years and seems to be having effect because I can't remember the last time I saw a dog with a docked tail. Our poodle had it done before we got her, even though we'd asked for her to be left alone. Happily, all the poodles I see out and about these days have long tails. It actually took a bit of getting used to!

Also I'm gonna be potentially controversial here and say I think it's like any form of circumcision, not just female circumcision.

It's banned except for working dogs here, the author of the article is from the States.

The magazine campaigned tirelessly for the end of cosmetic tail docking. The article didn't belong in that mag.

As far as I can can gather, people docked their dog's tails to stop other dogs from biting them, yes? So, see as how dog fighting is illegal, what's the bloody point nowadays?