Before the late 1980s, traditional Bouvier des Flandres were nearly all cropped (ears) and docked (tails). Cropped ears gave the breed a serious look for serious work and was thought to keep away ear infections and parasites. When you're a dog, working on a farm, the farmer may not spend a lot of time grooming and combing through your body to be sure all is well.
On the farm, it was thought to be better safe than sorry: Bouviers' tails were docked (cut short) to prevent cattle from stepping on them, gates from breaking them, and bacteria from settling into their fur during whelping (birthing).
Today, most Bouviers are home companions and protectors. Animal cruelty laws in many countries (and some states!) prevent the cosmetic altering of a Bouvier unless the tail is already broken and needs to be amputated. In the past, farmers docked tails preventatively. Today, we dock tails, or leave them natural, to meet the preferences of their forever homes.
In Pennsylvania, where the House Of Bouvs is located, it's still legal to have pups' tails docked before 5 days old and later by a trained surgeon. While many breeders, historically, will dock their own pups' tails, we DO NOT perform tail dockings at The House. We take our pups to a veterinarian in Pittsburgh at 3 days old to perform the procedure.
This is why we have Draft Pick Day (definition: see our FAQs under HOB Breeding Practices) before pups' third day of life: to determine which pups are kept natural and which ones are docked.
All of our American lines have docked tails. When you see a Bouvier at The House Of Bouvs with a natural tail, it was born in Europe and imported 100% natural as a nod of respect to its homeland.
Docked! Less chance of tail being fractured if an outdoor," woodsy" active dog.