I agree with every thing that animalbiz is discussing.
I personally feel that docking and cropping is inhumane, cruel and just unnecessary.
Another thing that makes me laugh is when people use the defense of "they did this hundreds of years ago"
Who cares, are we not evolving not recessing? There are so many things they did hundreds of years ago that I'm glad we don't do today. Witch hunts, slavery, women having no rights so on. They had just as much of a clue about dogs and cropping/docking as they did regarding these other terrible things mankind did.
Just to add, I have a Dobe with full tail and uncropped ears. He is lovely. There was one post on this thread (and I will find it) that said a Dobe uncropped undocked is ugly. I was VERY offended.
A friend has a Boxer with full tail and uncropped ears. Their tails are not weak. that is such a pathetic excuse.
As for hunting, there are tons of hunting breeds that do not have their tails docked. That also is a flimsy excuse. My dog broke off one of his nails, should I have him declawed...it's so stupid the flimsy excuses people use to inflict cruelty to animals. If I had my way people who dock/crop would have animal cruelty charges put against them and a hefty fine.
Docking also causes many physical problems, spinal problems from the new way of sitting. Some dogs cannot read a docked/cropped dog properly, more times docked/cropped dogs have behavioral problems and that is a fact.
I know people who hunt with their Retrievers and go through brush and woods and never had any problems with broken tails.
Anyhow, that's just my rant.