it really depends on the work they do, all my jacks have their but the pups mum didnt and she only has very small scares, when Jacks compete in soem classes shuch as go to ground, I have herd of a lot of them ripping them off, it really depends on the breed, i have never had a dog with back ones so i havent had a prob with them, but yes its a personal opnion, just like docking and cropping