These three doberman pinschers wag their tails happily but, according to their owner, it may not be the same happy story for many of their breed.

Property tycoon Fergus Wilson claims that when he looked into buying three puppies it was a struggle to find any without docked tails, even though it has been illegal to dock dogs' tails since 2006.

Mr Wilson, from Boughton Monchelsea, answered an advert for puppies and was told by the breeder he was still docking dogs’ tails.

The breeder, who was not based in Kent, told him he had several breeding doberman bitches and wanted to meet at a service station to hand over a puppy.

Mr Wilson said: “I have written to Kent’s Chief Constable Mike Fuller and Maidstone and the Weald MP Ann Widdecombe to see what can be done in terms of revoking the breeder’s licence to operate a puppy farm.”

Mr Wilson and his wife Judith eventually found puppies Oxo, Marmite and Bisto, who have not had their tails docked.

An RSPCA spokeswoman said the practice of docking dogs’ tails was illegal, unless carried out on medical grounds, and had been since 2006.

It is, however, not illegal to own a dog with a docked tail, but it is to show them.