I had to get my lurcher done last year because he kept splitting it, the vet wanted to take the lot off but I made them take as little as possible off. It was a complete nightmare with him eating the dressings and licking the wound preventing it from healing but i'm glad I had it done now. Docking an adult dog by yourself by whatever means is out of order, who gives a shit how it looks if it works it works, if it damages its tail during that work then get a vet to do it under an anaesthetic with proper aftercare.