For or against docking tails or cropping ears?

I am not strongly for it. But I do think people should see it done (in vets office) before they comment about how bad or good it is.

(we play god all the time with breeding, 'god' didn't create the breeds of dogs we have, people did)

If done properly by a licensed veterinarian, I'm ok with it. I personally have no issues with docking if done properly between 3 and 5 days of age. The pups feel momentary pain, and within minutes have forgotten all about it. The only things they care about after are eating and sleeping. I think it's all down to personal choice though, and what the dogs will be used for. A lot of working breeds have this done to prevent injury of the tail as adults, which is a much more painful surgery when the tail is fully formed. However, if you have a working breed that you aren't going to actually WORK, then I see no reason to do so. But, if you are getting a dog from a breeder, you may not have a choice as to if the dog is docked or not, it is their choice to do so or not. And in this case, I agree that the breeder should have the choice. I would hate to see it banned in my area.

I'm personally not a fan of ear cropping, if it involves any kind of cutting. The shaping I have no problem with though. I just see no point in causing such unnecessary pain, which unlike docking, does last a while. I can see people who show doing this, only because in some cases, it is standard to do so. Personally though, i'd like to see more "natural" eared dogs win at shows. Certain judges seem to favour the cropped ear in specific breeds. But I see no reason at all to crop unless the dog is shown, even then it's debatable for me.

We have had this issue come up more than once on the board.........you may want to do a search My personal opinion, I like the way a pitbull or doberman looks with cropped ears better than natural. But I would rather my dog have a tail if I owned a rottweiler.

Personally, I would keep my dogs natural unless I was going to show.

i think it is a mutliation to appease the dog society of what they cannot change by breeding. I am sure if you asked the dog they would say absolutely not, they don't care so why should we? EArs are a sensitive lovely part of a dog, my favorite being the silky beauty of them, the expression they have as one of their ways to communicate. Why can't they be just as lovely With as they are to others without. It think it is the saddest thing and cannot look at a cropped ear without seeing it for what it is. Half or less of an ear to make people think they look better.

i think if a dog is akc registered and is going to be a show dog there tail should be docked but if it is just going to be a pet why bother its there love it with the rest of the dog

I think standards should be changed to allow dogs that are natural, personally. All the show talk makes it seem as if you absolutely have to cut the tails, and that is just wrong in my opinion.

I do not like ear cropping. I don't like the way it looks, I don't like the fact that a puppy is undergoing a serious (cosmetic) surgery. Spaying/neutering is the only surgery I want my dogs going through under my command (barring health issues).

Absolutely against it. Just because it's a "show dog" doesn't mean it should be mutilated to please our whim. I think it's an absolutely absurd practice.

I am ok with Tail docking if done at the right time (3to5 days old) and at a vets office.I am against ear cropping because its done later and the pups do feel pain at that age and it takes time to heal.

I'm sure they dont' like to be mutilated by spaying and neutering either, or being put under to have their teeth cleaned, but most people do that without a second thought. Its done young, kind of like when they cut young boys, tell you the truth, I don't remember it, I don't think the dogs do either.

I don't care for it myself however, but will fight to allow other people to do it. It is my opinion that if you don't like it, don't do it, if you find it necessary, go right ahead.

Health and beauty are two extremely different things.
Responsibility doesn't mean you dock and/or crop. People are going to own dogs, even if they aren't qualified by our standards, and even many of those people will spay or neuter because it's the right thing to do.

Docking I am okay with.

Cropping I am not. I will never get a dog cropped. The pain and extra time worrying all about making the ears stand up right is downright silly to me.

i wouldn't nip the babies for anything. ITs barbaric. Why should they feel pain before they even see the world? WHy cant that little bit of time with mom be as cozy and wonderful and loving as it is suppose to be. ONLY humans would do that. I wish i lived where it was banned , then i wouldn't even have to think about it (shakes head and walks away)

What about circumcision? I guess I'm just kind of assuming you're referring to docking, but why does this not apply to what we do to our own species?

As for spaying and neutering, it's only a necessary procedure because we aren't responsible enough to own intact dogs. Is my dog spayed? Sure, she's easier to live with and I don't have to worry about unwanted puppies. Is removing a dog's reproductive organs done solely for their benefit? Or are we doing it as a benefit to us?

I think natural ears and tails are just as gorgeous, but don't take away my right to choose.

what does spay neuter have to do with health?? Don't give me propaganda sites either, I can see them for what they are. I have intact dogs, always have, and not one female has ever had a puppy that wasn't planned by me.

I've never had to get my dogs put under for teeth cleaning either, mostly cause of the food I give them.

The dogs aren't being abused, killed,etc. I think most people should keep their noses in their own business. because:

We now have groups trying to mandate ALL of us to mutilate our dogs and have them ALL spayed and Neutered, regardless of my personal opinions and lifestyle.

We have groups of people that want to take ALL of our pets away because of their opinions, not mine

Just caues you don't always agree with something doesn't mean you need to make laws to ban it.

Couldn't agree more!

I am against both, meaning I wouldn't do either. However it would be nice if it were banned here but in reality, it should be a choice. Some prefer it, while others like me find it barbaric.
If I had a Dobie or boxer ( the 2 breeds that pop in my head right away who typically go through both procedures) I would like them to be natural, the way they were born, I see no need to satisfy my personal preference by mutilating them. If standing ears and no tail was to be what they were to look like then I think they would be born like that. Same for dew claw removal and declawing cats...
As far as circumsision I feel the same way.
Humans have some issue with playing "god" in making things the way they want them to look.
So, I for one wouldnt do these things to my dogs if I had the choice, someone else may, as long as they have educated reasons as to why they choose to do it, and have thouroughly looked into what is involved, who am I to tell them their choice is wrong?

I just want to add to my "playing god" reference,
I know human society does this alot, with breeding,food,becoming pregnate, you name it, its how our society seems to do things.
I think some things should be just left the way they are, however, I like that we "play god" by means of finding cures, saving lives, and other things like such.
Playing cosmetic "god" well.... depends on the situations I guess.

Why whenever a thread gets started about cropping as mutilation do we have to bring up neutering and spaying Two totally different things! One is done for cosmetic reasons and the other is for health benefits not so much for conveinence. I know several people who didn't believe in spay and neuter and their dogs later in life had no choice but to be altered due to enlarged prostrates, testicular cancers, or pyometra and mammory cancers. I really wish S/N would be left out of the conversation