Cropping & Docking - For or Against?

Kayota

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#1
I, personally, am very against it. I liken it to forcing a child to get plastic surgery even if they don't want it. It's cutting off a body part. It's as bad as declawing in cats. I understand dewclaw removal, because my dogs sometimes get their dewclaws caught on leashes and such, but in this day and age, cropping and docking serve no purpose. Your thoughts on the matter?
 

ACooper

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#4
Did you discuss it with the breeder beforehand? If the breeder wasn't willing to work with your wishes, why did you go ahead and buy from them??
 

SizzleDog

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#5
Even if someone does choose to do it, I think they should be given the option. I had a min pin once, and she came docked. :\
In most cases, you do have the option - if the breeder you choose will not sell a puppy au naturale, you find a different breeder or choose rescue! I've got three docked dogs (traditionally docked breeds), two of which are cropped (traditionally cropped breeds). I will get a natural eared dobe someday, but not right now. I like having a choice, especially since my dogs are docked and cropped by professionals and reknowned cropping vets.

However... I find myself urging most people NOT to crop - I'd rather see natural ears than a bad crop ANY day! And usually, the average pet owner does not have the resources to get a good crop in the first place.... so it's just easier to go with natural ears.
 

Kayota

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#7
Well my mom was an ass and didn't bother choosing the right breed or anything. I urged her to go with a corgi, which I know would've been better for us, and I urged her to find a good breeder, but she just found the breed with the least health problems of the options we chose and the breeder with the cheapest prices.

And then she got the min pin's ears cropped.
 
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#8
I personally wouldn't get my dogs ears cropped, but I would dock their tails if thats the standard. Honestly, if it's done by a professional I have nothing against docking or cropping. But I must admit, I'm not a fan of the Min Pin crops I see. I think they look better with natural ears. I do like the crops on dobermans though, maybe its because they are a bigger dog. I guess a lot of show bostons are cropped. I don't really see the point since their ears already stand, but I'm told it has something to do with the shape of the ears.
 

KT07

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#10
I am only for cropping/docking if it is for medical or professional reasons only e.g. working police dogs.
 

Lilavati

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#11
Isn't the cropping or docking done before you would normally select a puppy? I understand refusing to buy from a breder who insists on it no matter what, but if its done early, how would you know which puppy you want to say . . . don't do that one?
 
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#12
I am only for cropping/docking if it is for medical or professional reasons only e.g. working police dogs.
Why would a working police dog have to be cropped or docked? Most police dogs are German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Labs . . . none of which are breeds who get cropped or docked.
 
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#13
Isn't the cropping or docking done before you would normally select a puppy? I understand refusing to buy from a breder who insists on it no matter what, but if its done early, how would you know which puppy you want to say . . . don't do that one?
Good point. As far as my understanding goes, the docking is done at 3 days old along with the dew claws. So in my mind a good breeder isn't going to have matched the dogs up with the owners yet (they don't even have personalities nevermind any sort of conformation). The cropping is done later so the new owner can decide on that.
 

mrose_s

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#15
I think this topic has been done to death but still, I disagree with both unless the dog is doing a job in which tails/ears could easily become damaged if not cropped or docked. I don't think "tradition" or "looks" cut it with this argument.
 

HoundedByHounds

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#16
I do dewclaws...so I hardly think saying I am against docks/crops is anything other than hypocritical..so I am not.

I do not choose to dock or crop, so I chose a breed where that is not necessary. What I do not like is when people decide they like a breed...most times based on the appearance of the breed...then complain about practices within a breed, to gain the appearance they like.

If that bothered you there were over 200 OTHER breeds to choose from.

It should be done by someone who knows what they are about...esp ears, minimizing pain to the dog whenever possible. But the horror stories out there about it...*eye roll*
 

SummerRiot

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#17
I personally am against dewclaws if the breed standard says they dont need it.

Its against breed standard for a Belgian to have rear dewclaws - but the front dewclaws are acceptable.

I just dont like them period. So I would rather get a dog without any dewclaws on them.

As for the docking and cropping.

I think some breeds just look better with it done - I also grew up in the dog show world though so am acustom to seeing a breed a certain way.

Ex. Dobes - they need their ears and tails done or they look like hounds to me.

Rotties - I have seen long and docked tails and it can go either way for me.

Boxers - I liked a flopped ear on a Boxer, but I think the docked tail looks best.
 

PWCorgi

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#19
I am 100% for the right for people to choose whether they want to dock and crop.

If I was to get a breed that was traditionally cropped and I liked the cropped look (like a doberman) I would get a cropped dog through rescue, I'm too lazy to want to deal with all the posting and such myself :p
 

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