Ear cropping?
- Thread starter Babyblue5290
- Start date
only one thing different..we have the choice..they dont. mary talks so much with her tail..she has a special thump for greeting people, or making her point known..with no tail she is not a very vocal dog..tail thumping is her expression. Ears are designed for a purpose. They have interesting channels that drain away water from the face as well as the inside of the ear..dogs with standin up ears are way more prone to fly bites..i have seen the ears so bulbous from scar tissue it would break your heart..ears that fold over are not "hairy inside so their is no protection from wind and such as a shepard or a sheltie has. I am very againts ear cropping.it is just to make people happy and a dog can do that all by himself without any surgery.
I have heard of taping a GSD's ears if they don't come up on their own as they should. Any well bred GSD's ears should stand up on their own without need for taping. I would never crop a dogs ears, for me I believe it is purely cosmetic.
Tail docking on the other hand can have some benefits. Some breeds have very long whip like tails that split, break, etc. I personally have never owned a docked dog but I can see how it can be better health wise in some breeds. My cousin has an APBT and she is constantly breaking the end of her tail open when she is wagging it. It does not heal well and has turned into a chronic problem especially in the winter. At this time she still has her tail and will probably keep it unless infection becomes an issue.
Tail docking on the other hand can have some benefits. Some breeds have very long whip like tails that split, break, etc. I personally have never owned a docked dog but I can see how it can be better health wise in some breeds. My cousin has an APBT and she is constantly breaking the end of her tail open when she is wagging it. It does not heal well and has turned into a chronic problem especially in the winter. At this time she still has her tail and will probably keep it unless infection becomes an issue.
Renee750il said:
Cropping German Shepherd ears???? They stand up on their own! I can't imagine what kind of nutburger would have GSD ears cropped - or what kind of vet would consent to do it, for that matter.
No, Scob - not yelling at you, lol - you know I wouldn't - I just can't imagine . . . cropping German Shepherd ears!?! Maybe they aren't full blooded and the ears didn't stand up so they had them cropped to appear full blooded . . .
No, Scob - not yelling at you, lol - you know I wouldn't - I just can't imagine . . . cropping German Shepherd ears!?! Maybe they aren't full blooded and the ears didn't stand up so they had them cropped to appear full blooded . . .
My Doberman is cropped and docked. The breeder has that done. The ears had minimal pain and only for a few days. Then they itched a little when cleaning them. The dog would lean into the cotton swab. The tail is docked before the nervous system is developed at about 3 or 4 days old....nop pain. The Doberman's tail is thin and whip like. It is fractured easily. The ears were originally cropped and tail docked to minimize a handle for a human foe or another dog to grab onto. As a working dog, IMO there is still a place for this. A Doberman is not suppose to look soft and cute. He is a serious protection dog and the traditional look reflects that. It is also part of the AKC written standard for the breed.
The ears, being cropped actually indicate much better the dog's mood or what he is alerting to. The little tail wags full throttle and tells as much as a long tail. It's adorable actually. It has been shown in studies that the cropped ear expands the cone of sound coming in. Being a protection dog, this is important to have the maximum amount of hearing ability and directional discernment.
How God intended? Did God intend that people selectively breed dogs to have floppy ears? Did God intend all the many breeds of dogs we have with all the health issues inherent in these various breeds which we have caused by our breeding them? All wild dogs have upright ears. If we're talking about human interferrence with changing dogs' traits, lets start at the beginning.
http://www.trader.co.nz/vizsla/docking/
If we're talking abuse here, why not focus on real abuse. Look around at the shelters and puppy mills. Look at the nuts out there who viciously abuse their animals and put a stop to that before getting so unproportionately worried about a simple surgery.
The ears, being cropped actually indicate much better the dog's mood or what he is alerting to. The little tail wags full throttle and tells as much as a long tail. It's adorable actually. It has been shown in studies that the cropped ear expands the cone of sound coming in. Being a protection dog, this is important to have the maximum amount of hearing ability and directional discernment.
How God intended? Did God intend that people selectively breed dogs to have floppy ears? Did God intend all the many breeds of dogs we have with all the health issues inherent in these various breeds which we have caused by our breeding them? All wild dogs have upright ears. If we're talking about human interferrence with changing dogs' traits, lets start at the beginning.
http://www.trader.co.nz/vizsla/docking/
If we're talking abuse here, why not focus on real abuse. Look around at the shelters and puppy mills. Look at the nuts out there who viciously abuse their animals and put a stop to that before getting so unproportionately worried about a simple surgery.
The Doberman is a good argument for docking and cropping, being developed very specifically and relatively quickly for very definite temperament and physical capabilities. I've heard time and again how easily broken those fragile tails are so it's undoubtedly much kinder to dock them before the nervous system is fully developed than take the chance on painful injury later on.
I think what really frosts so many people (myself included) is these thugs who trim their dogs - usually Pits, Rotties and the like - for the sole purpose of creating a vicious look. These breeds have enough problems being accepted and not discriminated against without stupid humans making things worse.
I think what really frosts so many people (myself included) is these thugs who trim their dogs - usually Pits, Rotties and the like - for the sole purpose of creating a vicious look. These breeds have enough problems being accepted and not discriminated against without stupid humans making things worse.
Actually, the cropping should take place before 12 weeks. It is usually done between 7 to 10 weeks, with 7 weeks being more the "norm" so the puppies are cropped before they are placed in their new homes. All responsible breeders should have their Doberman puppies cropped before they send them home with their new owners. (But cropping does not make a breeder responsible- for example Kimberhell and HOH(who I think crops their dogs))
Quite the contrary actually. In the Doberman breed, the cropped ears add to the sleek appearance of the dog. I in no way see them as looking more aggressive.
A dog with cropped ears still has ears to communicate with.
Dobermans are actually a rare occurrence in the police force. They lack much of a coat, so the thicker-coated breeds (GSDs) mostly dominate K9-Units.
I personally love a beautifully cropped Doberman Pinscher. Granted, I would take natural ears over any crop a common vet could pull off. Cropped ears really do make the breed quite beautiful, and the docked tail, well, where would the nubby wiggles come from without a docked tail? My next Dobe will be cropped, which reminds me I need to call the breeder tomorrow.
Here's the PEC website: http://bakaridobes.westhost.com/publiceducation/PECEars.html
Also, the DPDF that joce posted, there is thread about the subject while back. IF the search feature decides to work, I will find it and post the link here. Or you can go searching, but it's gotta be a few or more pages back.
Quite the contrary actually. In the Doberman breed, the cropped ears add to the sleek appearance of the dog. I in no way see them as looking more aggressive.
A dog with cropped ears still has ears to communicate with.
Dobermans are actually a rare occurrence in the police force. They lack much of a coat, so the thicker-coated breeds (GSDs) mostly dominate K9-Units.
I personally love a beautifully cropped Doberman Pinscher.
Granted, I would take natural ears over any crop a common vet could pull off. Cropped ears really do make the breed quite beautiful, and the docked tail, well, where would the nubby wiggles come from without a docked tail? My next Dobe will be cropped, which reminds me I need to call the breeder tomorrow.Here's the PEC website: http://bakaridobes.westhost.com/publiceducation/PECEars.html
Also, the DPDF that joce posted, there is thread about the subject while back. IF the search feature decides to work, I will find it and post the link here. Or you can go searching, but it's gotta be a few or more pages back.
The argument about cockers vs dobes is that cockers have never been bred with cropped ears. THe breeder knows the dog is prone to the infection so should not breed the dog that is susseptable to it. In the case of the dobe though you would never know that the dog is susseptable to it if they are cropped when they are supposed to be. My dog never would have had an ear infection if he would have been cropped when the breeder normally does it. They were in the process of moving when this litter was ready so it was up to us.
My boy is cute in his pic with the floppy ears but the look on his face is the one of pain I was talking about. He had to lay on stuff to sit up or he would cry with his head down. He did stay at the evil vets (and the non evil vets ) a couple nights to see if they could get rid of it and it was actually worse then. I'm glad it isn't a common problem in dobes though becuase it was a horrible experience!
My boy is cute in his pic with the floppy ears but the look on his face is the one of pain I was talking about. He had to lay on stuff to sit up or he would cry with his head down. He did stay at the evil vets (and the non evil vets ) a couple nights to see if they could get rid of it and it was actually worse then. I'm glad it isn't a common problem in dobes though becuase it was a horrible experience!
If anyone wants to, they can read this link:
http://www.silverdobes.westhost.com/publiceducation/PECEars.html
It explains why Dobermans have cropped ears. Infections are not a significant reason. Cokers were not bred to do the same job a Doberman is bred for. There would be no reason to crop a Cocker's ears. That helpfulness with infections is simply an aside to having cropped ears, more air and light, so less prone to yeast overgrowth. It is not the reason though.
http://www.silverdobes.westhost.com/publiceducation/PECEars.html
It explains why Dobermans have cropped ears. Infections are not a significant reason. Cokers were not bred to do the same job a Doberman is bred for. There would be no reason to crop a Cocker's ears. That helpfulness with infections is simply an aside to having cropped ears, more air and light, so less prone to yeast overgrowth. It is not the reason though.
Doberluv, I posted the updated link above. Same info, just has Helayne's new address. (bakaridobes, not silvedobes)
As for the DPDF search, the search feature did actually work, but there was a huge thread on color/cropping not too long ago so the pages were flooded with that. But the thread joce mentioned is on there, it'll just take some searching to find it.
Same info, just has Helayne's new address. (bakaridobes, not silvedobes)As for the DPDF search, the search feature did actually work, but there was a huge thread on color/cropping not too long ago so the pages were flooded with that. But the thread joce mentioned is on there, it'll just take some searching to find it.
Oh thanks Red Hot. I didn't realize there was a newer, updated one. LOL.
Say....how are you feeling? I know this is a terribly difficult time for you. I know how much you loved your boy and this crop debate is silly when you think about it. We love our dogs so much more than so many people and definitely so much more than people who are mean and nasty and abusive to their dogs. I know you gave your dog such a happy life and all the love anyone could possibly give. How anyone can equate the relatively simple surgery of ear cropping with abuse is beyond me.
And as the link describes, there are functional reasons behind the cropping and IMO they still hold true. These are working dogs, protection dogs (always on call) whether they're a pet or a military dog.
I do hope with some more time, your pain will ease up a little. I know it will take some time. I still miss Bonnie, my Lab and think of her all the time, but the sharpness of the pain is fading.
Say....how are you feeling? I know this is a terribly difficult time for you. I know how much you loved your boy and this crop debate is silly when you think about it. We love our dogs so much more than so many people and definitely so much more than people who are mean and nasty and abusive to their dogs. I know you gave your dog such a happy life and all the love anyone could possibly give. How anyone can equate the relatively simple surgery of ear cropping with abuse is beyond me.
And as the link describes, there are functional reasons behind the cropping and IMO they still hold true. These are working dogs, protection dogs (always on call) whether they're a pet or a military dog.
I do hope with some more time, your pain will ease up a little. I know it will take some time. I still miss Bonnie, my Lab and think of her all the time, but the sharpness of the pain is fading.