To crop or not to crop?

[IRescue452]

I think cropped ears look ugly on dogs, except for longhaired dogs like the briard and bouvier and giant schnauzer. The shorter pet crop is not as bad as the show crop. Thin little strings of ear standing up on the dog's head is not something I would pick.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I like both. The Dobie I'm in the process of adopting has his ears cropped and I think he looks gorgeous like that but I also like floppy ears.

[sammy101]

I like both.Great Danes i like their ears cropped,and the same with dobermans,but i like both:)

[binka_nugget]

I like the look of both but my future dogs would only have cropped ears if they had it done before I adopted them.

[Buddy Blaze Lover]

I like natural ears...I don't like when dogs' ears are cropped, unless it's for a really good reason.;)

[Suki Wingy]

I would never crop a dog I wasn't going to show, but I think they look MUCH (usually) better. I hate it when an otherwise beautiful dog has a bad crop job. On the otherhand, I don't like docking. A lot more breeds than you would think have partially docked tails, ie
J/PRT
cockers
weimeranners
vizslas
GSP
GWP
Neapolitan Mastiffs
and so much more

[carole]

Personally I am totally against cropping a dog's ear of any sort, except for medical reasons, I think it is against our law here and rightly so., sorry but that is my strong opinion on this.

[cocker_luva]

i like cropped ears and docked tails, its just my opinion.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

I'm against both, ear cropping more so then tail docking, unless there is a (medical) reason for why it has to be done. Most people get them strictly done for looks anyway, and I just see it as cruel and unnecessary, even if it is done for showing purposes.

Personally, I like the natural look. :)

[wolf_Q]

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
I'm against both, ear cropping more so then tail docking, unless there is a (medical) reason for why it has to be done. Most people get them strictly done for looks anyway, and I just see it as cruel and unnecessary, even if it is done for showing purposes.

Personally, I like the natural look. :)

I agree 100% The only way I would have a dog with cropped ears/docked tails is if they came to me that way (Reggie and Syd both had cropped tails when we got them).

[wolfsoul]

I like the look of both, but I disagree with cropping.

[EssTer]

It depends..But I like both..
I like how dobies look like with natural and cropped ears..But for example great danes - I like much better natural ears....Although I´m againts ear cropping..If I would have dobie (or some other breed) pup, I wouldnt let to crop his ears...

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

I absolutely hate cropped ears! It is also forbidden now to do in Belgium!!

[Oggyflute]

Originally posted by carole
Personally I am totally against cropping a dog's ear of any sort, except for medical reasons, I think it is against our law here and rightly so., sorry but that is my strong opinion on this.

I'm with you there mate. :) Tails are out too in Aus.

[Josh4Colts]

i like both but cropped better.

[tortuga55]

My aunt got her dogs ears croped. He hated it. They had a tone of trouble putin on cream and all that. I dont think its worth the money, but thats just me.:)

[gkristian]

natural

[Pit Chick]

I like the look of cropped and docked, but that's only because I'm used to seeing it on certain breeds. Just for looks is a poor excuse to mutalate a dogs ears and tail though. They once served a purpose, but just being a pet or show dog is not a good enough reason IMO. I wish they would outlaw both procedures here, but on the flip side people who already do it themselves will only continue and people who can't have it done by a vet will turn to doing it themselves. :mad:

[Bigyummydog]

:eek: why, oh why? would you chop off soft floppy ears?:confused: they are just way too yummy!!

[carole]

It is illegal to crop dog's ears in NZ , it is also now illegal to dock tails.

[tikeyas_mom]

I have mixed feelings about cropping.. it does look good, it makes the dog look proud..

BUT i dont like the idea of cutting of the ears of a dog to make it pretty. they go through alot of pain and yea.... i just dont see the point...

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I used to think it hurt the dogs alot but a couple weeks ago I went to a Doberman breeders house (the one who rescued Winston.) and the pups had sjut got their ears cropped the day before. They didn't look liek they were in any sort of pain and they were happily running around and playing with each other. They were a bit itchy but I don't think there was any pain. That's just my opinion though....

[cloverfdx]

Personally I am totally against cropping a dog's ear of any sort, except for medical reasons, I think it is against our law here and rightly so., sorry but that is my strong opinion on this.
Ditto thank goodness it is illegal here. A Dobermann came into our local shelter and someone had done a home job on his ears, they looked awful.

Docking is now illegal here aswell, now maybe the RSPCA can get off their butts and do something about all of the abuse cases :(.

[gemini9961]

I like the natural ears best. I hate the look of cropped ears on any breed. My Rat Terrier had her tail docked before we got her, so I didn't have much choice in that matter. I'm more against the ear cropping than the tail docking.

[jackie]

I prefer natural. :)

[Suki Wingy]

I have thought it over and decided that is too much trouble to go to to crop the ears with the taping and massaging and such as mell as boxers look do much better w/ natureal ears. Dobermans are the only breed where I still prefer cropped. To tell you the truth, docked tails are gross to me because when the vet is done, they have a whole tail left over and for those litle pups with their tails docked I keep seeing those little tails laying on the table! :eek:

[luvofallhorses]

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
I'm against both, ear cropping more so then tail docking, unless there is a (medical) reason for why it has to be done. Most people get them strictly done for looks anyway, and I just see it as cruel and unnecessary, even if it is done for showing purposes.

Personally, I like the natural look. :)

I agree with you 100 % :)

[cali]

natural, I hate the look of cropped ears, makes me shudder to look at them. docked tails not so bad, Ripleys tail is docked but it was docked when we adopted him, however getting a dog from a breeder I would NEVER dock or crop, Blair's breed are supposed to have docked tails and cropped ears, they have standerds for natural, like they CAN be shown natural, but they cant have a gay tail the the ears have to be tipped. Blairs are naturally the way they are "supposed" to be, his moms ears are cropped, and in pyrsheps cropping mean cutting the top of the ear off, most breeders wair to see the pups nateral ears and if they dont tip they slice em off, and I believe Blairs breeder is one of the only ones who wont dock tails anymore and people like it better lol 2 of blairs little brothers have short tails, 1 was born with a natueral bob tail and the other, Cabri was born with his tail not fully formed, he basicly had a hunk of bone on the outside of his tail so his was docked for medical reasons, however that is the only way I will agree with docking.

[wolflady]

Originally posted by wolf_Q
I agree 100% The only way I would have a dog with cropped ears/docked tails is if they came to me that way (Reggie and Syd both had cropped tails when we got them).


Ditto! I like them just the way God made them...

[Vette]

I like both cropped and uncropped. :D

[LorraineO]

If I wanted a pet that looked like a bat,, I would get a bat.....

au Natrual baby,, ALLL THE WAY!!!

[cubby31682]

My dobie has one cropped ear and one flopped ear. I like the look of both. It doesn't bother me either way.

[Suki Wingy]

at a pet store we just saw a brussels griffon or an affenpincher (couldn't tell, there was no label and he was so young) and I wanted him so bad! SHAME ON ME, IT WAS A PET STORE! But anyway, the point is that if we got him I would assume that we would crop his little ears because he would be a juniors dog and some conformation judging.

[Kfamr]

I don't like the look of cropped ears. A lot of the time they crop them so disgusting thin and small. I like natural floppy ears, and natural upright ears. :)

[carole]

Ditto Kay, I am disgusted that people do this to their animals, and so glad NZ has made it illegal, I would like to see the states follow suit.

[CagneyDog]

No. It's a cruel, painful procedure to get it done.

[carole]

And totally un-necessary as well.:(

[Suki Wingy]

I see nothing wrong with it if it is done properly by a good vet. Please don't hate me for it.

[carole]

I don't hate you for it, I just cannot understand your reasons to think that it is ok to mutilate your pet as such, if there were a medical reason for it , that would be somewhat different,it is totally un-necessary, and why on earth would you do it, because you think it looks nice, ugh that I find repulsive, to put any pet through pain it does not need to please your eyes,I just find that totally disgusting, that is how I feel and I make no apologies for my strong view., and I feel proud to be part of a country that see's it as such and therefore has banned it and made it illegal.

[finn's mom]

I like the natural look for ears and tails.

[LorraineO]

Originally posted by finn's mom
I like the natural look for ears and tails.

then youd like my girl!!! not too many dobies who are ALL natural!!! See!? :) Shes modelling a jacket a friend made for her for her biz web page here,, but you can see her tail and ears are allll there!

[Bigyummydog]

I just couldn't bear to part with the so, so soft floppy ears.
They are just way toooo yummy.

[Suki Wingy]

WOW, a dobie tail!!!:D :eek:

[CagneyDog]

Originally posted by Suki Wingy
I see nothing wrong with it if it is done properly by a good vet. Please don't hate me for it.

Good vet or not it is a painful surgery.

[tikeyas_mom]

my parents were going to get Baby's ears cropped at 3 months.... but we desided against it because the vet told us it was a painful healing process... and sometimes, even after taping and healing is through the crop doesnt stay and the ears will flop.. so all of the pain was done for nothing... i think it is really just for looks, it doesnt serve much purpose.. ... ...

[PinkSunshine]

I like the look of cropped and docked dogs.

We owned an APBT that had his ears cropped. My fiance had it done when he was a puppy because he liked the look.

I own 2 yorkies who both have docked tails. It's breed standard. And I bought them with intentions on showing, so in order to win, they have to fit the standard.

[Suki Wingy]

and that is just why we still crop here in America! To keep the breed as it was, or better them for their jobs

[cloverfdx]

But how many dogs are atully still doing what they were bred to do? not that many. Croping serves no purpose in the show ring.

[Kenley's Cat Lady]

I am totally against cropping or docking, I had dobies years ago and I loved thier ears so soft and velvety, unfortunatley tails were docked before I got them, but those ears! This picture is over 20 years old. (My son would kill me if he knew I was posting it!)

[nicanc724]

i heard that cropping a dog's ears is the most painful surgery a dog could go through...in my opinion if it is not necessary i wouldn't do it to my child or my dog!!!! If thier ears were meant to be cropped they would have been born with them cropped....

[.sarah]

and that is just why we still crop here in America! To keep the breed as it was, or better them for their jobs
Not meaning to start a riot, but this is a very stupid reason. Great Danes were bred to hunt wild boar - don't see any Danes doing that these days.

Cropping is unneccessary, whether for show or not. If your dog is doing a job and can be injured, then I'm all for it. But in most cases it is done for looks, which is just selfish. Your dog did not ask to go through pain so he could "look good" so why subject him to that? If you are showing your dog you do not need to crop the ears in order to win (maybe there is a breed that still requires this but I am not sure), so why do it?

Hunting breeds like Vizslas, GSPs, etc. that have docked tails are some of the few I agree with. Their tails are often injured doing their job.

[cloverfdx]

I agree 100% Sarah. Thats what i was trying to "say" but you worded it alot better than me ;).

[Lori Jordan]

I have an Aussie with a cropped tail some i hear have a natural bob is what they call it i think my aussies would look different with tails im so used to them not having one.

[Cataholic]

I wonder....if other countries (or, is it just the land down under?) are beginning to ban cropping of ears/tails....isn't there a reason for it? Americans are the last people on earth to change their habits...we are so ridiculously stuck with 'well, it is OUR right to do it...'. Ugh.

Cropping is as wrong as declawing. :(

[Suki Wingy]

in the UK cropped ears is an imediate DQ from the show ring or ever showing again, so it's not just Australia. Declawing, on the other hand, I'm against unless it is the last thing keeping a cat in his family. My grandma declawed :( Seamus when my aunt moved in because he was "playing too roughly" with her cats. Otherwise he would be off the the shelter.

[K9soul]

I wonder....if other countries (or, is it just the land down under?) are beginning to ban cropping of ears/tails....isn't there a reason for it?

According to one site that listed countries who have banned cropping and/or docking, here is a list of some: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Israel, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa (From 2007, vets will not be permitted to dock), and Virgin Islands.

More are being added all the time. California is working to ban the practice in California. More on that here: http://www.thepetprofessor.com/press/press.aspx?id=1807

Here's another informative link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docking

"The tradition of docking dogs originates in the old Roman empire where worms in the tail of the dog were thought to cause rabies. This belief led to the tradition of cutting off the tail as a preventive measure."

[Cataholic]

K9Soul- thank you for such factual data!!! (or, is that a redundant phrase?)

There has got to be better treatment for pets.... :(

[CagneyDog]

Here's another informative link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docking


Wikipedia isn't a reputable site. Lots of information on there is completely false.

[K9soul]

Umm I read the article and found it to be objective and no false information, with plenty of facts you can find on many other websites about docking and cropping. I felt it summarized it nice and simply without going into rabid arguments for or against it. Maybe you could point out what in that article was incorrect or false information. If you feel it's the part about where docking originated as a means to prevent rabies, that is easily proved or disproved by looking around more. Here are some more sites that give that bit of info.

http://www.schnauzerclub.co.uk/docking.shtml

http://www.pethealth.com.au/index.cfm?Fuseaction=wysiwygpage&wysiwyg_id=159

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20040406004

http://www.animallaw.info/articles/dduscroppingdocking.htm

to name just a few.

I never said "use wikipedia to research any questions." I said that particular article was informative on docking/cropping and why it was started, and what countries are banning it etc. :rolleyes: I swear people just look for things to nitpick on here sometimes and it makes me hesitant to even post lately.

[CagneyDog]

Umm I read the article and found it to be objective and no false information, with plenty of facts you can find on many other websites about docking and cropping. I felt it summarized it nice and simply without going into rabid arguments for or against it. Maybe you could point out what in that article was incorrect or false information. If you feel it's the part about where docking originated as a means to prevent rabies, that is easily proved or disproved by looking around more. Here are some more sites that give that bit of info.

http://www.schnauzerclub.co.uk/docking.shtml

http://www.pethealth.com.au/index.cfm?Fuseaction=wysiwygpage&wysiwyg_id=159

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20040406004

http://www.animallaw.info/articles/dduscroppingdocking.htm

to name just a few.

I never said "use wikipedia to research any questions." I said that particular article was informative on docking/cropping and why it was started, and what countries are banning it etc. :rolleyes: I swear people just look for things to nitpick on here sometimes and it makes me hesitant to even post lately.

No need to get hasty. I didn't even read the info, I just wanted to warn people that it may not be correct. In no way, k9soul, was this some personal attack on you. No need to question posting on Pet talk because of this! You are a highly valued member! :)
All I know is that Wikepedia is banned from using in almost every school around here because of the incorrect info. Every bit of information I have seen from that site has been incorrect or twisted in some sort of way. Maybe this is different though!


I swear people just look for things to nitpick on here sometimes and it makes me hesitant to even post lately.
I also think that a big problem is that people blow friendly statements out of proportion! :)

[animal_rescue]

I adore the doberman breed and think they look gorgeous cropped and docked. I have seen dobie ears gone wrong and I hate the people that do it to them but I don't think it's bad when I vet that knows what their doing does it, especially for show reasons. I love Maggie with all of my heart and soul and if anyone thinks I'm a horrible pet owner because she was cropped and docked, well honestly I don't care. She's my baby.

edit: also to add that if a puppy is to old to be cropped and docked then I don't think it's right to do it, also I think their cute with out being cropped and/or docked.

[Vela]

My Ginger was already cropped when I got her, she was a rescued dog, but I don't think she looks funny or like a bat, I think she is beautiful just as she is. I had the choice with Cracker not to crop his ears and I chose not to. I don't see a need to do it but I am not going to condemn those who do it for showing purposes here in the states. That is the only way to get conformationally correct dogs or proper breeding, by showing. Until they make it against the law here I am not going to bash someone for doing it for that reason. I see no need to do it just because, though, and don't see myself ever cropping any of my dogs if given the choice. Their tails were done at three days old and I had no say in that but I don't mind that they have short tails, they don't have the chance of injuring it since it's already done. Had they come to me with long tails, they would still have long tails.

[K9soul]

No need to get hasty. I didn't even read the info, I just wanted to warn people that it may not be correct.

You're right, I did overreact although some of my reaction had to do with other incidents that have happened and I PMed you regarding that. I should have just brushed it off, or responded more calmly ;).

I do still feel that unless you found something in the article that seemed questionable there was no need to warn people that it might be false. I do try to be careful and read through anything myself before using it as a reference. I used that article as a reference because I felt it was the most "informational" summary I could find at the time that was not a pro or anti cropping/docking site.

Hopefully we understand each other on this now and sorry for the rather strong outburst on my part :D.

[zoomer]

I perfer cropped ears but I dispize the pain the dog goes through...

[cyber-sibes]

I like both, it's really up to the owner/breeder IMO. I don't think I'd have the heart to put any dog I personally owned through it, though. I don't know about other breeds, but show dog huskies also have their dew claws removed, but I'll bet it isn't as painful as cropping/docking.

[tessa_s212]

Cropping-No

Docking-I am fine with.

(...ever seen eurpeon cockers with tails? :p )

[IRescue452]

We have cockers here with tails, they are so cute. I am against docking. It depresses me to see Autumn without a tail and think about how it got chopped off.

[Misty_Pearl]

I normally like the look of natural ears with one exception, I like the doberman with cropped ears. If the pet is given a pain medicine after the surgery is done as it is supposed to be given, there isn't enough pain for the pet to notice. I wouldn't crop an older dogs ears. If a vet is good at what he does, I don't look at it as being the worst thing an owner could decide to do. It is TOTALLY different from declawing. You don't walk on your ears...

Another reason I love french bulldogs so much is that they are born with the breed standard look. Their ears stand up naturally and they are born with a very small tail - not much there.

[CathyBogart]

I don't dislike the look of properly cropped ears but I dislike the procedure.

I do think there are still good reasons to dock tails though....my aunt's dog Levi is a Viszla/Pit mix, and his long natural tail wags so hard that he injures it and leaves bloody "Thwap thwap thwap" prints all over the house. I hear about it happening 4-5 times a year.

Since he is an adult, they don't really want to look into having it docked NOW, but if he had it done as a pup it could have saved him lots of pain and vet trips.

[Kfamr]

But at the same time, dogs use their tails in swimming, sitting, balancing, moving, etc. If we chopped off our limbs it'd save us pain and the trouble of breaking a leg or arm.

I wish I had the artical Amy had when I was in Utah. It was about how dogs "feel" their missing tails or limbs sometimes.. and how cropped dogs vs uncropped dog sit. It was an interesting read.

[IRescue452]

Yes there are a small percentage of dogs per year with broken tail tips, not much more than half are breeds that are normally cropped though. There's no way to predict which dog is going to have "happy tail syndrome".

[dab_20]

I like natural much better... any breed I think looks better with natural ears. In my opinion it's kind of cruel.

[dab_20]

Cropping-No

Docking-I am fine with.

(...ever seen eurpeon cockers with tails? :p )

I agree! Cocker's look very awkward with tails, they are really long.

[k9krazee]

Really don't agree with cropping, especially since it has virtually no function anymore.

[lute]

i don't have anything against it. IF it is done properly and the owner does the proper after care. i think if you are going to have the surgery done, but not do the after care it's pointless and a waist of money and pain for the dog that didn't need to be done. i had Jake's ears cropped. he wasn't in a lot of pain and it didn't faze him a bit. i do plan on cropping my next dane too.

[shihtzulover850]

Don't get me wrong danes are smart intelligent beautiful dogs but I still think they look dumb with there ears cropped. They look sooooooooo much better with them natural. The same for boxers. I don't like it when they cut off their tails either. My cousin has a great dane and he said he would not crop her ears. I did research on the internet and found a picture of a dane in a dog show without its ears cropped and I must say it looked so much better.

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

I have a natural eared Great Dane and I am very happy we didnt get his ears cropped. I really don't see the point of putting a dog through pain because you like the look of it. Great Danes can be shown with natural ears, why get them sliced off? Bailey has the cutest ears, he wouldn't be the same without them. People can approach Bailey because he doesn't look intimidating. If his ears were cropped, alot of people would be afraid of him.

While it may be personal choice, what would your puppy say if you asked him/her if they wanted their ears "modified"? Dogs can't speak for themselves and I think that's why people take advantage of "canine plastic surgery".

[critter crazy]

I like the look of both, But i would never crop a dog.

[GiantSchnauzer]

Well, I guess I'm in the minority here. I like both but prefer cropped. I'm a big fan of the "old school" style German Giant Schnauzer cropped, docked, hard coat, very capable of working.

[Rio and Me]

I like the look of cropped ears, although here it is illigal. so i obvioulsy wouldnt have it done!
i prefer docked tail on all docked breeds but that has just become illegal.
It mostly is for cosmetic but for working dogs it wasnt.
i wish all my dogs had ALL of there dew claws off but didnt so so far iv had about £250 of vet bills to have them repaired, treated and only one they removed because removing the other would have been cosmetic (il proply have to have the other removed somtime anyway because it only a matter of time before he tears the other!)
De-clawing cats??? how will they climb, defend themselves? im not sure i agree (its illegal here anyway) but we had 2 cats from the US that were declawed in our sallon and they we bliss to groom,NO threat of getting cat scratchs bliss bliss bliss!
so if its illigal to dock crop and declaw why are they still removing dewclaw which must be just a painfull if it is?

why alter something that doesnt need altering?
Ky

[bckrazy]

If you are actually doing it for working purposes (such as, for an Aussie, docking their tail because otherwise cat-tails and brush would rip and snag it) - I have no problem with cropping/docking humanely. But, if you're doing it for no good reason, I do feel it is selfish. =/ I know sooo many people who swear they will never crop again, after cropping a dog, and many that say the same about docking; because it's just needless if your dog is a pet.