I watched my first ear cropping

I helped the vet crop a client's Doberman pup's ears this morning. I know not everyone agrees with this topic so I decided to put it here. I have had a dog's ears cropped before. As most of you know it is a dream of mine to show and breed Great Danes someday down the line. I've always thought that I was going to crop all my show dogs ears and keep all the pet Danes natural. After watching the ear cropping this morning I've decided that if at all possible I might just be very picky about what dogs I crop and keep them mostly natural.

I've found that the surgery is actually totally unnecessary for pet quality dogs. I thought long and hard about this when I was picking up and throwing away the floppy little ears of the puppy after surgery. I've learned so much working at the vet clinic. Seeing how some of these procedures are done makes me think twice about somethings.

My daughter is volunteering with a vet also, I just asked her and she said that vet will not do ear croppings. She did see a tail cropped and said it was horrible.

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Originally Posted by lute

Seeing how some of these procedures are done makes me think twice about somethings.

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And that is the BEST news I've read today; being educated helps us rethink things; maybe we DON'T change our decision, but the basis for the decision is more sound.

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Originally Posted by lute

I thought long and hard about this when I was picking up and throwing away the floppy little ears of the puppy after surgery.

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:(

I'm 100% against both, I wish everyone that is a fan of cropping & docking could see the procedure.

Well, I don't think I could watch any surgery so I'll never have that
experience. I would think it would be as painful to watch the cropping
as it would de-clawing a cat. :(

I quit my first vet job after "holding" a 3 day old litter of rottie pups mouth closed during a tail dock. This vet was old school... And so very inhumane. One after one, and I was told to "stop whining and getting upset, it wont remember this tomorrow" :(

I am 100% against ear crops, tail docking, and declawing. Have been involved in all, hated it and now I wont work for a vet that proforms them...

One exception, is large dogs who bust their tails open daily, then I will budge, but that is actually being kind to the dog, not cruel!

I am glad you are moving more toward no ear-cropping, I wish the AKC would change their standards. I LOVE natural ears on a Great Dane, they are soft and floppy and just add to their overall sweetness of appearance.

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Originally Posted by pitc9

:(

I'm 100% against both, I wish everyone that is a fan of cropping & docking could see the procedure.

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Me too! To me, it takes away the beauty of a dog, not enhance it. And it wouldn't matter if it did enhance it. They're living beings not pieces of property! I wish both practices would be made illegal in the U.S.

Our vets will no longer dock tails or crop ears . I don't know if the vets in other cities would or if they've all adopted the same policies. I know that people in this area will travel to T.O if they want it done.

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Originally Posted by Karen

I am glad you are moving more toward no ear-cropping, I wish the AKC would change their standards. I LOVE natural ears on a Great Dane, they are soft and floppy and just add to their overall sweetness of appearance.

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The AKC is a money making organization. Like any business, they will bend when it affects their bottom line. They are no more for the humane and ethical treatment of animals than any other big business out there. :mad: