Ear Cropping and Tail Docking

#31
littlelysser said:
...I think I heard somewhere that in certain cases the tail docking isn't just cosmetic...something about dogs and breaking their tails...might not be true. Does that sound familiar to anyone?
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I remember hearing this about certain breeds of dogs, years ago, about takig dogs into thick forests to hunt, that their tails can be hurt by all the sticks and thorns.

But few pupdogs of Modern Today spend long hours thrashing their tails through thick forests of thorns and sticks.

Cat said:
One county in the state of VA has just outlawed both these practices.:yahoo:
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Good for them! I wish all would follow that example.
grayxie said:
Dogs are supposed to have tails and ears!
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Some things really need to be in big red letters. No one could say it any better or any clearer.
 
#32
My min pin has his tail docked but the breeder did tell me that it was done when he was days old and gave me the options of getting his ears cropped. I was going to do it at first, but him and those natural ears are the best thing for him. They are so expressive and he usually have one ear up and one down or flopped down and I call them piggie ears. I got him neutered at age 2 and he was in a little pain that night when I brought him home, but the next day he was running and playing and doing his normal thing so he was ok.
 
#35
I have no problem with it done under a veterinarian's care (cropping) Docking can be done by very experienced breeders with the pups crying for about a minute or so. And then they forget about it. They do it a at few days old.If they are not experienced. there are breeder-experienced vets who will do that, too.

It is not inhumane (ear cropping) when done by vets . Breeder sonly do docking at a few days old where the pups forget it quickly (circumcision, anyone?- comparable). The cropping they leave to experienced veterinarians.

Animal rights extremists want you to think otherwise.

The End.

No more justification from me on this thread,.
 
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#36
Cutting the tails off while still conscious? Tying a rubber band??? Are people insane? :wtf: That is like getting your wisdom teeth taken out with no anesthesia!!

I wouldn't be so against it if the animal was completely under and had painkillers afterwards. Anything less than that is sick.
 
#37
chessmont said:
I have no problem with it done under a veterinarian's care (cropping) Docking can be done by very experienced breeders with the pups crying for about a minute or so. And then they forget about it. They do it a at few days old.If they are not experienced. there are breeder-experienced vets who will do that, too.

It is not inhumane (ear cropping) when done by vets . Breeder sonly do docking at a few days old where the pups forget it quickly (circumcision, anyone?- comparable). The cropping they leave to experienced veterinarians.

Animal rights extremists want you to think otherwise.

The End.

No more justification from me on this thread,.
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I agree with you - and I think on this kind of topic, it's "to each his (her) own" ---

mainly because.... think about little piglets. Shortly after birth, they have their tails clipped off, teeth completely pulled (usually with pliers) and their ears kind of "hole punched" in order to keep the litter straight. My degree is in Animal Science so I had to participate in these procedures. The piglets squeal for one minute and then it's back to rolling around playing in the slop.

Sure, it may be considered inhumane, but so many things are considered "controversial" now days that it makes my head just spin.
 
#39
So, other than those who go hunting with their dog, and dock their tails to prevent breakage, this is only done for superficial reasons otherwise? I can't figure out why their ears need to be sliced off whether they feel it or not for one minute or the entire healing process. Even on dogs with pointed ears ( coupled with longer hair) help to keep debris and water out. I saw ones cut so short to stubs, he looked bald. We may need cosmetic sugery on ourselves to choose to permanently correct what we feel are imperfections, but I guess I don't know why the natural beauty of a pet can't be left alone. Our friend had his ear cut, but he had cancer there. I'm glad there's a movement to ban this (other than it being medically necessary)and then there could be change in thinking this is even normal. Europe is so ahead of the US in not only this, but with the welfare of animals in regards to factory farming.
 
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#41
I didn't look into the reasons for circumcision, but isn't that religious and/or cleanliness since having foreskin is prone to infection so there's a reason ( like why they feel tails should be docked on hunting dogs) so it's not completely for cosmetic reasons or to make a guys penis prettier. Also, I don't believe babies should have their ears pierced since they can decide if they want them when they're older. Either way, it's not the same as cutting off ears that can never grow back. I had my ears double pierced as a teenager and I decided to let the 2nd hole close up.
 
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#42
[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif]On July 9, 1999, the American Veterinary Medical Association released the following:

Ear cropping and tail docking in dogs for cosmetic purposes are not medically indicated nor of benefit to the patient. These procedures can cause pain and distress, and as with all surgical procedures, are accompanied by inherent risks of anesthesia, blood loss, and infection. Therefore, veterinarians should counsel dog owners about these matters before agreeing to perform these surgeries. [/FONT]

http://www.briarleabouvier.com/ear_cropping.htm


Ear Cropping: Correct or Cruel?

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[SIZE=+1]Owners should make an informed decision about cropping a dog's ears.[/SIZE]
Ear cropping, like tail docking and dew claw removal, began centuries ago as a preventive measure. In those times, there were no antibiotics for infections or anesthesias, and no veterinary surgeons to repair cuts, wounds and infections. Owners learned as a practical matter to remove in the first days of life those portions of a puppy's anatomy that were prone to tearing.
Hunting dogs, which wag their tails vigorously when on scent, had their tails shortened. Dew claws, which can snag and tear in heavy brush, were removed. Ears were an easy target in fights, and most of the fighting dogs had their ears cropped. Thus, breeds like American Staffordshire Terriers and Bull Terriers were cropped. (Bull Terrier breeders, however, stopped cropping almost a century ago and learned to select dogs for breeding with a small, erect ear.) Some hunting and guarding breeds, including the Great Dane (at that time a boarhound) and the Boxer, were cropped to prevent injury. Many flockguarding breeds (such as the Caucasian Owtcharka of Russia and the Akbash Dog of Turkey) had their ears nearly amputated (across, almost flush with the head) since they lived most of their lives out with the flocks and had to face wolves and bears. Even the Saluki had its ears removed in its native Arabia, probably due to the rapid appearance of flies and maggots in any wound. Many early Saluki imports from the desert could not be shown in the United States due to their cropped ears.
Almost all early ear crops were short and crude. As advances in husbandry and medicine eliminated the need for short ears, cropping became more fashion than protective medicine. Surgeries were done under anesthesia, and the cuts tended to lengthen and become more graceful and aesthetic in shape. Miniaturized breeds, such as the Miniature Pinscher and the Miniature Schnauzer, usually followed their larger cousins in fashion. Toy Manchester Terrier breeders, however, resisted and do not allow cropping, although it is permitted for the Standard Manchester Terrier.
There are no longer any scientifically proven reasons to crop ears. Some say that it prevents ear infections, but veterinarians see plenty of erect-eared dogs (both natural and cropped) with these infections. Besides, if that were true, the practice of cropping Cockers and other spaniels as well as Poodles, Beardies and Mastiffs would have gained wide acceptance.
Today, ear cropping is a cosmetic surgery, pure and simple. If you like the look of the cropped ear, you may choose to crop, but it is a choice. The procedure should be done as early as possible: 6 weeks of age in the larger breeds and not past 9 weeks in the smaller ones. In a dog older than 16 weeks there is not only more pain but also more pain memory. Ear cartilage is for the most part set permanently by 4 months of age, so there is little latitude for bracing and training the cut ear to stand after surgery. Ear cropping is a choice each owner must make, and it should be an informed choice.
 
#44
^I don't think they crop Pom's ears! They just natually point up.

Breeds that crop:
Affenpinscher
American Staffordshire Terrier
Beauceron
Boston Terrier
Bouvier des Flandres
Boxer
Briard
Brussels Griffon
Doberman Pinscher
German Pinscher
Giant Schnauzer
Great Dane
Manchester Terrier (Standard)
Miniature Pinscher
Miniature Schnauzer
Neapolitan Mastiff
Standard Schnauzer

Breeds that dock tails:
SPORTING BREEDS
Brittany
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer
Clumber Spaniel
Cocker Spaniel
English Cocker Spaniel
Field Spaniels
Spinone Italiano
Sussex Spaniel
Vizsla
Weimaraner
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon


WORKING BREEDS
*Boxer
*Doberman Pinscher
*Giant Schnauzer
*Neapolitan Mastiff
Rottweiler
*Standard Schnauzer

TERRIER BREEDS
Airedale
Australian Terrier
Fox Terrier
Irish Terrier
Jack Russell
Kerry Blue
*Miniature Schnauzer
Norfolk Terrier
Norwich Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten
Welsh Terrier

TOY BREEDS
*Affenpinscher
*Brussels Griffon
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel(optional)
English Toy Spaniel
*Miniature Pinscher
Poodle (Toy)
Silky Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier

NON-SPORTING BREEDS
Miniature Poodle
Standard Poodle
Schipperke

HERDING BREEDS
Australian Shepherd (often bobtailed)
*Bouvier des Flandres
Old English Sheepdog (often bobtailed)
Pembroke Welsh Corgi (often bobtailed)
Bobtail = Born with naturally short tail

*Designates breeds that customarily have ears cropped AND tails docked in the USA.
 
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