Asked on the Dog Forum by Leroy on 1/27/03, 12:08 pm
Q: Ear Cropping
Does anyone have any comments on ear cropping? Is it a painful procedure? Why do pet owners even do this? Also, I was wondering if tail docking is painful for a puppy. I've heard both sides of the story, but I guess a vet will tell you anything when their services are to be paid for.
Answered by Squish on 1/27/03, 12:31 pm
A: Ear Cropping
Yes, ear cropping and tail docking is painful. You are removing a part of the dog's body. Tail docking should be done when a puppy is 2 or 3 days old and should only be done by a vet or VERY experienced breeder. A vet may need to remove a tail in an adult but only when it's a medical emergency and it's a major procedure. For the most part tail docking and ear cropping is done for cosmetic reasons only. In many breeds this is the preference for showing (in Canada and the US only). It is no longer practiced in the UK. Just a side note that Canada just had it's first natural tailed Rottweiler finish it's championship last year. I have personally shown natural eared Boxers and have been quite successful in the show ring. Tail docking is done at birth so as a puppy buyer you don't have much of a choice but as far as earing cropping, I see no reason for a pet to have it's ear's cropped. Some people prefer the "look" but I personally like the natural ear.
Answered by Tviokh on 1/27/03, 1:16 pm
A: Cruel & Unnecessary
Ear cropping is 100%% a cosmetic surgery.
It used to be done a lot to fighting dogs to reduce the chance of injury, but today it's only for cosmetic reasons.
People do it because, pretty much, kennel clubs tell them they have to to be able to show their dog, or people think that a breed is "supposed" to have cropped ears.
Ear cropping is extremely painful to the puppy and serves no purpose.
Links:
http://www.outlawdanes.com/ears.html
http://www.helpinganimals.com/h-mut-ear.html
http://www.forthevoiceless.org/cropping_docking.html
http://www.bloomington.in.us/~stopcrop/
The American Animal Hospital Association does not approve of or recommend ear cropping:
http://www.aahanet.org/web/position_state.html
Tail docking is also generally a cosmetic surgery, and is done so a dog will conform to "breed standards".
People who support it claim it's to 'protect' the dog's tail from injury while working or sporting, but for a family pet, there is really no reason to consider tail docking.
Supporters claim it's to "prevent future injury" of the tail...perhaps they should cut off the dog's legs too to avoid the potential for a broken leg, or a sprain later in life too?
In fact, why let it live at all if there's the potential for it to become injured?
See the flawed logic of that argument? :)
Tail docking, when done between 2-3 days old, is less painful (some people say the puppy can't feel it at all), but older than that and it's considered a major surgery and can be very painful.
Done incorrectly it can lead to exposed bone, chronic pain, and severe infection.
There is no good reason for cosmetic tail docking either.
