Ear cropping in dogs

One of those really difficult decisions for many purebred dog owners is the one relating to ear cropping. 

Some breeds of dogs through the ages have traditionally been recognized partly by the distinctive look of their head; cropped ears have been a trademark for these breeds.  Doberman Pinschers, Boxers and Great Danes come to mind right away.  And even many of the smaller breeds such as the Miniature Schnauzer have traditionally had their ears surgically changed to give them a distinctive appearance.

In our modern times, many people have come to question the need or advisability of cropping the ears of dogs.  The aspect of animal cruelty comes into play in that many people will argue that there is no medical, physical, environmental or cosmetic advantage for the dog to have the pinnas (the ear flaps) surgically altered.  And to subject any dog to the "disfiguring" and unnecessary surgical procedure and subsequent taping and bandaging that sometimes needs to be done after the surgery amounts to animal cruelty and is indefensible.  There are others that will argue that for some dogs, the cropped ear will help prevent ear canal infections and make the opportunity for pinna trauma and infection much less likely.  They will state that the ear cropping is no different philosophically or ethically than any elective surgery such as spaying and neutering or removing protruding dew claws.

The fact is that ear infections are common in all sorts of breeds whether they have cropped ears or not.  As a veterinarian with 32 years of experience treating hundreds of thousands of dogs during that time, I cannot find medical justification for cropping a dog's pinnas.  So the choice to crop a dog's ears is a personal decision that a purebred dog owner needs to weigh carefully... partly because what you think you will get may not occur.  I refer to the disappointing cases where the pup's ears have been cropped and yet, no matter what everyone tries to do, the ears won't stand erect! 

Potential reasons for cropped ears not to stand erect...

The cartilage within the pinna is too thin to support the weight of the ear

The ear crop was too long for the size of the ear

The ears are "set too low" on the dog's head

Scar tissue formed along the ear margin

NOTE:  Supplementing a pup's diet with extra calcium in the hope that it will "build up" the ear cartilage is not scientifically or biochemically valid.  Adding additional calcium above the usual balance of that mineral with phosphorus and Vitamin D  has actually been shown to cause growth problems in dogs.  Don't add calcium to a dog's diet in the misguided hope that it will "strengthen the cartilage".

There are all sorts of methods of taping the ears up after the surgery and helping to support the pinnas while they heal.  You can do everything right and yet in some dogs the ears will not hold that erect posture... which was the goal of the surgery in the first place!  Adding extra Calcium to the pup's diet won't work and can actually be detrimental to the pup's growth.  Massaging the pinnas won't help.  The pup "loosing it's teeth" has no impact on the strength or rigidity of the pinnas either.  Of course all pups should be eating an optimum diet to begin with so supplementing an already high quality diet will have no additional benefits.

As your pup's caretaker, you have a choice.  Weigh all the pros and cons, and then make your decision.  Expect to be criticized by those who disagree with your choice.  I was criticized by a number of breeders for NOT doing the surgery... they seemed put-out by the fact that they had to find another veterinarian to do it.  But just as the decision not to do the surgery in my practices was my personal decision to make, so it is your choice whether or not it will be done on your dog.

Comments

[JD]

I think it's cruel to crop. I have been to many dog shows so I'm familiar with some standards of breed appearance, but was so happy to see more and more natural-eared great danes being shown.

[Diane]

I too think it is cruel to crop. It is not at all the same as neutering, as the dog is asleep for the most painful part of the operation, while the whole healing process from cropping is painful. In Great Britan they have almost completely stopped cropping, if they have not completely stopped. Many breeds can not be shown in England with cropped ears.

[Linda]

Cropping is not cruel, nor is it painful. It is no more painful than the circumcision of a 2 day old infant. It is non-invasive, unlike spaying. Many vets prefer not to crop because they don't know how. I have seen many bad ear crops come from vets. It is not just cutting off the pinna - it is an art and can only be done by those vets that have the talent for it. Aftercare is not painful. I don't know where people get these ideas. You want painful? Get a face lift. In any event, cropping is a choice and should remain as such.
*L*

[Cindy]

Dogs dont choose to get their ears cropped or their claws removed, their owners do. And as for anyone that thinks its non invasive, they obviously have never seen very many surgeries. There are risks involved when your talking about ANY surgery PERIOD. Vets recommend spays and neuters because it decrease the risk of MANY cancers as the dog ages. It also helps out at the animal shelter because it decreases the number of animals they have to KILL everyday due to over population.
So instead of spending your money on plastic surgery for your already beautiful dog,
consider donating it to your local animal shelter.

[steph]

people that crop there dogs ears are [censor] if i ever i meet anyone who did that i would cut there ears off see how they like it

[C.M.]

I'm writing to state my personal opnion just like anyone else but what I won't do is rip everyone elses opnion apart like the rest of the people did. Cropping ears, docking tails, removing dew claws and spaying/neutering is a personal choice. Plain and simple! what's the point arguing about it or calling people names like a child? Everyone's different, people are going to do whatever they want no matter what you say or do, so don't rip people apart and call them names, state your opnion and move on.

[det]

i want to know the full detail on how ear cropping is done as there is no literatures available (recumbency, anesthesia used, specific site of incision,special instrument/materials needed etc)

[det]

i want to know the full detail on how ear cropping is done as there is no literatures available (recumbency, anesthesia used, specific site of incision,special instrument/materials needed etc)

[Kim]

I have a boxer who's ears I chose not to crop. He is now 4 years old and is still adorable as he was as a pup. I also have a Boston Terrier who has a case of the "floppies". He is now a year old and his ears will never stand up. The vet told me there was nothing I could do when he was a baby. I wish I would have researched it back then a little better. Yes, I am a little disappointed but he does look pretty darn cute and mischevious.
There is a site though, that I found that has many links to pages that show different taping techniques for dogs with and without cropped ears: www.lowchensaustralia.com/health/eartaping.htm

I agree that people are going to do what they're going to do regardless, and it is rediculous to rip on people who decide to crop or remove dew claws or whatever. My boxer has his dewclaws and I wish like crazy he didn't. He has ripped one completely out 3 times so far, and he was in misery each time until it grew back. My Boston fortunately had his removed by the breeder.

[Kevin]

Most people who comment on cropping being cruel have never had experience with a cropping. There are many other elective surgeries that are 1000X more cruel than ear/tail cropping. Can you say circumcission?
Domestication in itself was cruel: inbreeding and all that went with it, just to get a breed standard. All dog breeds were inbred! All for human use. So cropping is another just another part of a selfish human want that's been going on forever: owning pets.

[Roxanne]

In my opinion ear cropping is a choice, I don't care whether people agree or disagree. I do think that the decision should be well researched and thought out. You hear about the ear croppings that have gone bad, but most of cases it was the fault of the dog owner not researching enough about the vet or the breeder. All I want is the dog owner to become as informed as possible in order to prevent mistakes.

[willow]

Beautiful dogs wheather croped and docked or Natural is a matter of choice......Neither is B A D , I prefer docked tails and croped ears since it makes sense to me. For me dogs are eaiser to keep clean and do less damage to knees and coffee table nic-nacs....If you go to a butcher/vet it could be a problem for your dog , I have seen botched tails and ears ( shame on the vet who said he could preform) if you go to a competent vet. you and your dog will have little distress save the wallet. Well done crops and docks require a very good vet and a very good owner .
Willow

[Jess]

i have a boxer that is one year old and i didnt want to get his ears cropped but now when he shakes his head around constantly his ears smack toghter and his tips of his ears bleed.... can they crop ears even when they are a year old? because now i am considering it

[nikki]

to these people saying that cropping is wrong...

I have one thing to say.
" have you actually seen any dog at all, after its tail or ears have been done?"

my doberman is 3months old. her tail is done, tomorrow she gets her ears done. I would have to say that she has no problem with her cute stub and I do not believe it is hard on a dog at all. I read these statements of this being a major surgury... however I have gone through many surgeries and none of them are anything like ear cropping. Honestly if you want to know how it affects the dog.(such as pain or cruelty) find someone who has gotten it done for their dog. see how their dog acts. because mine is a sweetheart and I dont think her being asleep for a little bit is going to change her at all. remember that it is done by professionals who know what they are doing. they look after their patients and are concerned about the animal. I think that it is inhumane NOT to get a dobermans ears cropped.

[GOD]

COME ON GUYS, I KNOW WHAT I'M DOIN!

[Falck Roni]

I think dogs get ear infections quicker not croped in boxers.
This is a personal prefference.
Dont let annybody tell us what to do with our dogs////

[Heather]

I have 2 Dobermans- one is a year old and one is 3 months old! My year old dobe got his ears done at 12 weeks by laser and everything went PERFECT! and aftercare was not bad at all! it only took about 4 weeks of re-tapes and he was not tramatized at all! and my 3 month old dobe girl just got hers done today! And they look great and shes doing awesome! Its totally a personal preference but its really not as bad as it seems!

[J]

I had my boxer pups ears cropped and it does not seem to phase her one bit. She is still playfull and mischievous. My vet has done many ear croppings and has done a fantastic job on my little girl. Ear cropping is a personal choice by the owner and I have witnessed cruel things. e.g. walk your dog without a leash and see the effects of your dog after it is attacked by another dog or hit by a car. Crop ears if that is your choice.

J

[Rachel]

It's unreal what these people say to try to justify ear cropping...
Comparing it to circumcision seems to be most common, and i want to set the record straight because i am SICK of people's ignorance to this issue.
I had just written to woman earlier today about it...

I just wanted to take the time to argue the fact that you wrote about the dog with the ears cropped.
Circumcision and ear cropping are two completely different things... We're comparing vanity with health related issues.
Apparently you are unaware of the medical benefits of circumcision.
Not only does it siginifcantly reduce the amount of infections and germs from the area, it also is a large factor in reducing a man's chances of contracting AIDS. Now I don't know about you, but I believe that those two things alone are very good reasons for it. In many cases keeping the foreskin on can result in very painful issues as an adolescent and adult. Many men are faced with hygiene problems and are in frequent pain because the skin gets too tight over the head and they have to practice what they call "stretching" which you can guess involves forcibly pulling the tight skin over the head to the shaft, casuing severe pain and tearing. I'm not saying it happens everytime, but it happens enough. Why even put your child at risk for such unnecessary pain? If it's a large benefit to his health then I'm not seeing the problem. You agree with removing parts of dogs ear so the dog is "more attractive"? It's all vanity and it's disgusting. And you can say they don't feel pain, but until we give you a bit of anethesia and hack off yours ears then YOU DON'T KNOW. Would you be willing to go through that? And then wear tape around for months "training the muscles"... That alone tells you it's not mean to be like that. If you have to TRAIN muscles to be a certain way then you know it's unnatural. And there is NOTHING that that does to improve the dogs health. It's just some shallow cruel habit that monsters like you buy into.
I'm sorry, but I'll disagree with you. And I don't care for a reply back because obviously in this matter you are very uninformed and I make it a point not to waste any more time than necessary with morons.

[Snoopy]

I just got circumsized yesterday and I feel great. I even lined up a date at the vet for tomorrow night too.

[james]

this is america! stop imposing your beliefs on someone who is free to do something that is not breaking the law. if your really concerned about these animals turn your energy to changing laws about what concerns you. basically this is cosmetic surgery, and if you've seen tv news magazines (20/20 etc.) humans altering their appearances sometimes have a bad outcome but probably mostimes the outcome is good.so dont ink someones coat. call your legislator! i love animals.but its going too far when you got to impose your beliefs on! case in point: i live in new orleans. after the storm animal rescue teams from around the country came and rescued dogs and cats from the city while everyone was under mandatory evacuation(my pet evaced with me). this was a great thing for animals needing rescue. like dogs and cats trapped in houses,but they also took most of the ferrel cats. so now, there is a big rodent problem. not to mention that a friend of mine's house was spray painted with "seen cat ->" on the front. not only had he taken his pets, his house is in an area that didn't flood! the only damage,aside from his fence, to his house was the big spray paint sign!

[Viv]

I grew up in England,when I came over here,seeing a boxer with its ears cropped really looked ugly to me.
I adopted a pure bred Poodle,whose tail hadn't been cropped.I asked my Vet about cropping it,to make it look more like a Poodle and he told me it would be very painful for my dog.
I didn't do it.
No clue how people can say this cropping of ears,etc isn't painful.
When someone falls down and breaks their leg,it doesn't hurt me one bit.
No I wouldn't put any dog of mine thru that.
I like the natural look anyway and how nature intended for them to be.
Cruelty O.K'd,awful..
Plus,I don't think people should have a choice,it should be made illegal.
Why a Vet would do such a thing to a Dog is beyond me but I suppose the almighty Buck,wins everytime.

[doggiegirl92]

Floppy ears are cuter =) they give the dog more character.

But little cropped tail nubs..
gotta say im in favor of them.

[Ripley]

My husband and I have a 3 year old doberman pinscher and she is such a sweety. We decided to crop her ears. The surgery went great and the ears were wrapped. But we had to go to the vet clinic every week to have the tape ripped off and then new tape put back on. The first time I heard her squealing in the back was enough for me. We kept the tape off and let the ears do whatever they wanted after that. So now she has one ear that stands and one ear that doesn't. And she has a tail. We decided no more cosmetic surgeries after that. She is one interesting looking doberman. I love my Ripley to death and anyone who says Dobermans are aggressive dogs are hugely mistaken. But I will never crop again.
I believe it is the owner's choice. And I personally think cropped ears looked better, but I just can't do it again.
Will someone tell me if this is normal practice to just rip the tape off like that? The vet I chose had done many crops. And for her to tell me it wouldn't bother Ripley was just not true. I could hear her squealing.

[anonymous]

Ripley,
I'm a former vet assistant,
They could have used an oil base adhesive remover to help the tape come off easier, and slowly, ... thats about it. They must have been in a hurry. The practice that i worked for refused ear cropping and tail docking.

[Heather Robbins]

Help! I have an 15 week old Great dane Girl her name is Dakota. My vet told me it was ok to do an Ear Cropping on her and it has been 3 days now and she is doing ok but when I got her back yesterday they cutt her ears too short and there was NO wraps or nothing on her ears they said they have to heal for about 10 days then I bring her back and she gets her stitches removed and then they will start wrapping them so they will stand up. Im I going crazy for nothing or do they have to wrap them or do something to the ears so they will stand up because there is nothing on them right now just cutt off poor little ears... Please HELP!!!! robandheather2000@yahoo.com

[Anne Postell]

Hi Heather. I am not an expert on cropping but I have a doberman and they did it differently from what you are describing but her ears are show cropped so they are long. I don't know the typical cut for a great dane.
My experience is they post and wrap them right away. But there is a new more humane way to heal the ears that does not include taping them. I don't remember the name right now but I will look it up for you and post another comment. Did they really cut them too short? Do they do a lot of Dane crops?

[Anne Postell]

Take a look at the Quick Brace System. It's not the one I remember seeing but I think it would help you.

[vikas gupta]

hi sir,
i m a dog breeder & i m also intrested in dogs ear croping so please help me & give me some suggestion for croping & send me its procedure.
thanks
with regard
vikas gupta
[U.P.] INDIA

[Heather Robbins]

Thank You!! Anne Postell im going to ask my Vet about the quick brace system. The Vet taped her ears Dec 20th they seem to be working well im crossing my fingers. Yes they cutt her ears too short im so upset she is supposed to have the long ears like dobby's but she is still so cute. I wasn't going to show her but I would have still liked to have the show cut on her. The Vet told me they done Great Danes before but from what they did I don't think they did a good job. But thanks for replying Thanks

Heather
Virginia

[Jennifer]

While everyone is entitled to their opinion, it will not always be the choice of the owner to amputate the tail of his pet or surgically alter the ears of his pet. Luckily, this practice is being banned throughout the world. Nearly every country in the European Union signed an animal cruelty ban, which bans tail docking and ear cropping. Ear cropping is viewed as more cruel than docking, since the healing can be painful and many problems can arise. Ear cropping has been the first thing to be banned in most countries. However, what many people don't realize (or choose to ignore) is that dogs need their tails for communication and to maintain balance. A docked dog will have difficulty communicating with other dogs and may have difficulty balancing while urinating or defecating. Also, the tail comprises a large percentage of the dog's spinal column (1/3 or more)which is essential for his equilibrium. If you want solid information about these issues, you can check out The Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights. These are vets who fully understand all of these processes and who are vets because they actually care about animals. http://avar.org/ Unfortunately, many vets still perform these procedures purely for the money. Also, I think as someone else mentioned, dogs with docked tails and cropped ears are not being allowed in some dog shows in particular countries in order to prevent pet mutilation simply for "looks."

[Moises]

Its still our choice if we want to crop and dock our dogs. You talk about a world wide ban ? listen up mrs...drugs are illegal right ? do people still use them and sell them ? Banning us from our right will surely lead to animal cruelty when people take their dogs to some crazied vet who probably isn't qualified or some breeder who claims he can do it. People are still going to do it no matter what the law says. Banning the practice will sure make it harder but it will never stop the practice. Be careful what u wish for. My boxer had his cropped at 12wks and they were standing alone 2wks later. Not a single prob. "Live and let live I say" Be happy that we are responsible dog owners and do whatever we have to do to keep our dogs in great health as you do. Thank you :)

[Jesica]

My puppy had his ears cropped on 12/18/06. After the stiches were removed he was tapped, about 10 days he removed the tapes and I was not able to get to the vet right away. I decided to tape them myself and as it turns out TWO days later he was in alot of pain and when I took off the tapes one of his ears were badly infected....The ear blew up like a balloon the very next morning. It has been a week,he is on antibiotics and pain meds. He almost lost his ear. The very tip has now turned up. He looks horible, It looks as if I curled his ear with a curling iron. The skin is healing but it is not 100% yet. I have ordered the Quick Brace system but I am afraid that until the brace arrives the ear will get hard and stiffen. Any suggestions are welcomed.

[Aussy chick]

In Australia it is illegal to crop dog ears and to dock their tails. I have a 5 year old boxer and she has the tail and ears she was born with. She has NEVER had an ear infection or a broken tail. In reply to Jesica there is nothing to do except learn from your mistake!!

[aussy chick]

In reply to moises,the practice of ear cropping and tail docking is illegal and has completely stopped in Australia. Why? Because Vets who carry out this surgery risk being de-registered from practicing for 10 years and 10 years jail and receive a $20,000 fine. Breeders who do it, risk loosing their breeders licence for life, 10 years jail and a $10,000 fine. And unlike a drug user who is hard to spot walking down the street, a dog with docked tail and cropped ears is very noticable. You can never take it to a vet, because you will be reported and face 5 years jail and a $5,000 fine. So, making the practice illegal does stop the surgery.

[AM]

I have a 22 week old mini schnauzer. Is he too old to have his ears cropped??

[moises]

Hey aussy chick.....I still can't understand why you "anti-cropping" people are still fighting so damn much. My 4yr old boxer is in great shape and health. He's loved and carefully taken care of. Their are many things that happen to animals that are alot worse then having their ears cropped. Maybe you should come here and see dogs roaming the street homeless and starving and them complain about that.

p.s...what a great soulution u have over there. crop da' ears of dock da' tail and F your dog. He's not gettin' any medical attention. Yea !!! ur real animal lovers their.

[diamondodge]

TO LINDA, who says cropping isn't painful. I worked for a veterinarian for five years, and the first time i witnessed a canine ear cropping, i cried. DO NOT tell people it is not painful, that is a LIE. the pups ALL whined under anesthetic, (just like cats HOWL under anesthesia during de-clawing). you are misguided, and wrong. and the ears are sore afterwards for days. Tail docking is equally horrendous, and done without anesthesia.
I agree with moises, homelessness and euthanasia are worse fates for dogs, however, don't spread falseness. you are wrong.
diamond

[Jim]

Humm... both me, my father and my sons were circumcised - we were just fine. No worries. How can you say ear cropping in dogs is animal cruelty?

[Jeff]

It is perfectly legitamate to compare circumcision to ear cropping.

First, in this day and age circumcision is no more of a health issue than is ear cropping. Many cultures don't circumcise and there is little or no evidence of decreased health.

Second, the comparison is not about why but about suffering. If done properly, ear cropping causes no more suffering than any other correcly done procedure.

Including breast enlargement...

[melanie]

It's up to the owner! I don't think it's that big of a deal if a dog has ears that stand up naturally or not. There are bigger issues in the dog community than this one...

[sensible]

Everyone keeps saying "its the owners descision"! NO DUH, and its also alot of owners who decide not to spay and nueter the pet, because they want to make cash off of the litter.... Selfish.
Its like buying bling bling for your new car! You want everyone to look at it and say...."oh, look at that beautiful dog, it must be taken care of , their owners sure do love them" Ok, lets face it... unless the dog is competeting in a show....there is no reason to crop, or dock. Its just for looks, vanity. Think about it....why do it , really.....

[Randy]

Ihave had dobes that have been croped and docked, and Ihave had them not. I chose the ones, it's my choice. I donot spay or nueter

[ECH]

I have had both our female boxer does not have her ears done as our male does. It does not hurt the dog since they are under. My male since haveing his ears done has changed with his personality. He has become more cocky in the way that he now stares at himself in our mirror and talks to himself. I think it has raised his self esteem just as a tummy tuck does for many women. My c-section took more time to heal then my dogs ears. Its a choice and i personally think that either way no one should threaten to harm any one because they do so. There are bigger problems such as abused animals that are being starved neglected and beaten so how about all the do gooders focuse on something that really matters. I at first was not for cropping but after i learned more i decided it was the right choice for us. So all the people putting it down, mostlikely, need to learn more about it before opening they're mouths.

[B]

as far as tail docking and dew claw removel like ECH said befor why not learn more on the subjects before putting them down. Dew claw removal helps the animal. Tail docking is usually done by the breeder when the dog is first born so no comment there since i haven't been in that situation. I think the whole circumcion thing is in response to the fact its done sooo early in life that the baby wont remember just as pups won't remember the tail or dew claw removed. As far as the person who said they were going to cut off the persons ears if they ever saw that persons dogs ears cropped, well all i have to say is "HA" you want to show your anger by being cruel to your own species when you have no idea if that dog even belongs to the original owner who had the ears done in the first place. As well as the fact you think its cruel but yet your willing to do the same. Truthfully you'd be the one who says your dog looks good and then grip about it later so save your energy and get part of a bigger issue like acctual abuse.

[Susan]

I have to do a paper on the pros of ear cropping. So far the only benefit I have come across is less risk of infection. Can someone give me another pro? Thanks

[stacey roe]

we just bought a male boxer . we had his ears done and it has only been 1 day since his ear cropping surgery . he whned for the 1 st day but now he is up playing just like notyhing is wrong ! me , myself think that ear crop looks alot better but i can't stand to hear him whine and cry he about made me cry... so i dont know if i will ever do it again !

[Roy]

It is not cruel 2 crop ears. I suggest cropping the dogs ears when they're young its like getting a babys ear pierced.it looks good on some dogs but it embaresses others it looks good on pit bulls.

P.S Vote no 4 BSL

[YOUR MOM]

Can someone tell me about how much it is to get your dogs ears cropped? I've got a new Great Dane baby boi and I would love to get his ears cropped but Im just scared that it'll be way to painful for him and I couldnt handle putting him through that.

[aussychick]

Its just that people who live outside the States have a more humane and considerate approach to our pets. We dont think we are better than you, we just have laws to protect animals from cruelty. That includes all animals, not just pets.If animal welfare agencies and vets decide a practice is cruel, harmful or painful to any animal, the practice is made illegal and severe penalties apply. This protects animals from idiots who justify treating their pets cruelly. It is you who are ignorant of the facts about what is cruel and what is not.

[Bill Dunn]

Cropping ears is not for the faint at heart ... i know a fellow a few years ago his vet cropped and whole little of Dobs ears. The owner did not change the bandage properly and within two weeks several of the dogs lost major parts of their ears and most of them never grew back .... that is like a crop gone bad .... and the smell was very bad .....

[adobo]

I had my dobe's ears cropped about 2 weeks ago. The vet hospital was very helpful both before and after; ensuring that my girlfriend and I were both aware of what to expect. After the surgery they walked us through EVERYTHING that needed to be done and even sent us home with antibiotics, cleaning solution and materials. All in all it comes down responsible pet owners who using competent, well trained, and responsible Veterinarian Doctors.

My dobe will have the sutures removed this weekend and I can't wait. He's received just as much love and attention now compared to before he had his ears cropped so he's adjusted very well. I'm happy with my decision and I'm certain that after it's all said and done he won't even remember the surgery because we've taken great care in making sure he's cared for.

[aussychick]

Forget about circumcision and ear piercing, lets compare ear cropping to what it really is in humans. Plastic surgery. Any of you had your 2 week old children's ears clipped back or given them a nose job because they would look better? Anyones child had a face lift at 4 weeks old because you didn't like the look of their eyes? And I'm not refering to surgery which is life saving for a child. Would you do any of this to your children?

[Tracy]

I do not see a need for cropping. Look how cute and natural that Boxer is in the picture. Is this just for the owners sake? How very silly. The dog doesn't care what he or she looks like. Yes, it is somewhat painfull to the pet. Just look at the face of an animal that has had this performed and you can see the pain in it's eyes. Any plastic surgery is painful. This is what this is, cosmetics. As you can tell I disagree with this.

[Mona]

Hi. I am trying to find a vet that will crop my puppy's ears. There is only one in the area that will do it and they want to charge $600. Does anyone know of any other vet in upstate New York that will crop ears? I know they are jacking up the price because they are the only ones around that do it, but there has to be someone else. Thanks.

[dobbylover]

Why do people only got respect for their own opinions -_- more then half the people here don't seem to realise what they are talking about.

Ear cropping may be a pure esthetical thing but come on, please, aren't there more important things concerning animal welfare around?!? It's pretty pathetic that you go flaming against cropping if you haven't done anything against real animal abuse!!

I love my dogs to pieces, when they get cropped it takes almost a year to take care of the ears. I put much effort into it an as soon as the scabs have healed they don't feel any pain at all.

Let people chose for themself if they wanna crop or not.
Right here in europe where cropping and docking is being banned everywhere, the situation is getting horrible. By banning it vets who have experience with it and who can do it with as little pain possible, stop doing it an dsome people just start to do it theirselves with all the consequences ... Also loads and loads of dogs are being imported from eastern europe.
I don't see how a ban could benefit the animals.

[dyana]

I've had Dobermans since i was ten.Some have had ears cropped and some did'nt.I choose to do the cropping, do to the fact that the two that had natural ears seemed to always have ear problems. Copper had problems with yeast.The vet said that yeast infections in the ears are due to the same things that cause them in people,heat and moisture.Both of which i feel were due to the long ears.The dodies that had the ears cropped i never have had any problems with this.The other thing that i have seen is that having several Dobies at once they like to play rough and they love to pull and bite ears.The female that i have now, we bought when she was a year old her ears were natural. I came home from work one day and found a piece missing from her ear. I guess that the male grabbed it while playing. I've doctored it for several days now but the ear is still jagged.I say crop them.!!!!!!!

[MM]

Is there a maximun age for getting a pup's ears cropped. My mini schnauzer is 7 months old and has bat ears which I'd like to fix. However, I prefer not to have her ears cropped if it's going to be painful for her because she's too old.

[Heather]

I will be bringing home my Doberman puppy in 2 weeks. I got to pick her from a breeder when she was 3 wks old. I was at first planning to crop her ears because it seems to be the norm in America. However, I recently decided to leave my pup's ears natural. The decision to crop is a personal one. There are always positives and negatives to anything, so an owner needs to take the time to decide for the pup. I, personally, have decided against the cropping of the ears because I don't want to have to subject my lil baby to the procedure. Dobermans look beautiful with natural ears as well as with cropped ears. I think the cropped ears give a more intimidating look to the dog which some may want. However, Dobermans can be so very loving, and that look is not necessary for me. I am very excited to be bringing my new pup home soon... and those lil floppy ears are going to be wonderful!

[Larry]

cropped and docked, my dobe is both. I want him to look his best to ME. because I own him ( or he owns me) either way thats the way it is..I couldnt care less what people think either way..people use any and all "reasons" to either support it or oppose it...the fact is, im glad the dobe was introduced with a crop and dock..because TO ME it looks like a dobe

[Gleediddy]

I think that sometimes people that are making these rude snapping comments dont always think through what they are sayinf. There is always to sides to every story and pros and cons to every decision, But what i dont understand is you people that think that just because you bold, capitalize, and underline your words that makes you a professional that puts all opposing comments to shame. This is just not the case. I think that if people stoped tryinf to trash others comments and just laid out the factual opinion, i think that others that dont have experience would be able to get help and make an educated decision. I just think that people that call the dicision to crop ears as purely vanity are again not trying to be factual. Cropping ears on any type of large floppy breed dog alwasy will have its medical benifits as well as comfort benifits for the dog themselves. I have a friend that takes amazing care of his boxer. He is nothing but perfect to that dog and extremely over pretective. He decided to not crop his pups ears. He thought it would be more comfortable for the dog. Now the dog full grown has continual ear tip problems on many levels. The constant flopping of running anround and playing the tips will often begin to bleed. They hike alot and they find that the ears are more easily damaged and on one horrible ocasion even got stuck on a thorn branch. These problems have nothing to do with owner neglagance they just seem to be due to his big floppy ears. His next boxer he cropped his ears and he has no such problems. Ever living creature goes through discomforts for longer lasting benifits ( and this cropping procedure has very little pain involved befor, during , or after the operation). It is like use taking premptive prevention shots. They hurt your arm for a while after but nothing serious. We take these shots not knowing that they will for sure be needed but instead we take them to prevent the possibility of something happening. Same with ear cropping. It may have it asthetics benifits but really it is like a preventative preceedure for possibilities of damage down the road. Now for those that are saying that you can take the opposite aproach, not crop, and still not have any problem. And that s what i am saying! there is now for sure answer to if the ear cropping helps or doesnt help. I am just saying that this should always be a owners decision and there should not be imature slanders and stupid comments made like cutting up people that crop their dogs ears. Comments like those do nothing but slaughter your credability as a good resource but it also makes you look like a fool. Stop it. IT REALLY IS EMBARRASING FOR US THAT HAVE COMMON RESPECT AND RESOURCE KNOWLEDGE AND ARE JUST TRYING TO EXPRESS A POINT.(I am being facetious and sarcastic by using the capitalization :))
Last Words: There is nothing that anyone will ever be able to say or do on either side of this debate that will make either side the standard choice. There will always be those that crop and those that dont. I just ask that for those wondering if they should, please do all the research humanly possible. Not just in the procedure but also in the vet performing it. (Ask for pictures of previous surgries)
And for those that think they know they are right and that they have the answer ( on either side) please just show some common respect to all and just live a happy life to the fullest with your lovedones..... including puppy!
Thanks

[luvmydobes]

View the URL I provided it gives some right to the point information. I personally have had 3 dobermans and min pins. I cropped 2 of my dobermans and one came cropped and only one min pin. I show in obedience. For me cropped ears are a must. It helps me to know what my dog is thinking and if he is even paying attention to me. I've also lived in areas with not so good neighbors. If anyone was to come around my house he go to the window and the ears would stand straight, like my dog was saying "I see you" You can tell alot about your dog by his ears and it wouldn't not be as noticeable with natural ears. Their hearing is awesome too. If someone wanted to pay for a nip tuck for me I sure wouldn't turn it down! LOL What bothers me about cropping is owners having the procedure done then not taping the ears up. That's just a waste. Natural ears are fine, but i feel it takes away the integrity of the doberman. I'm getting another dobe this month and have researched many vets. although I have a little farther to drive for a good doctor..I already set up the appointment. This one will also be shown. And hey without a tail to grab and floppy ears to pull and get infected, it's better for the dog. I've also never had a problem with pain or recovery. It's harder waking from surgery than anything else. Also good owners are key since regular care needs to be taken, massaging the ears and ointment. It's good bonding time. Tapings also teach the puppy patience and trust. I bond the most thru the process. Ear cropping is a good thing in many ways. As for those against it and calling me names...you don't know me. And you'd probably be the first to get a nip/tuck if someone wanted to pay for it. Ear cropping is not for all but for those that have it done, there's something about it that brings owner/dog close together, I know you know what I mean. lastly I would not do anything to my dog that i wouldn't do to myself. If any anticropper wants to pay for a nip/tuck to my ears I'd say when's the surgery! LOL

[luvmydobes]

http://bakaridobes.westhost.com/publ...n/PECEars.html

Thanks

[DR: Nidal H.]

ears coppered is a very common operation all over the world.
im a vet and i know what im saying.
in old times dogs were used to hunt not as pets so coppering their ears was a must but today we dont take our pets to hunt in the woods for wild animals, so i think the dogs that must be coppered are the dogs that are used to hunt.
but according to me as a vet i do the operation on the request of the owner after i give him my opinion. so let the vets do their work,after all thats why they are vets.

[April]

I grew up with Min Schnauzers in the family, and their ears were always cropped. When I see a Schnauzer with floppy ears, it just doesn't look right... it doesn't look like a true Schnauzer. Now I have a little teacup Schnauzer, and she is due to have her ears cropped (11 wks old). She had an appt to get them done today. I took her in, paid $300+, and then discussed the procedure with the vet. He said they use scissors to cut the ears. I left the office feeling really uneasy about the whole thing, then decided to turn back around. I picked up my little princess, and made an appt with a much more up-to-date vet.

I assumed all vets use laser surgery now, but obviously not. I would never ever recommend doing any procedure with a vet who doesn't use laser surgery. It has been around for over 20 years and has all the same benefits as laser surgery in humans: less painful (it seals nerve endings so there is no post-op pain, less bleeding, reduces risk of infection and scarring, & reduces risk of something going wrong b/c anesthesia time is shortened. My last puppy had the laser surgery done, and he didn't even have to get his ears wrapped after they were healed. Plus, it was a beautiful, perfect cut, and it only took a week or so to heal completely. Here are some links with info about the laser process. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but if you opt to get your little one's ears cropped, please do Laser Surgery! =)

http://www.laserles.com/Laser%20Surgery%20for%20Pets%20Page.htm

http://www.safarivet.com/lasersurgery.htm

[connie]

my dog my choice dont like it????? to bad your problem.

[Jen]

I have a new Giant Schnauzer puppy that is 14 weeks old and my husband and I want to have her ears cropped, but not sure if she is too old.....what do you think. Please only help with our question and NO comments on your dislike of our choice. Thanks!

[Bogdan]

We have a beautiful mini schnauzer by the name of Franz. He is almost 16 weeks now, but since a couple of weeks now his uncropped ears are fully erect. I mean worse than a jack rabbit! Whact can we do? The dog breeder reccommended cropping...

[tyler]

i have a doberman pincher and i just got his ears cropped and he is perfectly fine no pain at all it seems.

[Bogdan]

Four days ago the procedure was accomplished. Now Franz looks like a real Schnauzer, his ears and tail are just perfect. No pain at all for him, or at least that's what one can think by seeing him being as playful as before.

[Mel]

Umm humans get surgery done all the time. Cropping a dogs ears might seem cruel but it is a surgical procedure like any other surgical procedure. In order to have the correct perspective on this matter one must allow emotions to give way to logic and common sense. Humans have to be bandaged after surgery also..is that cruel?? Babies are circumcised..is that cruel? Or are vaccine shots intended to keep the dog healthy cruel also? Wheh they are getting shots and you hear them crying do you say to yourself "gee thats so cruel"??
Why have vets if every kind of precedure that involves cutting, piercing and/or bandaging will be cruel?

[joy winzer]

how much is it to get a pits ears cropped?

[Spencer]

While I personally don't agree with ear cropping/tail docking, I believe it is the choice of the owner. With that being said, what are the laws concerning the operation? Can it only be performed by a veterinarian, or can any ordinary Joe do it in their backyard?

[Jill...Canada]

I cropped by blue pitbull pup's ears. They look good but I will not do it again because he was in a lot of pain and irritation from the stitches and scabs for a few days and I felt like a bad parent for a few weeks after.

[Jessica]

I live in Phoenix,Az and am looking for a vet that will do ear cropping on my puppy pit, anyone know of any good vets in the area?????

[Dr. Jess]

Someone way at the top of the thread asked for exactly what they did during the surgery. I worked at a clinic that did ear crops as a technician. Here is a little bit:
Puppy comes in, the Veterinarian performing the surgery would come into the room to speak to O about what O wants. There he would mark the ears in front of the O to make sure that is what they want. He made them understand exactly all the risks and that this is strictly cosmetic. He felt that if he didn't do the surgeries, someone else might and not do them correctly.
The puppy would get a premed of usually Ace and Torb, which are sedation and pain. Puppy then has time to "cook" with his meds. He is then taken into a treatment room, where he is injected in a fore arm with a Ketamine/Valium mix to induce anesthesia. Then he is intubated with an endotrachial tube and hooked up to oxygen and an inhalant anesthesia (guy I worked for use Halothane OLD SCHOOL). Then the cuts the ears with scissors, usually sharp sharps. The ears bleed profusely from the first cut. A good doctor always compares sides to make sure they are the same. Then usually a technician will sew the pinna together. There are two flaps of skin on the outside of pinna that are sutured in a spiral fashion down the ear. The Dr. is gone at this point. It is all the technician. Ears are then bandage with tongue depressor and bandage tape to keep them up. They are put on the floor to recover. They are then put in a room far away from poeple in the clinic because they normally wake up screaming.
Few hours later they are checked on. The technician opens the door to see a cage straight out of Saw3. The puppy is in pain, and is thrashing and bleed profusely from his bandage. The Cage, puppy, bandages, and technician are covered in blood. Puppy is screaming in pain. Wont touch water or food. Puppy is then giving and extra shot of pain meds (usually morphine) that will only last 4 hours, but it is ok, because by that time no one will be in the clinic and no one can hear him scream.
There were some many times where I wanted to steal these puppies to save them from surgery, even if I would lose my job. I have a pit that was rescued, my husband wants her ears done. The rule is if her ears are done, he gets his penis cropped in the same way. hahah
I understand that there are some breed standards, and there are people out there that are going to do it no matter what. As a practicing Veterinarian I plan to do these surgeries after extensive counseling. I know that there are points that O's get to with declawing where they just must. But I will require the O to pay for extra pain meds. They will always have a fentanyl patch on as well as a NSAID and buprenex. This helps in the recovery as well as how the animal preceives the Vet. Please.....If you must crop your dog's ears, or get your cat declawed, think about the pain. Give them all the pain meds you can, ask for the best. And if you Veterinarian doesn't offer pain meds, or says the animal doesn't need it. THEN FIND ANOTHER VET!

[Candy]

My 2 cents,

There are people that buy an animal just to watch it die in fighting. They will buy a cheap or steal a dog. More then likely the cheap animal isn’t docked cropped or come from irresponsible breeders. “Puppy mills” cheap cut ears unprofessionally.

Also stories about cats that ripped stitches out after surgery infections, like any operation there are risks.

I see no problem with a bit of vanity done by a veterinarian if the dog has great life after.

[Joel France]

I hear a lot of opinions with cropping ears, I got my boxers ears cropped a couple weeks ago and we took the tape off last night and they look great!!! I personally am into the way i look and i feel i want my puppy to look the best she can look as well, that's why we decided to get her ears done and it paid off for me. I did do the research and even went out of state to get it done, all well worth it. My baby is a worrier and she had no problem with the pain we actually had some work on her tail as well cause she was getting scare tissue were her tail was docked and that bothered her more than her ears did.

[Amanda]

I had my mini schnauzer's ears cropped almost 2 weeks ago. The vet said the stitches will not need to be removed. And they told me not to get the ears wet. That there would be no need to clean them for 3 weeks. They did no ear wrapping. I am sure the vet knows what he is talking about. I just want so badly to clean the scabby looking stuff off. They look pretty good. But he did scratch at one ear today and made it bleed just a bit. My pup whined a bit. But it was not from pain. You can tell. It was from still feelin loopy. As long as I held him while he was awake he was fine. During sleep he was fine. I am sure they were sore to the touch. But I do not think it is as painful as everyone makes it out to be.

I would do it again.

[Bob]

I've owned four Dobies so far. My first was all natural. Her tail would raise welts on my legs when she was excited and her banging it into everything was very painful for her as well. Her ears needed constant attention because she loved the water and it wouldn't always drain out when she shook her head. I can't count the times I had her to the vet because of infections and inflamation.

So lets see, her constantly spraining her tail at least three times a year (very painful)and at least two ear infections a year in her ears (again very painful at worst and a minor irratition at best). She lived to be 9 years old. So how humane is it to let a dog suffer like that when there is something that can be done about it.

My last three Dobies have been cropped and docked, including my thirteen week old puppy. I just got back from the vet for our first check up and she is doing great. Ears and tail are all healed and perfect.

It is a matter of personal preference but for my 24 years of experience with this breed, it's the only way to go.

What I do find offensive is all the jerks who have posted trying to make me feel bad about doing what I think is in my dogs best interest. How dare you try and tell me what to do with my own dog. You'd be much better served by minding your own business. And I take extreme exception to Viv's post from the UK. Viv a little lesson in United States history. We Americans kicked you jerks out of our country well over 200 hundred years ago for trying to tell us what to do. Maybe you should have boned up a little on our history before you chose to leave your homeland and come here and tell us poor colonist what to do again. You profess to know all and think there should be a law about it. Well move back to the UK where there is one in place. We did fine without you before and I think we will get along just find after you leave. This is the land of the free and we will do what we wish regardless of what narrow minded control freaks like you think!

That said if you want to crop your dogs ears, do it. If you don't want to have it done, don't. But don't try to impose your will on others. They have as much right to their opinion as you do yours.

[Marti]

My mini Schnauzer is 9 months old and has ears that hang down nicely. I originally planned to get her ears cropped as I grew up with schnauzers who all were cropped. Due to other complications I couldn't get it done until now. I have 3 questions: 1) Is she too old to get cropped, I've heard you have up to one year...is this true?
2) If her ears hang down now, will it be more difficult for the Dr. to keep up after cropping.
I need an answer quickly please.
3) Has anyone's dog had a problem with the anesthesia?

[KB]

Many people do not realize what all of these things you're talking about really feel like. As a vet, I know there are many pros and cons. I do not believe cropping is wrong, but just like any surgery with a human your pet will go through pain after. I personally think animals look fine natural, I think it's unnecessary to put your animal through that pain for the reason that your not happy with their looks. Would you crop your childs ears if you didn't like it?

[meg]

I am doing an essay and i am trying to figure out how many times a day that an animal needs to get the wrap changed does any body else have a suggestion?

[ramkumar]

hi
im Ram from india i want to know the details abt cropping for dogs, now my dog doberman is 3 month old plz guide me how many days it should be taped & tell me how 2 take care my dog on that time.....