Cropped Ears

[sylviahopkins]

I think either way is ok. Is it cosmetic, yes. Could you possibly have less problems with your dogs ears, yes. It goes both ways. I think when anyone throws out there cropping is cruel, it's just an opinion and not a fact. Both my dogs have cropped ears and the vet always comments how good their ears look. My 4 year old Dane never had 1 issue with his ears, as with my 15 year old boxer. Yes, their ears are cleaned montly, but you can't tell me nothing's attributed to their ears being cropped. Water and dirt never get trapped in my dogs ears. I would never in a million years do anything cruel to my animals. They're young when the procedure is done to avoid pain, and they're drugged up. And not for nothing, you can't tell me that a dog with cropped ears is not more intimidating then a dog without. If you have a mastiff without out the cropped ears and a dane with, I'll tell you the dane would be way more itimidating, and some people, like myself enjoy the intimidating look of my Dane, because he's a huge part of security at my home, and my entire neighborhood knows it!

If your want to research what's best for your dog, make sure you get the opinion of more than one vet and definately talk to a few groomers. They're sometimes the ones cleaning the ears, not the vets.

 

[Alisha Mobley]

Originally posted by rumsgirl
EricJ in alot of the books I have read about Boxers it says it benefits the ears and that it is not just cosmetic.

Pretty much all my books say the same although when I research it on the net I read differently. I don't know if the thought of cropped ears being healthier came from people who support cropping and the thought of cropping making no difference health wise came from people who don't support cropping. All I know is you can't base it on someone saying such and such dog never has ear problems and has been cropped. How do you know if it wouldn't have had ear problems if left uncropped? As well as someone saying such and such dog has tons of problems w/ it's ears and their uncropped...for all we know it would have the same problems if cropped.

I know there's too many uncropped Boxers out there with no ear problems to make me believe cropping is healthier for the dog. One of our pups was left uncropped...so far no problems. All my dogs are cropped and it had nothing to do with health...I simply prefer cropped ears on Boxers.

 

[kassa]

A lot of it is old wives tales combined with wishful thinking (that it serves other than cosmetic purposes)

Across all breeds, erect ears DO, as a rule, get infected less than drop ears. HOWEVER, most dogs with drop ears that are prone to infection (cockers and the like) have a lot of hair inside their ears that traps moisture and dirt and speeds infection.

If you look into your cropped (or natural) eared boxer's ears, you wil see that they are virtually hairless.

Those who have had both conclude that the amount of wax produced seems to be based largely on genetics and probably diet, but that there are no real patterns of infection in uncropped dogs to support that theory of benefit in cropping.

It can just as easily be claimed that the cropped ear allows in more dirt and debris and that the drop ear keeps the ears clean. I have a white boy whose shell pink inner ears are always clean and whose brindle littermates (cropped) are always filthy. But I know their dam was cropped and had clean ears.

 

[Scrapper's Mom]

I think many, many years ago, when cropping first started, it was done to prevent the dog from being injured in a fight or while hunting. Prey couldn't grab onto the ears as easily, and they were less likely to catch on something on the ground. There were no antibiotics then, (not until WWII) so a dog could die from infection. Cropping the ears and keeping them up helped prevent the loss of a good dog. Now, however, that original reason no longer exists, but the tradition lives on. I prefer the cropped look myself, but clearly it is a matter of preference for each dog owner.

 

[KC]

I think Eric hit the nail on the head. The vast majority of us got our dogs with no choice as to whether the tail was done or not. It was already docked.

And I think there are many of us who do not criticize those who crop ears - we just like our babies' ears floppy! There probably aren't tons of us who think it is fine to dock, but cruel to crop - the "double standard" isn't very common, I don't think. But, I'm just guessing.

Most people I know are neutral on docking, because they've never had to make the choice. And, yes, there are lots of "pet" boxer folks who like floppy and lots who like cropped. Just a matter of preference. I'll take mine FLOPPY please! :D I like to pull on them! :p

 

[Titans world]

Quick question. I am waiting for my pup to turn 8wks old or so to go pick him up. This will be my first boxer, so I am extremly excited, I can't wait. I also prefer cropped ears. Now my question to those of you that are experienced in cropping ears, what shoud I look for in a vet that will show me that he/she has the exprience and knowledge to do the job properly.

Thanks

 

[JulieM]

Ask people whose Boxers have ear crops you like who did them - usually it's the same one or two vets. Ask the vet for picture of crops they've done, too - most of them have at least a couple.