Don't kick me off the board for this....

[skyastara]

Well, what a can of worms! wormicon
First, I'd like to say about dewclaws: In some breeds, such as the Great Pyrenees, they are attached by bone, thus removal is a major undertaking, not usually recommended. In most breeds, however, including boxers, as I understand it, they are attached by skin/ligaments, and it is very possible for the dog to catch them on brush, etc, and cause a painful injury. Of course this would depend on the dog's environment: a dog who lives in the city and rarely or never goes hiking is not likely to have a problem.
Now, onto docking/cropping: I happen to think that any removal of a body part, without consent or anesthesia, is indeed mutilation, including circumcision. I don't think that cosmetic surgery should be imposed upon others, no matter how 'simple'. What if I decided that my 3 year old would look better with a tattoo? Or his nose or upper ear pierced? These are all examples of very minor procedures, but they do entail a certain degree of pain, so they should be left to the individual to decide about, since there is no valid health concern to take into consideration.

 

[jen214]

When we first got Oscar we took months to decide if we wanted his ears cropped. I didn't want it done but my husband did. I think it is cruel and not necessary. We talked with the vet's at the clinic and one was for it and one was against it. The one that was against it was Oscar's favorite. If both doctors where standing in the same room, he would go to Dr. C, the one who thought like I did. I think that's what really made the decision for us. It was obvious that Oscar knew who he should favor. Today, I look at his floppy, natural ears and am glad we didn't get them done.

 

[Jaelle]

If I would have truly respect my way of thinking, I would have take a boxer with a long tail. I don't feel well with the fact that the only reason we want a docked tail boxer is for esthetic. But, I can't help it, they look weird with a long tail! For ears cropping, I like them with ears cropped but I love their baby look with natural ears. My Pénéloppe will keep her natural ears. Like for tail docking, I think it's unnecesary pain ( even if it's not VERY painful, it's not the amount of pain, it's just the unnecesary thing ). And so many dogs have a poor job done on their ears! For the thing about boxer develloping health problem with their tail, I disagree. I think it's just a way to justifie ourselves, because if it was the case, why we don't cut the tail of every breed? But I perfectly agree that the "natural" boxers should be priviliege in show, as it's the true look of the boxer. For those who decide to have a long tail boxer, I admire you a lot to follow your convictions! One of my teacher at school was like that: she was saying that earings on a baby was mutilation, because it was not the babie's choice! Her girl made the choice to have earings at 8...

 

[Laura luvs Boxers]

My Dino had a litter of ten puppies. I too was concerned with docking, croping and dew claws. I took the pups into the vet when they were 3 days old. The vet took the box of pupies from me, went in the back room, came out with one of the puppies, who was still sleeping, and asked me if this was the length of the tail that I wanted. I was amaized that in a matter of 2 minutes, the puppy slept thru the whole thing and so did all other nine of them. Maybee your vet was not very good and this is just an isolated case. I don't know. But I would have to say, with my experiance, that a 3 day old pup does not feel it. Or at lest mine did not.

Boxers tails are like a wip, and with all of that wagging going on, you have to have them docked.

 

[Liquid]

If you can't see the lack of morality in causing a living creature pain simply for athestic improvement then I doubt anything I write could get my point accross.

You take a pupppy. You purposefully inflict pain and lasting discomfort on this creature. The dog gets a different look.

People volunteer themeseleves for similar surgery(nose jobs, etc.) all the time.
Are you sure your dogs want their ears done?

 

[Jazzmin'mom]

When people go looking for a puppy, usually their decision is based on a number of things, one of which is looks. I have to admit that I fell in love with boxers years before ever having one soley based on the look. A docked tail is part of a boxers image. You can come up with medical reasons for and against depending on what side of the fence your on for almost anything. I don't really know what I am getting at here.:confused: Anyways, I would not crop my dogs ears because I think it unnessesary, there are also very few vets willing to do this nowdays but if I was planning to show a dog then there is little choice. I would never think less of someone because they crop/dock.

Linda, bully for you and your work. I also used to work in animal research using dogs(medical research not cosmetic) but I never told people because of the reactions I received.

Liz

 

[satronic]

over here in the UK it is against the law to dock the tails unless it can be proved that the dog is to go to a working home (does anyone still know if boxers are worked????) we dont in the UK, obviously there are vets still vets that do it on the QT but if they were found out then the would be in for it!! i have a litter on the way in march and will be getting the tails dock , by a vet if i ahd to choose a long tailed pup or a docked pup i would choose the docked pup that is the boxer look, i do know a breeder that has kept litters with the tails on and has loads of problems selling them, as for the ears you will never see that in the UK either unless it has been imported as this is against the law as well ( when i say against the law i dont know if it is the vets law of the criminal law) but is not done....
Keep ya posted on the pups....

 

[TypeAMommy]

cropping and circumcision

Frankly, I think floppy-eared boxers appear more friendly...but I wanted to comment on circumcision pain. We decided not to circumcise Jarod in part because of an article I read based on a study that showed lifelong pain tolerance is affected by circumcision! Basically, the study showed that babies who WERE circumcised WITHOUT anasthetic had the LOWEST pain tolerances later in life...babies who were NOT circumcised had the HIGHEST pain tolerances later in life, and those who WERE circumcized WITH anasthetic fell in the middle! Go figure! I guess they DO feel it! The long term results robably have something to do with trust and fear....eh hem....

I guess the answer is: if you decide to crop: INSIST that your vet prescribes pain meds and give them. Since I haven't cropped before, I don't know what the general procedure is, but some vets will tell you they want animals to be in some pain so they stay off of hurt limbs, take it easy, etc...I wonder if any of us would take that advice from our child's pediatrician....

 

[PawPrintBoxers]

I prefer Cropped ears

Originally posted by Brooklyn-Dan

I also find the cropped ear a very handsome look for a Boxer. But as you might gather from my posts about spaying, any kind of surgery for Maggie makes me a nut case! I can't imagine me having her ears cropped and living with the guilt I'd have.

All 3 of my Boxers have cropped ears and I assure you I bear no guilt. It is a personal choice issue here in the USA. Boxers are not a natural breed so why do people insist we "get back to nature" and not crop? Folks, look at the true natural dogs: Coyotes and Wolves. Notice their ears? They all have prick ears because in nature that allows them to hear well. Drop ears came about once man started breeding for certain qualities depending on the areas they lived in. I repeat: Boxers are a man made breed.

If you do not want to crop, that is fine. Just don't do it. If you want to crop, please find a professional vet and have it done well. It is a surgery and thusly needs a qualified surgeon. I show my Boxers but that is not why I crop. My first Boxer was cropped and she never became a Champion. For all the things I fell in love with Boxers for, their "look" was on of those things. I challenge anyone to say I abuse my dogs simply because I crop their ears. These are some of the most beloved family members you will ever find any any home; pet or show.

::getting down from MY soapbox::

 

[JTPappy]

Working Boxers?????

The question was asked: are there any working Boxers left?

The answer is a big, emphatic YES!!!!

There are over 3000 working Boxers in the USA alone. I belive the question had to do with the UK and the answer is yes for you as well.

Boxers do work and the reason for docking tails is pertainent to every type of working Boxer. Service Dog through cattle drover a long tail is a liablility and a danger to the Boxer.

Ear cropping is a bit of a different proposition although it still has a valid basis.

The reasons ears were cropped and tails docked had nothing to do with dog fighting. They had to do with minimizing injury to Boxers as they worked. I cannot conceive of a working Boxer not being endangered by a long tail. To not dock the tail of a working Boxer would be irresponsible.

If you are going to make the arguement FOR ear cropping as a practical, even beneficial practice for working Boxers you must accept that it be a short, "working" crop. The elongated, freakish looking, cropped ears now popular in the USA among show breders is not only a cosmetic crime, it, of itself, is unsafe. The whole purpose of the crop is to streamline the head, improve hearing (it does do that), and prevent an attacker from inflicting incapacitating pain by not being able to grab the ear easily.

If you wish to make an arguement to end cropping, then you need to start breeding for thicker ear "leathers" than Boxers (of any nationality) now have. Boxers were bred to have cropped ears. They were bred to have thin ear leather to facilitate cropping. Thicker ear leather is a must to prevent serious injury to natural ear flaps.

But Boxers do indeed continue to work for a living and are doing so in growing numbers. Being the partner of a full time Working Boxer, I can tell you that a docked tail is a neccessity. The ears are an arguable point. The tail docking is not.

Jim