To crop or not to crop-please keep your opinions to yourself!!

[jazzyboxer]

a lady says "does he get good reception"

We get variations of this one too...along with "it's a bull! Look at those horns!" Or the ones who make comments in passing about "the poor thing, they cut his ears."

It seems most people around here are not familiar with cropped ears. Once the taping part is over I think the comments will subside. They seem really concerned with the "bandages" and I have explained so many times that the actual healing was 6 months ago; we're now training the cartilage to stand!

 

[KellysMom]

I have 2 Boxers, 1 with cropped ears and 1 with natural ears. When I decided to have Harley's ears done my family and my neighbors said some very hurtful things. Went as far as calling me a butcher. Now that the ears are done and look wonderful, some of these same people say I should have done Kelly's ears too!! What hypocrits!

 

[hugomom1]

I kept Hugo's ears natural. It's a personal choice. He wasn't a show dog so I didn't see the need for an ear crop. Someday I would maybe like to get involved showing Boxers and as much as I love the floppy ears, show dogs almost always are cropped.

I can only think of maybe one time someone has criticized Hugo's ears for being floppy. On the other hand, I've had SEVERAL Boxer owners tell me how cute his floppy ears are and how they wish they'd never cropped their Boxer's ears.

Of course, I'd had the most opinionated comments on how dumb I was for getting Hugo neutered and not breeding him.

***I'm curious to see the responses from California. I've been reading about some communities there trying to ban any cosmetic procedures on dogs, including ear cropping and tail docking.

 

[armymedic31]

I feel you...

Our Rocky is 7 weeks old and we are not going to crop his ears, and the breeder dropped the ball on the tail as well. Now in order to do that he will have to be put under when he is 4mos old. We are not going to put him through that, and besides his tail is now his favorite toy, according to my wife he chases it all the time. So I am sure I will get a lot of greef about that myself. I say to heck with them he is my dog and let them get lippy and they will see what kind of boxer he is. bye for now from Baghdad.

 

[JulieM]

//hijack

***I'm curious to see the responses from California. I've been reading about some communities there trying to ban any cosmetic procedures on dogs, including ear cropping and tail docking.

The city of West Hollywood currently has a ban on declawing; the city council voted on 2/7/05 to expand that ban to include tail docking, ear cropping, and debarking. However, the California Veterinay Medical Association considered this to be a violation of the State Veterinary Medical Practice Act, and so as of 5/2/05 (the most recent update) it is not a part of the city ordinances.

In retaliation, the Representative from West Hollywood introduced a bill to the state legislature that would impose a state-wide ban on ear cropping. It was basically a repeat of the bill introduced (and withdrawn) in 2004, but it tried to circumvent some of the arguments the purebred dog fancy made. Didn't work, however, and last week AB418 was relegated to the Suspense file - meaning it cannot be heard again in 2005. Rest assured it will come up next year! (And for those who think "Why not let it pass?", please realize that the underlying issue is not whether you can crop your dog's ears - it is whether you have the right to make decisions, in consultation with your veterinarian, regarding your dog's medical care. If a bill like AB418 passes, there is a large dent in that right, and now *the State* has the right to make decisions - without consultation with your veterinarian - about your dog's care. It's a very slippery slope.)

//end hijack

 

[Hazel]

Just my opinion - our boy has natural ears and I just love them. I know it is a matter of taste but I just adore the fact that his ears flop around when he runs and plays.

 

[Tator]

I had a man come up to me in a pet store and ask me "what is that dog? Trying to be a boxer?" When I told him that he was a boxer he say that I need to get his ears done to MAKE him look like a "real" boxer. His girl friend or wife came up and said something like... is that why you wear a hat to MAKE to you look like you are a "real" man with a brain? I really liked that lady

 

[Indy B's Mom]

I had a man come up to me in a pet store and ask me "what is that dog? Trying to be a boxer?" When I told him that he was a boxer he say that I need to get his ears done to MAKE him look like a "real" boxer. His girl friend or wife came up and said something like... is that why you wear a hat to MAKE to you look like you are a "real" man with a brain? I really liked that lady

I guess we know who the "better half" of that relationship is ha-ha!

 

[natesmom]

"Earpinionated" people can be nasty

My boxer has natural ears ( We adopted Nate when he was 2). Nate has boxer playmates at the park and natural vs cropped is about 50% 50%. I am lucky most people know Nate is rescue so I get left out of the debate. I have heard some of these "experts" and "professional dog breeders" force bad beliefs as science at people.

My vet will do either

 

[Laila63139]

The nerve of some people! That's like telling someone their skin baby needs a different hair cut or you need to get them braces.

Better yet, would you get away with telling a person they need cosmetic surgery?

"Ummm, excuse me, but you need a nose-job!"

or better yet:

"Have you considered lipo for yourself??"

Anyone saying this to a person is likely to get dirty looks in return, or slapped!