PDA

View Full Version : Tips on Ear Cropping


Dobs4ever
03-30-2010, 11:57 AM
Ear Cropping:

I read the post over and over on folks who have a new puppy 9 to 16 weeks and want to know about cropping. I wanted to put together some info that might be helpful on why the breeder should do the cropping as well as why it is a cropped and docked breed..

My vet recommends cropping at 7 weeks for the following reasons:

Puppies nerve endings and blood vessels are still small and not fully developed so not near as painful as an older puppy. By the third day it has been my observation that just like a cut the sting is gone and the healing is well on its way. By the time stitches are out the ears are almost back to normal.

Puppy is still very young and not as strong so not as persistent on scratching and trying to get the cup off so ears stay up til healed.. and they are also not strong enough to tear the cup up so ears can be cropped and posted allowing them to heal in the upright position.

They stand easier when done at a younger age. You do not have to use a cone collar to help protect the ears.

It is very hard to find a qualified vet to do ears for a newbie and they are not experienced with what they are looking at so the aftercare is much harder on them because of their lack of knowledge and experience.

When puppies come home with their littermates they are more secure and confident and bounce right back - playing with each other and life for them is back to normal. It is much harder emotionally when they are suddenly taken away for the only home they have known with strangers and then have to go have their ears cropped.

The chances of a botched ear crop or worse will not happen because it is a breeders job to know where to go and would never take a chance on a puppy being done incorrectly.

It is the breed standard and Herr Dobermann always showed the Doberman as cropped and docked.

Because of these reasons I feel it is important for breeders to take care of this responsibility.

For those who don’t like cropping and say it no longer has a purpose - Are we saying the Doberman is no longer a working breed??? The purpose was bred in by Herr Dobermann. He set the guidelines for his dream creation. Who are we to change it?

Why have standards if we don’t support it??? People studied and worked for centuries to create specific breeds with specific purposes to help man. Just because those times may have passed does not mean that at sometime in the future with the way the government is going that we won’t all need to fend for ourselves again and work with our hands and protect our own. Why do we feel it is better to loose our freedom than stand up for our rights??

Panama
03-30-2010, 09:30 PM
Very nice post, thank you! Well said! I catch "it" from people all the time about cropping, and the only comment I have for them is "Hmmm I guess I should've been arrested for child abuse 20 yrs ago then, for having my son circumcised." I know, TMI, but it usually shuts them up!

Dobs4ever
03-30-2010, 10:39 PM
RKCM - the correct statement is the standard declares cropped. The complete statement in context is Normally cropped and carried erect - the erect kinda eliminates the not cropped. It is a cropped and docked breed - we either fight for it or we loose the Doberman because they are just focusing on cropped right now but their ultimate intention is to destroy the breed. Yes the standard allowed for uncropped but it is to be penalized to the extent it deviates from the standard. Judy Doniere did a wonderful writing about Peggy Adamson on the standard and how it should not be changed and how it called for a cropped dog as Herr Dobermann intended.

When folks say it used to have a purpose they have already put a nail the our coffin - and the end of our breed. It is so much more than just the cropping/docking issue. They are still a working breed and i guarantee you that regardless of the longer crops today those ears would still be very hard to hold on to with a dog protecting.

RKCM
03-31-2010, 07:56 AM
[QUOTE=Dobs4ever;8843]RKCM - the correct statement is the standard declares cropped. The complete statement in context is Normally cropped and carried erect - the erect kinda eliminates the not cropped. It is a cropped and docked breed - we either fight for it or we loose the Doberman because they are just focusing on cropped right now but their ultimate intention is to destroy the breed. Yes the standard allowed for uncropped but it is to be penalized to the extent it deviates from the standard. Judy Doniere did a wonderful writing about Peggy Adamson on the standard and how it should not be changed and how it called for a cropped dog as Herr Dobermann intended.

When folks say it used to have a purpose they have already put a nail the our coffin - and the end of our breed. It is so much more than just the cropping/docking issue. They are still a working breed and i guarantee you that regardless of the longer crops today those ears would still be very hard to hold on to with a dog protecting.[/QUOTE

My post was on a decision I am facing and I am torn on this. I am working on explaining to these people why we want the dog cropped. It will be awhile before I have to even make the decision, but it a decision I will have to make at some point.

I did read the articles you mentioned. I just wonder why they put the word "normally." I understand why it is hard to change a standard and not even saying it should be but there are inconsistency on what "normally" means. I bet ya money that AKC has this on the judges test in some manner and I wonder how they grade it. I would guess, fault but I really am not sure. Do you know?

Eddie and I require a crop our dogs for many reasons and yes, we think that the ears are more than looks and agree with you on the statement above. All of our puppies are cropped. We have had very few, actually. But when you have a family with an only doberman, a respected trainer, and proved themselves with Libby....it is a harder decision. I know that they have had another breeder agree to uncropped, if I don't. We are torn on the issue. It will be a choice we have to make in the future on this placement.

I hear ya 4ever. What do the rest of you think?

Dobs4ever
03-31-2010, 09:19 AM
RKCM the sad thing is the standard allowed for uncropped. I used not to have a problem with it at all - but when looking at the best time to do ears - 7 weeks - and then considering when you evaluate for show prospects 8 to 10 weeks it puts a breeder at a disadvantage to know which puppy is show and which is not.

The BYB just breed for pets because they would not know a show prospect anyway and most of them are too cheap to crop. And you know how most top breeders feel today about just breeding pets. In the end it is your decision and your right to make it right now. I hope that always remains so. But when one of my puppies is out there representing the breed I want folks to see it as Herr Dobermann intended with all the glory and the look of Eagles. To me that makes a statement that I support the standard. I will not roll over and throw away my rights as an American.

It is unfortunate that we have had to dig in and take this stand - but we either stop it here or I guarantee you if the AR, PETA, HSUS folks win, Dobermans will be history unless we run the back woods hiding in caves and trying to protect them.

"Normally" cropped referred to cropped in normal fashion - which IMHO eliminates the military crop as an option for the Doberman and may have been used with that in mind. The military crop is fine for pits but not a Doberman as it does not fit the head correctly as far as appearance goes.

RKCM
03-31-2010, 02:17 PM
Oops something happened when edited my spelling on that earlier post. New computer is too fast!

4ever, we very much prefer the family to agree to cropping and hope they are reconsidering. It is a harder decision with the legislation trying to take all that away. It is one of the reasons we are even considering not allowing it but it is our decision. We do appreciate you opinion and have sought it in the past. It has nothing to do with cost or care or any of the things you mentioned. It has to do with the impression that we support uncropped ears by having one of our puppies shown in performance events.

I do know that one of the semifamous well known breeders has agree to sell uncropped if we don't....and we are torn because we know how wonderful this home would be for our puppy. It is not a decision I have to make now.

I understand that BYB try to sell cheap,with no or little testing, showing, training or do much of anything with their dogs but of course, you know that is not the case here.

RKCM
03-31-2010, 06:47 PM
They have agreed to have the puppy cropped. I am relieved and glad that I didn't have to turn down the great home due to opposition on the crop and dock legislation. It was a hard thing to decide but after reading Suzan's post, I think she is right and although, I did let a pup go 9 years ago uncropped, I will not again. For all the reasons stated above. Thanks for the posts, Suzan.

Dobs4ever
03-31-2010, 08:19 PM
RKCM - As you know several years ago I also let 2 puppies go uncropped with a signed contract that they would not take the puppy to another vet who might botch the job. Because the standard allows for uncropped to show it is sad that we are being forced to take this stand. In America many of us still remember when we could decide for ourselves - today the Government wants to take those rights away from us. For that reason alone I no longer let a puppy leave uncropped. It is a cropped and docked breed so I will admit I have a problem understanding why someone wants a Dobe uncropped. It does not change the instinct breedings of the breed and it will not stay off those who would crush our Dobes very existence. It is the "they" that scare me and that I choose to fight against. As in all things it is the good people who suffer and have to bear up under ridiculous laws while the criminals continue to do their dirt and get by with it because they dont' care.