Ear cropping?

[Cactus Flower]

*Hand over heart* Raja and I will pretend we didn't read that!


She's never cleared a table off- I swear!


Good thing humans don't get docked for clumsiness, though....I would be limbless

[Luba]

Well if that were to really be the case then our fine furry friend the kitty cats would never have any tails either...up on the counter tipping things over and such OMG!

Could not imagine a world with dogs and cats have no tails!

However, I could imagine a world where some people have no tongues LMFHO!

[glasslass]

HeeHee! Puss-Puss has knocked some things off the dresser, but not with her tail. If they didn't have their tails, they'd really be knocking things off. Cats need their tails for balance. I saw a documentary on it on Animal Planet. What she knocked off was deliberate. Now she's older, she doesn't do it anymore. I'm always amazed how agile she is walking through things without knocking them.

[Luba]

I think one of girlfriends cats does it for attention, she seems to pick these spots on the counter where there are lots of things, almost like she enjoys to try to balance between them all.

Maybe a game to her when she's bored LOL

[glasslass]

Puss usually left things alone. Then, one item would catch her attention and she would decide she didn't like it there and swipe it off with her paw. Couple days later, she'd walk carefully through and the same item would be back in it's spot - SWIPE! "I don't want THAT there!" If I moved it to a different spot, it was ok. I think she was criticizing my decorating tastes.

[chico2]

I am actually amazed at how gracefully my big Rocky tip-toes on my fire-place mantel without knocking anything over....now young Vinnie is different,in his excitment he will knock over anything in the persuit of a fly
I used to have a dog similar to Sadie and she was just the right height for the coffee-table,a regular sweep everything off the table doggie

[Catt31]

I've been out of town for a few days and had a lot of reading to catch up on in this thread.

Firstly, LavRott...I am sorry that you were offended by my comments. It was NOT intended to sound that way, or call anyone who had cropped/docked rotties or dobes "stupid".....I read my post again and can see how you would have been offended, and I totally apologize, it was not meant to come out that way. You are NOT stupid, you love your dogs and that is obvious. Bad generalization on my part!! Sorry! My main point was that dogs can't speak for themselves.

I didn't know that Rotties were used for carting.....I guess if you were going to use your dogs for that, then crop their tails, but really, how many are used that way nowadays??

I personally would like a dog with or without a tail. When we were looking for a dog it was never an issue...we wanted one that would be compatible with us, and that we connected with! If Brick's tail was docked, I'd still love him just the same. Some days, after he's cleared the coffee table, I wish he didn't have a tail!! LOL

Anyways, just my opinion, and its a good thing we are all entitled to our own!!!

[Jackie467]

I know a lot of people don't agree with cropping ears and tails but i don't think it's so bad. i'v lived with dobermin pinchers since i was born and they all have had thier tails and ears cropped/docked. We had their ears cropped because it helps to prevent future ear infections and problems. dobs get ear infections very easily and this helps to minimize the risk by allowing air to flow in and dry any water that may have gotten inside somehow. as far as the tails i grew up with it and never really gave it a second thought. i guess ther really isn't a reason for docking the tails but it never seemed to bother our dogs at all. i don't even think they realized it was done. they never seemed in pain at all after the surgury. in fact they seemed in less pain they when they were spayed/nutered.

I don't know that i would dock their tails becuase there is no reason, but i definetly would crop thier ears for the infection reason.

[Cactus Flower]

VERY interesting! I'll comment here, but I'm going to start a new thread so as not to hijack: It was recently suggested that I get my ADULT DANE's ears cropped because of recurring ear infections. I have my own opinion about that, but I'll save it for the new thread.
I find it very interesting that cropping Dobies might prevent recurring infections- wonder if it helps in Danes that are cropped as babies.

[BigDogLover]

It's kind of like abortions, you know.

Here I disagree. Abortions are a mature individuals right to terminate a life, not alter a body part. This is more like the ' To circumcise/not to circumcise' argument, the decision is usually made by the parents not the *pup*.

Originally Posted by LavenderRott

Neither are the people with the breeds in question! When the breeds were developed, ears were cropped and tails docked for a reason. While these reasons may not be relevant anymore, the breed standard, both physical and temperamental are what these dogs are to be bred too.

Here I do agree. Herr Louis Doberman bred his dog with a specific look and temperament in mind. The look is important to the breed, and anyone who understands 'anatomy 101 on hearing' would know that cropping will enhance the dogs ability to hear. I'm a sound specialist working in audio, I'll argue this point to the death. The Beaceron, one of the dobe's ancestors, also has the ears cropped.

There are far greater evils that men perform on animals that cause stress and trauma leaving scars on the psyche that will never heal, these are the points that should be discussed. Under socialising, beating the dog to become mean, leaving your dog outdoors all day, ignoring him, harsh house breaking, the list goes on and on. Efforts should be deviated toward enhancing dog owner awareness, after all, the ultimate goal is to reduce the amount of unwanted dogs, cats, ET AL. When your dog doesn't meet your expectations, all too often, he ends up in the hands of people like LuckyR and Foxy's, who have to pick up the pieces and re-install a little confidence in the abused beast.

As for California and having greater troubles to work out, well yes maybe they do, but animal cruelty should always be 'tall order' Du jour.

Originally Posted by Cactus Flower

VERY interesting! I'll comment here, but I'm going to start a new thread so as not to hijack: It was recently suggested that I get my ADULT DANE's ears cropped because of recurring ear infections. I have my own opinion about that, but I'll save it for the new thread.

Again, this the circumsise argument as preventative measures.


Dar.
FYI: Most vets will no longer crop dog's ears in Quebec, yet, they'll de-claw a cat. Does anyone else see the hypocrisy in this?