Exercise, nutrition & health articles for dog owners, The Best Dog Food: How to Choose the Right One for Your Pooch, The 3 Benefits Of Pitbull Muscle Building, Featured Breeder: ABKC Champion Bully Breeder Marco Suarez, American Bully Questions & Answers – Ask Us Anything, American Bully Health – Caring for your Puppies. Popular breeds that often have their ears cropped include, The major argument in favor of ear cropping is that it can create a sharp, alert appearance that adheres to the dog’s. Today we know that ear cropping provides no benefits to the dog and is a dangerous procedure that can hurt the dog for life. After all is said and done, the decision on whether or not to crop a puppy’s ear s is up to the owner.  Some people feel it is cruel to make a puppy go through pain for appearance’s sake, while others believe ear cropping is important in preserving a breed’s trademark appearance.  Whichever stance an owner takes, it is important that he acts responsibly.  If an owner decides to have his puppy’s ears cropped, the surgery should be done by an experienced and reputable veterinarian.  The owner should also fully understand and be committed to the aftercare process, and that the results may not turn out exactly as he hoped they would.  An owner who wishes to keep a puppy’s ears natural should understand that this dog will look slightly different from the traditional appearance of the breed.  He should also be sure to regularly clean the dog’s ears and check for signs of infection.Â, When it comes right down to it, the decision of whether or not to crop does not need to be a polarizing one.  Dogs with cropped ears and dogs with natural ears are both beautiful to those who love them, and with the right care, both can live happy, healthy lives.Â, Related article: https://bullymax.com/puppy-ear-cropping/. Those who are against ear cropping are quick to point out that the process is obviously painful for puppies. This means that people who feel for this quickly decided that they could save their dog from ear infections and most likely keep the dog healthier. Warning you might want to hold up a towel because the stuff that comes out can be gross. Obviously these dogs are not born with cropped ears from birth, and what I found out shocked me. This practice was intended to prevent injury to dogs that were raised for working, hunting or fighting. Patrick is an advit Pit Bull fan who spends his time designing websites for people. All dogs…, One of the most confusing things when you first get a pit bull puppy or pet a pit bull is their coat. Ears cut is called "Cropping" where as tails cut is called "Docking". A dog that is touted as one of the most dangerous sure loves to get in your space. But they’re nothing to be worked up about! When a dog’s ear hangs down over the ear canal, moisture can be trapped inside, promoting the … But, the theory is that with upright ears, the moisture will dry faster, reducing the elements for an ear infection. As a veterinarian with 32 years of experience treating hundreds of thousands of dogs during that time, I cannot find medical justification for cropping a dog's pinnas (outer ear). I hope this article has been helpful to you and if you want more pit bull articles check out our website for more information on pit bulls. It’s short, unlike many dogs, but it’s hard to tell if that type of fur falls out. I own a Pit and I have to say that I love when they have their ears. A common myths is that a dog’s ears won’t stand if they’re not cropped while they’re puppies. Dogs are rescued every day across the country with pulled teeth, scarred faces, and missing ears. Cleaning them usually involves taking a cotton ball after you have used some solution that you can buy from your vet, we get ours for Fiona off amazon and it works well. Sure. Another pro-cropping argument is the idea that dogs with upright ears may have a lowered risk of getting ear infections. / What’s the age limit? Pit Bull breeds aren’t traditionally ones that get their tails docked, compared to other breeds. HiCustomer Usually ear cropping is done around 9-11 weeks of age, though some will do it a week or two earlier. The longer you wait after that time, the less chance there is of the ears standing properly. Tend to the wounds and make sure that the scabs are coming off and inform the vet of any complications from the process. When he isn't spending time with his family and Fiona, he is often playing Dota 2 (his guilty pleasure). Tail-docking is much more common among breeds like Rottweiler, Doberman, Boxer, and even some hounds. When you first get a pit bull breed you may be as shocked as I was to learn that they are big cuddle buddies, but why? You can set your main menu in Appearance > Menus, Cropping Your Dog’s Ears: The Pros and Cons. Are Dog-Skin Tags Consider Warts? The ears are then cut in a way that instead of flopping down to the side of the head, they stand erect on the head to a point. A fair and average price to pay for a crop is 250.00. When do you cut a pit bulls ears and tail - Answered by a verified Dog Specialist. When I first got Fiona we really enjoyed her floppy ears which then made me question why do so many pit bulls have cropped ears? Dogs usually have their ears cropped when they are just 8 to 12 weeks old. You can, however, keep in mind that people are nosier now that they ever have been. my pitbull puppy has her ears done 1 week ago and only one ear is sticking up not the other one, what should I do she won't keep the tape on her ear, and they have almost healed all the way. For instance, livestock guardians dogs such as the Caucasian shepherd dog and Maremma sheepdog, traditionally had their ears cropped to protect their ears from wolves and other aggressors. Vets do not commonly recommend cropping a dog’s ears as a fix for ear infections, or Bloodhounds and Dachshunds would have their ears cropped more often. Pit bull ear cropping is a century old method used by many to make their pit bulls look more dangerous and masculine. Should I just take my dog somewhere else? Pitbull ear cropping was common in animals used for hunting or fighting to minimize the risk of injury to the ears during fights.   For this reason, some dog enthusiasts believe cropping a dog’s ears means doing the dog a favor. A dew claw should…, Your email address will not be published. Besides the fact that they are not born with it. Researching more I came across another method of thinking that I think fits more in line with what caused cropped ears to explode in the past. The idea behind this is that anyone who wanted to fit a pit bull would crop or cut their ears back to make them less resistant to other animals harming them in dogfights.   During the procedure, a veterinarian anesthetizes the puppy, trims away unwanted ear tissue, and closes the incision with sutures.  The healing process takes up to two months, and during this time the puppy’s ears must be kept upright, at first with a special paper or metal rack and later (once the sutures have been removed) with splints and wrapping tape.  If the ears are not kept taped up, they will flop over and the results of the cropping will not be desirable.Â, The major argument in favor of ear cropping is that it can create a sharp, alert appearance that adheres to the dog’s breed standard.  For show dogs, this can be important.  While none of the major kennel clubs in the United States require any breed to have this alteration in order to compete, they allow for it in certain breeds. My area doesn’t allow cropping. Keep the dog’s ears cleaned. About the Pit Bulls. Ears were … Ear cropping is done on puppies and not adult pit bulls. Hopefully, this information helps. Ear cropping is believed to have started in ancient Rome. In most breeds however, the ears require a period of bandaging and support splinting in order to get them to stay in an upright position, or to “stand up.” Popular breeds that often have their ears cropped include Doberman Pinschers, Boxers, Schnauzers, Great Danes, Boston Terriers, and Pit Bull Terriers.  Ear cropping generally takes place when a puppy is between eight and twelve weeks old, while the cartilage and muscles of the ears are not yet fully developed and will allow the cropped ears to be trained to stand upright. I can’t imagine someone taking a human being and reducing our ears because they want us to look a certain way. When ear cropping exploded was during a time when dogs were used for work rather than play so they would constantly be in danger of getting bit by other animals in the ears which could lead to infection and kill the animal. Q: How much does it cost? Ear cropping is never done on adult dogs and always done on puppies because of the amount of recovery time that is involved. The process of taping and retaping a pup’s ears to force them to stand erect after they have been cropped can be … Why are you so against cropping? Depending on your dog, you might find that they develop some ear conditions based upon things like how often they are cleaned. Pit Bulls fight face to face so if you said "it gives the other dog less to hold on to" you don't really know what you're talking about, and … Last but not least, I cropped my dog’s ears because after all, he is … At this stage in their development, the trauma of the procedure can have a strong psychological impact on the maturing pup. It was also believed that ear cropping makes the animal look more ferocious and alert. Good news is that most vets can fix this problem with a single dose. I think the only reason to PROPERLY (through a vet!) Pitbull ear cropping is the practice of surgically cutting a puppy’s ears to give them an erect appearance. Bulletproof Pitbulls 138,347 views. When they do, they usually form on the face, limbs, belly, ears, and so on. The problem is that ear cropping amounts to nothing more than forced mutilation so that poorly informed owners can make their dog what they deem to be prettier or fiercer. If you’ve had a pitbull for some time, you are probably familiar with the fact that pitbulls often get ear infections. Once the solution has sat for about 30 seconds to a minute, you allow the dog to shake their head and remove the water. Their policy has been in place since 1999 and was affirmed as recently as 2012 when the AVMA added that they “encourage the elimination of ear cropping and tail … Bait dogs are a staple in … But fans of this practice claim that it has plenty of health benefits for your dog. The fact is that ear infections are common in all sorts of breeds, whether they have cropped ears or not. If the ears are not properly cared for, they will wrinkle, fall, fold, bend, and generally not stand correctly. Following are some common reasons why people clip a Pitbull’s ears: To Protect During Dog Fights. below photos show what they would look like if they … Pain medicine will be given for the pain and healing time can range from 4 to 8 weeks depending on the wounds and how fast they heal. Be warned, they are highly contagious among dogs. Do Pitbulls shed? 9:19. If you had to pick one. I would think the show would be the best because it doesn’t look as painful as some of the others, which completely reduces the dog’s ears to nothing or makes them look different. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) policy is that they "oppose ear cropping and tail docking of dogs when done solely for cosmetic purposes." In the case of fighting and hunting dogs, floppy ears could be bitten off. Floppy ears are also prone to vermin bites, which can lead to fatal ear infection. It's my dog. What’s the best crop? modern medicine tells us that ear cropping provides no benefits, solution in your dog’s ears (this is the one we use). A: The cost varies greatly. Vets charge anywhere from $150.00 up to $800.00 in some cases. 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