Cropped Ears

[Rushy]

I know this was already a post on here, but it seemed like it was an older post.

When we first got our pup we wanted to get the cropped ears because we thought it looked good. Then I did a little research, because I wanted to know if it was purely cosmetic or if it was actually beneficial for him.

The vet we ended up going to actually refuses to crop ears because it is only for cosmetic purposes. She says that they are in pain for about a year, and she believes it to be cruel.

Now that we have had him for so long, we have gotten used to his ears not cropped, and when we look at photos with the ears cropped they look funny to us.

Is it true in order to show your boxer their ears must be cropped?! I was told that we would not be able to show our dog without his ears cropped. I'd rather not show him than make him go through a year of useless pain.

[Boxer Baby]

I'm still undecided about to crop or not....I dont want to crop Hannah's ears but hubby wants to..it has been very hard for us both to see the other ones point..I dont want Hannah to go through the pain of it and the taping and all that....We are not going to do all the showing and all that either...From what I have read some say it is cosmetic and some say it is helpful that the dog doesn't have as many ear infections if they are cropped but you never know they could just be prone to them and well there is no way to compare either they are cropped or not...

The way I look it is people have a choice if they want to have a nose job or any other cosmetic operation well it is their choice, and they are aware of the pain and all that goes alone with the operation....But a puppy they have no clue it starts with an innocent fun car ride with their best friend then it ends with waking up in a cage and not feeling so well and having to wait for their friend to come back and get them and wondering why in the world they would ever do anything like that to them.....I'm not saying that it is wrong or right to have the ears cropped....I'm just saying that is my personal opinion...

I have no clue about showing whether you can show a natural ear or not...there are many show people that come to the board so I'm sure someone can help you with that answer

Hannah and Mom

[Vela]

You can show a dog with an uncropped ear. Most don't win, I'm guessing because the judges just don't go for the uncropped look but i have seen some uncropped pointed boxers. In Europe cropping is actually not the "in" style depending on where ou are and in some places is against the law I beleive (not positive about whether it's actual law or the boxer association laws).

I have a cropped (she came that way) and an uncropped and to be honest my uncropped boys ears are cleaner but I have no real problems with either one and their ears. It truly is just for cosmetic purposes at this point. I do not feel it is true that an uncropped boxer gets more ear infections. Dirty ears and dogs that are just prone to it are the ears with infections, cropped or not. Some people like the look, others don't feel it's necessary to enjoy their dog. It's really just purely a cosmetic choice but if you do want to show then you are more likely to win here in the US with cropped ears than without.

[subamgr]

Just my opinion I like both, cropped and uncropped but I opted for uncropped for my 13 month old male. I think tail docking is necessary but for the ears I believe any surgery that can be avoided, especially for vanity is not good. It is a personal view, but as posted earlier it is (cropping) a fad that I think is dying. Here in Illinois, I know some boxer owners that don't have the ears cropped. Good luck in whatever you decide. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Alisha Mobley]

She says that they are in pain for about a year, and she believes it to be cruel.

It's obvious this vet has no experience in cropping but should at least do some research before offering advice...

A dog is in pain for a year?? Of all the Boxers I've had cropped, none even came home in pain. They came home bouncing around the house and yard just as they did before the crop. The puppies that came home with taped ears scratched at the tape a few times and would whimper while scratching. The puppy that came home without tape didn't touch his ears...he acted as if he didn't notice anything had happened until the posting started (then he scratched a few times but by then the ears were healed...10 days after crop!). The Boxers I've had s/n showed more discomfort...

Also, cropping is not a fad but a tradition...big difference.

Is it true in order to show your boxer their ears must be cropped?!

No...a Boxer does not have to be cropped to be shown. Harder but not impossible. As of right now uncropped ears are a deviation to the standard...adding uncropped ears to the standard will be voted on this year.

[VTbxrFan]

Originally Posted by Alisha Mobley

A dog is in pain for a year?? Of all the Boxers I've had cropped, none even came home in pain. They came home bouncing around the house and yard just as they did before the crop.

Just to play devil's advocate, how can we really know that they aren't in pain? They can't tell us. I know I'm in pain plenty of times and no one around me would know it because it doesn't change my behavior. Certainly if I'm in severe pain, I think it would be apparent to other people...and I think it would be apparent if puppies were in severe pain, but I don't believe that bouncing around and playing means they aren't in any pain. I've seen my own dog ignore pain when he's excited and wants to play. Certainly he can't do that if the pain is severe, but if it's mild, he can ignore it when something else is going on to distract him.

I'm not trying to be anti-cropping, and I don't believe that the pain lasts a year, but I'd like to see some scientific studies that actually measured pain responses before just assuming that they don't feel pain because they play. I've had several boxers with cropped ears over the years, and while I wouldn't classify it as a horrible, severely painful experience for them, I do believe from their reactions that it was at least uncomfortable for a few days.

(Just to clarify - I'm really not trying to be argumentative...I'm very interested in knowing if any scientific studies have been done to determine if cropping causes pain. I'm interested in seeing them if they have. All I've ever seen is the ongoing debate where many people who prefer cropping claim it doesn't hurt at all and those who are really opposed to cropping make it out to be a really horrible, severely painful thing...my own opinion from my experiences is that the truth probably lies in the middle...but I have no scientific evidence to back that up.)

[Alisha Mobley]

Originally Posted by VTbxrFan

Just to play devil's advocate, how can we really know that they aren't in pain?

We can't and since a dog can't tell us with words, all we have to go by is their behavior...the behavior I've seen in the puppies I've had cropped would not lead me to believe they are in pain.

I should have worded my previous post differently to include "act as if" but was in a hurry and didn't catch it. You are correct though...no one does know for sure...

[buffym]

I dont know for sure if they are in pain or not, I have no proof. However, I have had both of my boxers ears cropped and they came home and acted like nothing ever happened to them. The ony part they hated was wearing the e-collar so they couldnt scratch. They came home and immediately started to play and run around the house as usual.

I am sure that there is some sort of pain involved in the procedure, but I still wouldnt consider it cruel to do. I know cropping isnt for everyone but it is the boxer standard and they look absolutely beautiful when they are cropped.

Cropping is a lot of work for both owner and dog, but well worth it when finished. If you are not showing your dog then cropping is just a personal preference. I think they look good cropped or natural. Just my opinion

[GoCougs]

I would venture to say that there is some "discomfort". The level of which we can't and won't really know. They only show signs of this discomfort when the ears get bumped a little to hard. I wouldn't say it's really that painful.

Even with the e-collar on the ears are bumped and rubbed, and nothing so much as a whimper. I liken the discomfort to that of a bruise. They don't really hurt, until you poke at it.

[JulieM]

I don't think I've known anyone to say there is absolutely no pain with cropping. What most people say is that there have seen no *evidence* of pain, or the pups show no *signs* of discomfort, or something to that effect. Which, understandably, may be misinterpreted by some as saying there is no pain.

Now, I know some people who have had pups show signs of pain after a crop, sometimes severe - but I believe that is largely related to the skill of the vet. The vet I use, I've never heard of any dog showing signs of pain (doesn't mean none have, but pretty much everyone in this area goes to him so if it happened often, I would probably have heard). Another vet a little farther away, most pups I've heard about do show signs of discomfort (not extreme pain, just discomfort). Incidentally, my vet never uses painkillers after a crop, while the other vet does.

I suspect the vet who said dogs were in a pain a year after a crop was talking about the discomfort some experience with some posting methods - though again, this is largely I think due to the skill of the person doing the posts.

[jo.mcqueen]

It's probably because they will not do it under any circumstances in this country, that i believe its cruel........ My view is you most people wouldn't let there school kid go get a nose job, or any other cosmetic surgery so why put your dog through it when they can't say what they want!!!! Thats just my oppinion though.

Also on the pain thing... how do you know they are not in pain???? could it not just be a case of, boxers are good at hiding their pain????

[Alisha Mobley]

could it not just be a case of, boxers are good at hiding their pain????

Boxers aren't the only dogs cropped...from what I understand, the behavior shown is much the same no matter what the breed.