cropped or floppy(help)?

1stshowbxr · #1 26th September 2006, 08:13 AM

we have finally decided on a puppy and that we would like to show him. i have heard that technically it doesnt matter if you crop the ears or leave them floppy, which do you think would have a better chance of doing good in a show: a boxer with cropped ears or one that is floppy? Or does it really matter compared to everything else?

JulieM · #2 26th September 2006, 08:31 AM

If you're patient and a good loser, then go with the ear that best suits the head.

Uncropped ears are still 'new' and unfamiliar to many judges, and do dramatically alter the appearance of the dog, so some judges may be hesitant to award them. Other judges, of course, will be more than willing to award an uncropped dog if the other qualities are there. As more uncropped dogs are shown, more uncropped dogs will win - but at this point, they're still in the minority, and so may lose even if they deserve to win more often than a cropped dog would (though it happens sometimes to cropped dogs, too).

If you're the kind of person who will have a hard time waiting 3-4 years for your dog to finish, or if you're likely to take your puppy's losses personally (and those types are not at all unusual in the dog show world - people invest their heart and soul in their dogs, and it's hard to see them lose), you might be better off with a cropped pup. You'll still win more than you'll lose (and with some lines it may still take 3-4 years to finish), but probably at a lower ratio, and at least you won't be tempted to blame all the losses on the ears, regardless of the quality of other dogs in the ring.

Alex C. · #3 27th September 2006, 04:00 PM

That is great information. I couldn't have said it better myself.

1stshowbxr · #4 28th September 2006, 08:43 AM

thank you for your very helpful info. i have been lifting his ears to see what it might look like.lol i was sitting on the fence because i heard it hurts to have their ears cut and even then they could not stand right. but thank you for all your info. it really helps

Alex C. · #5 28th September 2006, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1stshowbxr

thank you for your very helpful info. i have been lifting his ears to see what it might look like.lol i was sitting on the fence because i heard it hurts to have their ears cut and even then they could not stand right. but thank you for all your info. it really helps

It shouldn't hurt if done by a professional, meaning a vet with cropping expericence. My Brandi was a bit groggy from the anesthesia the day of surgery, but was back to herself the next day. Her crop wasn't a show crop and took 2 weeks of taping, but I have also heard some dogs take much much longer OR they don't stand perfectly. Best thing to do is have the vet look at the pups ears and get an opinion.

1stshowbxr · #6 30th September 2006, 06:54 AM

thank you i think i will crop his ears. there is only one vet up here in the middle of nowhere that will do it so my options are limited. blut maybe some traveling would be in order. i will check out every vet i know of. (and maybe more) cici is so cute.

SILLY6PAK · #7 30th September 2006, 02:17 PM

How old is your pup?

erin7669 · #8 1st October 2006, 12:52 PM

Just because your pup does not have cropped ears doe not mean it will take 3-4 years to finish them. I finished jaeger in 4 show weekends at 9 months with his natural ears. He beat cropped Specials! I give the judges more credit than to judge a dog based on cropped or natural. In my opinion, you can hide a bad ear set by cropping the ears. Hence hiding a fault! I also don't believe in voluntarily putting your dog through the pain for a unnecessary surgery all for cosmetic reasons.
All my show dogs will be left uncropped and I believe it will only be a matter of time before North America will be following the UK's footsteps making it illegal to crop.
Leave you baby uncropped and have fun showing. It will make that Win all the more exciting! I am specialing my natural eared boy now, its awesome!

Erin P

JulieM · #9 2nd October 2006, 05:13 PM

Erin, it's important to note that you're in Canada, where uncropped ears have been part of the breed standard for at least a decade, and where the average age of a Boxer when it finishes its Championship is 11 months. Puppy Champions are not the norm in the US, the typical age at finishing is 2-3 years (and as I noted earlier, in some lines 3-4 is average regardless of ear status).

You may not feel that ears will affect a judges' decision, but I live in the US and attend shows in the US and I can tell you from experience that with some judges (some, not all or even most), it will. It's far better IMO for a novice to know that this prejudice exists, and be prepared in the event they are subjected to it, than to let them think it doesn't exist and have them blindsided by it.

I don't think cropping will hide an incorrect ear set - in fact, I think it would make one more obvious since the positioning of the ears on the head is so much more noticeable. It will, of course, hide an incorrect ear lay - though that isn't exactly hiding a fault, since ear lay isn't a consideration in a cropped exhibit. The "pain" issue has already been addressed. As for North America making cropping illegal - well, so far all proposals for that have been defeated, though I've no doubt they will keep cropping up (no pun intended) again and again as the AR extremists continue to try to chip away at our rights and eliminate pet ownership altogether.

butlerrc · #10 5th October 2006, 10:46 AM

I love the cropped ears, but I opted not to because you take a chance of them not standing up to well. LOL!

fawnatic · #11 24th October 2006, 10:54 AM

I plan to show ebby this show season (yea..we have limited show "seasons" here

) and shes got floppy years.i think i am fortunate that a judge from australia will be down here for the boxer specials and i am hoping she will like ebbys "natural" look..(fingers crossed!)