Ear docking

[Miakoda]

It all depends on the dog...I have 2 dogs actually that have one ear that pulls towards the center. Both were done before I got them. Those that I have done - if I see this happening...I will re-tape the ears for several weeks in some cases to get them to stand right. You have to take breaks throughout to give it time to rest and see if it will stand, sometimes it looks like it will, and then it will pull over again ha ha.

Good luck!

---------- Post added at 08:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:09 AM ----------



Why refuse to crop? Good aftercare will fix this. Just wondering?

Good aftercare will not always fix it. You have the possibility of minimizing the amount they fold over the head if you keep them braced for many, many weeks, but a dog's natural ear set is it's natural ear set. It's like docking a dog's tail and then expecting it to have a different tail set than what it had before you docked it. Not gonna happen.

I think people just get caught up on their 4-legged fashion accessories to realize that their dog just might not be the best candidate for an ear crop.

[bully_lady]

I think people just get caught up on their 4-legged fashion accessories to realize that their dog just might not be the best candidate for an ear crop.

LOL, a fashion accessory is definitely not what I have ever thought my dogs were...I think of those as foo foos with clothes - the clothes for this breed are too expensive :D. I get what you're saying, but some folks simply like a crop - it is what it is and expecting a vet to say a dog is a "poor candidate" probably is not going to happen IMHO.

[vdubbinya]

I think people just get caught up on their 4-legged fashion accessories to realize that their dog just might not be the best candidate for an ear crop.

hehe pike is def. not a fashion accessory to me. hes too big to lug around anyways. hes my best friend. someone i can rely on to actually be happy when i show up after work. He's my lil boy. I definitly would not hurt my kids, this includes human kids/puppy kids. If in my mind i thought that it would be a tramatizing situation getting his ears cropped, i wouldnt have done it. I have had dogs cropped b4, it doesnt FAZE them at all. To NO extent. Do i like the way it looks? yes. Do some of you have little girls, with their ears peirced? is that a better analogy ? People pierce baby's ears all the time. Unneccisary pain to your little one.....;) ---shane

[bryan]

I'll have to post some pics but i took rack off this morning and it doesn't look good the right one is considerably taller while the left is perfect

[BStark]

I think that ear docking probably started when dog fighting gained popularity after bull baiting was outlawed. With a smaller ear, there's less for the other dog to grab.

Now, though, I think it's acceptable because of it's popularity. I think that it's still prominent because of the look.

I can't say I will do it or won't do it. It seems like a huge personal preference now.

[bully_lady]

I'll have to post some pics but i took rack off this morning and it doesn't look good the right one is considerably taller while the left is perfect

I've had this happen before. It is due to the ear not being pulled up properly when posted and it healed and sagged in the inner 'dip' of the ear. Sometimes it can be corrected, sometimes not. Gotta have good tape jobs consistently, not everyone can do it properly...I always have my vet do mine, they are perfectionists...so am I, but I just cannot get it as good as they do...