The facts about cropping and docking:

What is cropping and docking?

Cropping is when part or all of the ear leather is surgically removed, usually when the dog is around 7-9 weeks of age.

Docking is when part or all of the tail is surgically removed, usually when the dog is anywhere from a 1 day old to 9 weeks of age or older.

Historical reasons for cropping and docking:

Before delving into the history of cropping and docking, it's important to first understand the evolution of dogs.

In prehistoric times, dogs started out as either wolves, or a species that looked much like the dingo. As humans evolved, and began keeping these wolves or dingo like animals at their side, they began to control their breeding. Humans kept and only bred the dogs that were the most friendly and/or beneficial in helping them hunt and protect. As a result, inbreeding practices began. Take a puppy that was more friendly towards humans than those in it's litter, then breed it back to it's parent, and the odds of having a litter with an abundance of puppies who were predisposed to being friendly, began the construction of what is called "selective breeding". Now, canines have something unique about their genes, tandem repeats. All animals have tandem repeats. However, dogs have a curiously high number of them. Tandem repats are short lengths of DNS that are repeated multiples times in a gene, anywhere from a small handful to more than a hundred. When inbreeding happens in dogs, these tandem repeats start to create highly unique characteristics. Characteristics that aren't seen in other species. The more early humans controlled the breeding of their dogs, the more strange the dogs started to look. Curly tails, thick bushy coat, different colored coats and patterns, different head shapes, short legs, tall legs, and...dropped floppy ears started to show up. These were all characteristics that the early wolves/dingo like species did not have. Humans decided that they liked the looks of they new characteristics, so they started to selectively breed for them. And thus, the different dog breeds were created. It wasn't until the early Victorian era that people really started to create dog breeds exclusively for looks and function.

The dogs that humans created for hunting, however, seemed to have one draw back as result of the inbreeding practices; dropped floppy ears. These dropped ears would get caught on branches or horrifyingly, be used at "handles" by boars and wolves - the prey the dogs were being used to hunt. The ears would end up torn or develop hematomas. So, owners would "cut" the ears off of the dogs to prevent future damage.

Another draw back as a result of inbreeding practices, were long thick tails of herding dogs. It became a problem for ranches when their cattle dogs would get their tails stuck or trampled under the aggressive feet of cattle. So, off when the herding dog's tails.

The large problem with historic cropping and docking however, like many of the medical procedures of their time, was that anesthesia was not common practice. And the many procedures were performed at home, without the use of locals, proper medical tools, after care, or pain management.

Modern reasons for cropping and docking:

Today, people still crop and dock their dogs. There are a wide variety of reasons for the procedures. Below are a few examples:

Safety for herding dogs: Much like their herding originators, many dog breeds are still utilized for what they were bred for. As such, they still benefit from the need to be cropped and/or docked. Heelers, corgis, rottweilers, and Australian shepherds are all used for herding cattle and it is thus highly common for them to be docked at birth.

Safety for hunting and sporting dogs: Much like their hunting and sporting originators, many dog breeds are still utilized for what they were bred for. As such, they still benefit from the need to be cropped and/or docked. Cane corsos, field spaniels, pointers, and boar hounds are all used for hunting and it is thus highly common for them to be cropped and/or docked at birth.

Show dogs: Many show dogs are still cropped for both function and tradition of their breed standard in the conformation show ring.

Health: Though there is little to no official research on either end, many people attest that cropped ears provide health benefits. Since erect ears are natural, and dropped ears are a manmade creation, the act of cropping can be a reversal of the detrimental impact humans have made in dog evolution. The erect, cone shaped ear allows optimal capture of sound and hearing. It also provides adequate air flow, potentially preventing moisture, fungus, and bacteria from growing. Many vets and groomers can personally attest that dropped floppy ears see more reoccurring ear infections than erect ears do. Dropped floppy ears, if damaged, can also bleed more due to gravity and be more prone to hematomas, than erect ears.

How cropping and docking is performed:

Thankfully, modern veterinary medicine has advanced significantly since the Victorian era. Modern day cropping and docking is now performed by a licensed veterinarian, under general anesthesia, and provided appropriate after care and pain management. Traditionally, this veterinary procedure was performed by hand under anesthesia, and could take hours of measuring, correcting, and sutures. It would also require months of aftercare. However, revolutionary tools and techniques such as lasers are now being used by veterinarians. Lasers provide a guaranteed symmetrical appearance, only take about 10 minutes, are less invasive compared to traditional surgery, and provide an extremely short and pain free recovery for the dog. It now only takes a couple of weeks for recovery.

The procedure is also performed only when the dogs are under 12 weeks of age. Below this age, the nerve connections and cartilage have not formed in the dog, so the procedure is quick, relatively painless, and simple to heal.

Unfortunately, there are still some highly unethical underground groups of people who crop and dock their dogs at home. These groups are criminals, and use their dogs for fighting, baiting, or intimidation practices.

Controversies and legislations around cropping and docking:

There are a great deal of controversies and militant views surrounding cropping and docking. And, there is a significant amount of blatant and/or outdated information about the practices.

Some misinformation/outdated assumptions about cropping and docking:

Myth 1: Painful procedure and aftercare

As mentioned above, modern day cropping and docking is performed by a licensed vet, under anesthesia. With a laser, the procedure is extremely non invasive, accurate, and provides quick and painless aftercare. After the dogs have healed from the procedure, they are 100% pain free.

Myth 2: Dogs cannot communicate with their ears once they are cropped

Dropped floppy ears have very weak cartilage. They do not have a full range of motion that erect ears have. By standing the ears up and shaping them into the natural cone shape, the cartilage at the bell of the ear has better support for a full range of motion. Dogs with properly cropped ears are 100% capable of moving their ears around to express their emotions. It is only when the entire ear leather is removed by unethical criminals at home, does it negate any function of the ear.

Myth 3: The dogs have no say in the matter

Extreme animal rights proponents will make this same argument against pet owner's decisions to spay and neuter their dogs. Pet owners have a responsibility to do what is in their pet's best interest.

Facts about current cropping and docking laws in the United States:

Ear Cropping Laws

• 9 states regulate ear cropping.

• It’s illegal to crop a dog’s ears in Connecticut, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania unless done by a licensed vet while the dog is under anesthetic.

• Maryland law states that the ear cropping must be “appropriate on the animal.”

• Massachusetts forbids ear cropping except when performed by a licensed vet.

• “Animal torture” is illegal in Illinois (includes both ear cropping & tail docking) but has an exception for altering an animal done under the direction of a licensed vet.

• Maine bans mutilating an animal by irreversibly damaging body parts (includes ear cropping & tail docking) but makes an exception if performed by a licensed vet.

Tail Docking Laws

• 21 states regulate tail docking in some form.

• Maryland and Pennsylvania are the only states that have provisions restricting the tail docking of dogs.

• It’s illegal in Pennsylvania to dock a dog’s tail if it is older than five days unless medically necessary.

• In Maryland, only vets can perform tail docking and only if they use anesthesia and it’s considered appropriate.

• Alaska and Louisiana allow tail docking, but only if it is sanitary, minimizes the dog’s pain and distress, and is done quickly.

Conclusion

Cropping and/or docking your dog is a personal decision. And like any decision with responsible pet ownership, it should be made with focus into published research, speaking with your veterinarian, and taking into consideration your dog's comfort, health, happiness, and safety.