General facts about ear and tail docking in dogs

About a third of breeds are subject to such an operation as ear and tail docking in dogsThese are mostly guard, hunting, and fighting breeds, and some are herding breeds. Initially, docking the ears and tails of dogs was not only an aesthetic necessity but also, in many ways, a vital measure. However, today, dogs are more often kept as friends and companions, so specific appearance requirements have become less important.

Fighting breeds don't engage in fighting unless you live in a country where it's permitted and you're particularly fond of your pet. Guard dogs, of course, look less menacing, but this can also serve as a clever deception, as their jaws remain intact. Many hunting dogs have never seen a duck or a fox, and therefore are unlikely to injure their tails on branches or ears in a fight.

All the pros and cons

The necessity of this procedure has been hotly debated for a long time. In Germany, for example, back in the 1930s, a law banning ear cropping was considered, but ultimately only resulted in a ban on docking horses' tails.

Animal rights activists believe there is no objective need to dock dogs. Most breeders disagree, believing such measures could lead to the demise of the breed.

And in some ways, they're right. In countries where docking is banned, dogs whose breeds require cropped ears or tails have become less popular.

The puppy's owner is often left with only the decision to crop the ears, as animals' tails are removed very early.

Tail docking

The optimal age for tail docking is 3-10 days from birth.

At this age, the tail vertebrae have not yet fully ossified and are still fragile, soft cartilages. It is believed that this is the age at which surgery is most painless and safe. The procedure is often combined with the removal of the fifth toe. Naturally, at this age, the surgery is performed without anesthesia.

Sometimes the tail is docked by ligation. The tail is tightly bandaged at a location specific to the breed. This cuts off the blood flow, and within a few days, the tip of the tail dries out and dies. In older dogs, docking is much more difficult. Anesthesia is always administered, and the wound is sutured.

Ear cropping

Ears are cropped when the cartilage has already become slightly rough, at 2-3 months of age. If cropping is done earlier, it's very difficult to maintain the correct trimming proportions. Ears can vary in size and not be the desired shape. At an older age, the scar tissue is often very rough and the stitches are clearly visible. Furthermore, there's a high risk that the ears will never "lift" after the surgery.

Today, many organizations actively fight for animal rights and oppose ear and tail docking. Some young veterinarians also support this idea and do not practice this procedure.

In some European countries, such as France, Great Britain, Austria, Germany, and Poland, docking ears and tails in dogs is strictly taboo.

Dogs brought from other countries, even those where it is permitted, are not only not evaluated, but are not even allowed to be exhibited.

But while in Britain a dog with a docked tail would be called a "fashion victim," and in Germany an owner would pay a hefty fine for short ears, in the CIS, the choice to dock ears and tails remains up to the owner. And animals are valued equally, regardless of tail and ear length.