Ear cropping has been
standard procedures in America for decades. Is it time for a
change?
- The Boxer is a breed that by custom and by
standard typically undergoes a surgical procedure designed to
turn its naturally floppy-style ears into ears that stand tall,
stiff and erect.
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- Cropping a puppy's ears is
an extensive procedure that is usually performed when a puppy
is 2 to 3 months old or when a puppy weighs around 15 pounds.
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- German Boxers are held to a different standard
than their American counterparts. They are not required to have
their ears cropped or their tails docked.
-
- Boxers are required to wear
their bandages for weeks or even months while the healing process
progresses.
- Newer vets tend to avoid the practice, whereas
older ones crop ears as a matter of routine.
-
- Read through the AKC standards
of other cropped breeds and you'll find such phrases as "when
cropped" and "if cropped" while the Boxer's standard
states unequivocally that the ears "are cropped."
-
- The standard leaves no choice where the ears
are concerned, and this has caused its own controversy within
the breed.
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- According to German standards,
an uncropped ear must be flat when the dog is not alert, and
should show a clear fold when raised.
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