Why do some people chop their dog’s ears off?

This blog is in support of this petition calling for the banning of the importing of ear cropped dogs into the UK. Please sign it and share it!

Click here to sign the petition!

They say –

‘It stops ear infections!’ 🤔

If that was the case, we would lop the flaps off all the floppy, hairy eared dogs but we don’t. Interestingly, they don’t tend to ‘tough guarding’ breeds either – funny that. Also, a great deal of ear infections are related to skin allergies and these are very breed specific but again – guess what! – not the breeds whose ears get amputated. Finally, there is NO evidence that ear cropped dogs suffer any less with infections anyway. Shocker.

image shows a beautiful cocker spaniel with lovely long floppy and furry ears.
Ever seen a spaniel with cropped ear? No? Funny that – I wonder why it’s only the dogs they want to look ‘tough’ that need to be helped to not have ear infections. 🙄🤔

It stops ear flap damage 🤦🏼‍♀️

Well, no kidding!! Because you have already lopped them off! But actually, most aural haematomas (or cauliflower ears) are related to ear infections, which, as we have already established, are not influenced by ear mutilation.

Unless….. by damage you mean from fighting, which is illegal the world over. Are you actually advocating for dog fights and bear baiting??!

image shows a doberman under an anaesthetic during an ear cropping surgery. The ears are bloodied and half their original size.
Damaged ear flaps like…..this?!

It helps them hear better! 🙄

Yeeeess, this appears to have been one of the historical reasons for cropping. In ancient times farmers thought it helped guarding breeds protect flocks better. Has your Doberman tended to a sheep on an Andalusian hillside recently? Well, it doesn’t matter anyway because there is no evidence to show disfigurement enhances hearing. Turns out nature has done a pretty good job of making sure ears are fit for purpose already.

It’s no different to neutering surgery! 🤯

Is it though? When the wounds from spays and castrates are healed within a fortnight and cropped dogs have to wear head gear for months? Or when post operative infections and pain are so common they are basically a given? Neutering has many clear benefits for dogs but what benefit is ear cropping? That’s correct – none at all.

image shows a young doberman with it's ears strapped up in stands to make them stick up straight and a cone around it's neck so it can't damage the stands.
Yes, this is exactly the same as neutering. This young pup will have to wear these stands and collar for months. It is painful, they can’t play or rub their face. 🙄🤦🏼‍♀️🤯

Please share and sign the survey this survey to stop cropped dogs becoming more common in the UK. We have to make sure everyone knows it is nothing more than a pointless mutilation done very much for fashion – it has no function at all!

👇🏻🙌🏻👇🏻

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/333456

If you enjoyed this blog, check out ‘Why The Flat Face?’

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