This really has nothing to do with basenjis, but it's interesting to me anyway. I was at Pet Smart, talking to a man with a new AmStrat puppy. I was asking him questions about the breeder (of whom i was somewhat suspicious) when this lady started screaming at him because the puppy had cropped ears. The weird thing is, I was looking for a forum similar to this one for brittany spaniels ealier that day. What I found was the brittish KC forum were a huge arguement was going on about changing their rules for tail docking. So I figure I'll open the floodgates here and ask everyone what they think about tail docking and ear cropping.
In my own opinion: I think tail docking and ear cropping in PET dogs is the stupid, pointless and cosmetic K9 equvilent of circumcision. Working dogs is another matter, guard dogs have the best claim to a working need. Hunting dogs usually have meatier tails and therefore less risk of damage. For dogs like the Dogo Arginetino, who hunt boar, jaguires and other nasty prey, they have a good reason.
And I agree, I like that in many countries, cropping is illegal… and there is nothing prettier then breeding typically ear cropped that have them natural... but in many cases the ear cropping and tails for that matter was done for a purpose and the safety of the dogs long ago... So depending on what you use your dog for, to me answers the question on cropping.. And as we all know or if you don't, many dogs with "lay over" ears are prone to ear infections.. having them cropped has all but eliminated that problem in many cases.. and some dogs are born naturally with what we today call docked tails and even in the same litter some might be long some short docked in length.
The same can be said for dew claws... my personal opinion is that they should be removed.. they are of no use and only cause problems.. I have seen way to many injuries with dew claws to last me a lifetime.. and consider the people with long haired dogs that not only don't trim regular toe nails but leave the dew claw nails unattended. Anyone ever seen a dew claw nail untrimmed and has grown around and back into the skin? Not a pretty site...
Again, in some countries it is illegal to remove them also....
Many years ago, I was at a vets office with my dog checking out after an appt, and there was an altercation with someone who was trying to retrieve their dog who had been removed from their home and was being treated at my vets. They had tried to "dock" the dog's tail themselves. I know this is not the same–but I will never forget that, and ever since, I have been against docking and cropping.
I think that dogs look much better when they have natural ears rather then cropped. I know that many dogs with floppy ears get ear infections, but if an owner took the time to clean the ears regularly, then many of the infections could be avoided without having to alter the dogs appearance.
With tail docking, I always remember what my vet tech teacher in high school, who is a licenced vet, told the class one time. When she was starting to work in vet offices about 40 years ago, the way they docked tails would be to take a puppy when it was just a few days old and twist between the joints until the end snapped off. It's just horrible.
Dew claws are a good thing to have removed, they get in the way. One of my lab mixes, Reese, almost ripped one of her's off one time.
Charlies_Mommy: OMG I'd have to agree that what you said about tail docking is absolutely HORRID. Thankfully they don't use that practice anymore.
Now here's my tibit. I do have a boxer and they dock the tails at a very young age 3-5 days old, so that's not something the average pet owner can normally avoid. I have met MANY boxers with tails living her in Germany so I like them either way, however those tails HURT like h*ll when they smack you, almost worst than a lab tail, they have nothing to slow them down, and anyone who's met an excited boxer knows the butt is a wiggling, lol. One of the reason that dogs still have their tails docked today is because of injury from smacking into everything. And my over all opinion is yes I do like it, but I really don't like the longer show docks on boxers, dobies etc
Now on to the ears. I am a 50/50 sort of person when it comes to cropped ears. I cannot stand the short "fight cut" that is on pitties, staffies, etc or even worse with italian mastiffs and dogos where they cut all the ear off. I also tend to not like the long slender show cuts on boxer, dobies and danes. It also very much is about the dog and if they have the right head for a crop. I seriously picky about cropping ears, even though I like it it has to be thr right crop for the dog. And as for dogs lie white or checked boxers I believe they should NEVER have their ears cropped it just looks ugly. Also there are some dogs that look much better with cropped versus floppy.
I'll post pictures later of what I feel is an ideal cut for a dog and what I think is ugly.
