What, exactly, prompted people to crop their dog's ears and WHY?

Some people do it because they think it helps the dog hear better or not get infections in their ears
according to this the American Kennel Club supports it basically to keep up with appearance standards.
Some people who do the dog shows probably do it so they win certain things maybe

I think it is cruel, same with tail docking but I think there are actual reasons for the tail

Nevermind, Tail docking can be just as bad

I agree. It’s bullshit surgery.

I agree. Especially because there doesn’t seem to be a medical reason. Just for appearance aesthetic.

In Greece (at least where we reside) they chop off a piece of the outer ear to signal that a cat is castrated.
There are ‘too much’ strays walking around.
Volunteers bring them to the vets to do the procedure.
Later, they know which ones are already done.
I don’t like it, although I can see it being useful.
Our cat is also castrated, but he still has his ears at least.
So I don’t know if that could be the case with some dogs that you talk about, castration signaling?

By the way, in the Netherlands it is forbidden by law to cut of ears and tails of dogs (for aesthetic reasons).

For most, they believe its just part of owning that breed. Like a grooming requirement. I didnt crop my pits or clip my birds but if they do it young and with a real vet, I dont take much issue with it.

My father was a bird-hunter. We always had at least one one Brittany Spaniel living with us. There was one puppy we got whose tail wasn’t docked, so he had it done. Many today are born with a naturally docked tail.

Why is this done? Their tails, if long, have long hair hanging down them, somewhat like a horse’s mane. When the dog goes to fetch a shot bird, it is often bounding through brambles that catch the hair on the tail. It can hurt the dog, sometimes even trapping it in the weeds.

But Boxers have short hair. They don’t have feathers, unlike Spaniels.

The Netherlands is so damn cool @rebbel. On the family FB page I made, my millionaire cousin asked if anyone was up for Christmas in the Netherlands next year. I’m like “Hell ya!”

It originated with working dogs being made less vulnerable. For a dog hunting boars or rushing through deep woods at a crazy speed, a bushy tail can be a hindrance.

Obviously, it’s very much possible to select working dogs for short fur and short tails. It shouldn’t be legal to cut off body parts. In Germany, that’s against the law.

If you wouldn’t do it to a toddler, don’t do it to a dog.

Cato is some form of working dog, but he’s been reduced to working on grandchildren. I have the BEST video of him playing in a pile of leaves with the kids. He pounces into the middle of the pile then crouches down on his stomach while the kids pile leaves on top of him until he’s hidden. Then he just explodes out of the leaves….and that’s where we run in to trouble. Trying to teach him that grabbing children and knocking them over is NOT acceptable behavior, and not letting them get up off the ground is not OK. I don’t care if you have bull baiting in your DNA.

He has floppy ears. I guess they’d be too easy to grab by some critter.

I simply loath the practice.

@Dutchess_III Sounds cute. If he likes any toys, try letting him have those to grab during rambunctious play. He needs a way to cope with his excitement. He needs to grab something.

PS: Never let a dog play with tennis balls. The rough surface is like sandpaper on their teeth. Also, make sure the ball is big enough and attached to a rope to minimize choking risk.

@Dutchess_III I can only speak for Spaniels that are used for hunting. If they aren’t, there is no need to have their tail docked.

@Pied_Pfeffer I don’t even understand the argument for hunting dogs. If a bushy-tailed dog is in danger of getting tangled in the brambles, wouldn’t that happen anyway? Their whole bodies are covered in fur.

@longgone The hair that grows on the underside of their tail is long. That’s the part that gets caught in the briers.

I can’t tell you all more than that. This is an old practice, and not one I support.

@Pied_Pfeffer I see. Thanks anyway! :)