why are ears cropped for dogs?
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Health benefits. Historically, ear cropping has been advocated as a health benefit for certain breeds with long, hanging ears. It was believed that dogs with standing ears may suffer from fewer ear infections than dogs with hanging ears.
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In my opinion, breeding dogs to enhance a specific trait, not in line with the breed standard is poor breeding practice. The result of this is German Shepherd puppies with droopy ears that will never perk up. The reason is logical, their ears are too heavy and big for the head muscles to hold the cartilage up.
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But the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) opposes docking and cropping. “The most common reason for cropping and docking is to give a dog a certain look. That means it poses unnecessary risks,” Patterson-Kane says. Docked tails can also develop a neuroma, or nerve tumor.
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An adult German Shepherd's ears are upright and pointy, making them look more alert and regal. German Shepherds aren't born with upright ears. ... As the puppies grow older, their ears naturally go up, but in some cases, they don't – and there are different reasons why a GSD's ears won't go up. But don't fret!
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Classic German Shepherds have ears that stand up straight. But anyone who has ever adopted this breed knows that their ears are floppy when they are young.
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The Ears: ... When your dog's ears are flat against its head, it represents fear or aggression. Ears way back but not close to its head may mean that your dog is feeling sad.
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Ear movement is common in many mammals, including cats, dogs and horses, and usually serves to swivel the ear towards the direction of a sound. A group of muscles called the auriculares are responsible for this movement.
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The American Veterinary Medical Association states that “ear-cropping and tail-docking are not medically indicated nor of benefit to the patient. These procedures cause pain and distress and, as with all surgical procedures, are accompanied by inherent risks of anesthesia, blood loss, and infection.
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Are Pigs Ears Good For Dogs? Pig ears are highly nutritious, but they should always be given as a treat rather than as part of a routine diet.
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Taping is kind of a pain, but it's not harmful to the dogs and can really help the ears behave! Luckily papillons don't require any ear taping.
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Prick eared Malamute Source: Prick or upright ears are very common in dogs. Their main characteristics are that they are sharp, pointed and stand erect. They can be found in most of the Nordic breeds such as the Malamute here, the Siberian husky, the Samoyed and so forth.
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Depending on the breed of dog, hackles generally have a wrinkled or zigzag appearance and run from a dog's neck or shoulder blades down to the base of his tail. Dogs can use their hackles to communicate their feelings or to appear taller in a threatening situation.
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How Much Does Ear Cropping Cost? Ear cropping can also have a heavy cost. It ranges anywhere between $150 to more than $600. I wouldn't recommend going for the cheapest of the cheapest vet you can find; many factors go into the price besides just the quality of the vet (rent, staff, equipment, etc.)
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But the Dobermans I've seen have had two post-birth surgeries; their tails are shortened or docked, and the floppy part of each ear is cut, followed by the ears being taped to a hard surface forcing them to stand upright in a way they normally would not.
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Floppy ears, for example, may look adorable on dogs and rabbits, but they actually are a result of malformed ear cartilage. An animal hoping to hear well isn't going to benefit from having the ear flopped down alongside its face. Domesticated animals even have smaller brains than their wild counterparts.
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The most common reason a dog may lick their human's ears is as a sign of affection. Back when dogs lived in packs in the wild, they would lick the ears of their packmates to show that they accepted the other as a part of their pack.
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Adorable “Mickey Mouse Dog” Has Giant Fluffy Ears Like a Real-Life Cartoon. A little cute dog named Goma has recently found internet fame because of her one big feature—her ears! ... Goma is seemingly unaware of her unusually large ears. She's like any other happy young pup.