I've been a dog person my entire life. There has been little time where I did not own a dog. I've had all sorts of different breeds such as Labradors, Lhasa Apsos, Border Collie, Rat Terrier all with their own quirks and challenges. After being pet-less for some time and my increasing anxiety of raising two children in this crazy world, I decided it was time for us to get another dog. It could not be just any dog though. I specifically wanted and needed a dog that was capable of protection as well as a family dog. After months and months of researching breeds that would fit with my family's lifestyle and my future goals, I decided a Doberman Pinscher could be a perfect fit.
Dobermans are highly intelligent dogs with insane protective instincts. They form a deep bond with their family and will defend them at all costs. The Doberman was bred specifically for protection purposes in 1870 by a German tax collector named Karl Fridrich Louis Dobermann (source). Let's be real, no one wants to pay taxes and surely you won't fork over your cash to someone knocking at your door! Karl created the Doberman to protect him while he did his job. Over several years a blend of breeds such as Rottweiler, German Pinscher, Black and Tan Terriers, Weimaraner, and short haired shepherds were crossed to create the Dobermans we know today. The American Kennel Club (AKC) first registered the breed in 1908 with specific breed standards.
According to the AKC, each breed's ideal physical traits, movements and temperament and appearance are set in a written document to ensure each breed is conforming to their function. What many people don't realize (I surely did not until I researched it) is that certain procedures such as tail docking, ear cropping, dew claw removal, etc. are absolutely necessary to keep a dog safe, healthy and in top shape to perform their duties they were bred to do. Another thing many people do not realize is dogs do not naturally have floppy ears. Floppy ears are the result of a genetic mutation that occurred in the process of domesticating dogs and people love it, so breeders specifically continued to breed dogs with floppy ears. Don't get me wrong, there is NOTHING wrong with floppy ears (so soft!). HOWEVER, we are talking about breed standards and the health of the working breed as a whole.
As we learned earlier, Dobermans are bred for protection. This mean protection dogs must have unobstructed hearing. This is why you will see many Dobermans with the cropped, pointy ears. Cropped ears also decrease the risk of a dog getting an ear infection which would prevent them from doing their job. One study done in Nova Scotia found that ear infections in floppy ear dogs was significantly higher than in dogs with erect ears (source). Karl Dobermann originally cropped his dogs' ears so that his potential attackers had less of an opportunity to grab his dog and gain control over them or hurting them.
Working dogs are used for more than protection work. Some work dogs such as police dogs have to run through thick terrain such as brush, trees, or other obstacles. Having erect pointed ears lessens the chance of a flopping ear getting caught and injuring your dog. These are the same reason to dock your dog's tail as well. Now, you might be asking yourself "Then why do other working dogs like German Shepherds not have docked tails, they do mostly police work?" Excellent point! It is not in the AKC breed standard to dock a German Shepherds tail because German Shepherds were not originally bred for police work, they are shepherds or Hearding dogs. Hearding dogs do not need to have the human intimidation factor that is required by protection dogs. Yes, tail docking is more of a cosmetic then medically necessary procedure but if you need to have your dog in tip-top shape and minimize risks of your dog's getting hurt, ear cropping, and tail docking may be the best options especially if you plan to enter your dog into AKC competitions.
"But doesn't it hurt the dog?"
Any reputable breeder worth their salt will ensure their pups are being cropped and docked under the care of a licensed veterinarian that has received the proper education on proper procedures and after care. This includes pain management. There is also a heavy responsibility on the owners to make sure they know how to care for cropped and docked ears to ensure the ears are racked and protected while they heal, and the cartilage hardens. Ear cropping and tail docking is supposed to be performed while the dog is under anesthesia. Dogs can be pre-medicated and on a pain medication regimen after surgery to minimize pain. Again, these procedures are primarily beneficial for dogs that are bred for specific purposes. So, if your dog's purpose is to be your family pet, absolutely do not crop or dock, there's no benefit to the dog.
There is a lot of controversy and heated debates around ear cropping and tail docking. I believe for most breeds it's unnecessary and should be reserved for dogs bred for specific purposes only if it benefits the health and wellbeing of the dog. What do you think? Add a comment below!
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