Opinion on Ear lopping/tail docking

[Squawkers]

I don't know, but probably. I imagine cutting through bone and tendons would cause more issues in the long run, than snipping off a free floating dew claw.

Now that is mentioned I have definitely seen both kinds before (I just didn’t realize the difference at the time)

 

[TOMTE]

It's completely unnecessary cruelty 99% of the time. The overwhelming majority of dogs will not be getting into serious fights where ears and tails present a dangerous liability. Even most LGD in the USA will never get into a serious fight

My Central Asian Shepard is perfect just the way God made her. If she was fighting bears and tigers in Kazakhstan maybe I would have removed body parts for her safety- but she's not

It's the same with dewclaws. God gave them to wolves (and dogs) because he thought they needed them. If you chop off an animals dewclaws you're saying that God is wrong and you know better than Him. The vast majority of dogs have easy lives and will never encounter issues with their dewclaws

Wolves have far harder lives than the average dog and they have dewclaws for some reason

So in short, it's wrong to chop healthy body parts off

I wouldn't say god has anything to do with it. But animals evolve in certain ways for survival, yes. Wolves need dew claws to make sharp turns, climb steep hills and mountains, hold down prey and food to tear off chunks, etc. Our domestic dogs haven't lost them completely because they still serve a purpose, but free floaters are a product of selective breeding over time. Companion animals don't necessarily need them, but working dogs might.

 

[Squawkers]

Companion animals don't necessarily need them, but working dogs might.

Yeah, that was what made me question. I would be breeding working line Dobies. I figured if they had any uses it would be for working dogs.

 

[Apis mellifera]

One observation is some posters are against cropping and docking but think nothing of leaving domesticated poultry out in the woods or free range to fend for themselves. I don't know much about the issue but as long as the animal is cared for is the important thing. With today's surgeries humans are probably the most cropped and docked animal.

 

[Squawkers]

With today's surgeries humans are probably the most cropped and docked animal.

So true!

 

[TOMTE]

One observation is some posters are against cropping and docking but think nothing of leaving domesticated poultry out in the woods or free range to fend for themselves.

But how are these comparable? A chicken being allowed to do what comes naturally to it, vs a dog being forced into cosmetic surgery... I'm not seeing a connection here.

 

[CombNWattles]

My half-Aussie came with a cropped tail, and for the first year or so he would have ‘fits’ of chasing his tail and frantically biting/chewing the end. Pretty sure it was phantom nerve pain.
I wonder if a short tail could be bred for; I know short-tailed aussies exist.

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

But how are these comparable? A chicken being allowed to do what comes naturally to it, vs a dog being forced into cosmetic surgery... I'm not seeing a connection here.

I think, though i obviously could be misinterpreting, that they are comparing the fact that some people are perfectly fine with leaving chickens (which are practically defenceless ) to fend for themselves and risk getting eaten/killed, with people being against cropping and docking dogs because it leaves them with limited defence (or something like that).

Again, i could be misinterpreting here lol

 

[TOMTE]

My half-Aussie came with a cropped tail, and for the first year or so he would have ‘fits’ of chasing his tail and frantically biting/chewing the end. Pretty sure it was phantom nerve pain.
I wonder if a short tail could be bred for; I know short-tailed aussies exist.

Yup! Some are born with bob tails. I wonder if this has any effect on their back health in the long run?

 

[Squawkers]

My half-Aussie came with a cropped tail, and for the first year or so he would have ‘fits’ of chasing his tail and frantically biting/chewing the end. Pretty sure it was phantom nerve pain.
I wonder if a short tail could be bred for; I know short-tailed aussies exist.

Is that common?