This is a very controversial practice that people have a lot of different opinions on.
If you find yourself wondering about it, then you’ve come to the right place!
In this article, we’re going to explain ear-cropping – some of its history, the reason why people do it, and whether or not it’s a practice that is morally right.
What Is Ear Cropping?
This is a practice that many people have done throughout the years on different dog breeds.
It is rare, but more common with Pitbulls, and is something that people have a lot of opposing opinions about.
In short, ear cropping is a procedure performed on Pitbulls when they are 6 weeks up to 12 weeks old. It is usually done by a professional such as a veterinarian and is usually performed under anesthesia.
Unfortunately, this practice is also sometimes done by those who are not professionals, especially within underground (not to mention illegal) bloodsport rings involving dogs.
The thing we’d like to point out first off is that this practice – especially when done without expert knowledge of dogs – is very dangerous and can cause lasting damage to your pet.
This practice can run the risk of severe infection, and other long-term problems that can cause your dog to be in constant pain or worse.
If done by a professional, some of these risks are mitigated, and usually, the ears will be supported as they heal, meaning they stay upright.
Ear cropping is not a common practice by vets, and that means that it’s tough to find somebody with the expertise to be able to perform it safely.
So Why Do People Cut The Ears Of Pitbulls?
If the idea of this practice is new to you, there’s no doubt you’re probably wondering why. Well, to answer this question, we’re going to need to take a look back into the history of Pitbulls.
The real origin of ear cropping came as a result of dog fighting.
Thankfully, this isn’t something that is legal in many parts of the world today, and that means that a lot of the reason for why you would crop the ears of a dog has faded.
Ear cropping is linked with ancient roman practices, where constant dog fights would cause severe physical harm to dogs – especially to their ears.
By cropping the ears back, the dog would have less of a weakness and would be more protected from incoming damage from bites or scratches.
It also has some roots in a less sinister scenario, when dogs would be working as aids to hunters, or going through serious physical scenarios such as working alongside a farmer.
It was believed that by cropping their ears they would have much less chance of damaging them, stopping the risk of a variety of different infections and complications.
Dog owners back then wouldn’t have had the anatomical or medical knowledge to understand the lasting damage that ear cropping could cause, so they probably thought that they were helping their dogs.
Is Ear Cropping A Good Thing To Do Today?
Here’s the thing – the main reason that ear cropping was performed was that in certain breeds of dogs (including Pitbulls), we’re constantly exposed to dangerous scenarios.
Any ethical pet owner of today isn’t going to want to expose their pet to physical harm, so there isn’t any real need to crop their ears.
That said, there are some other main reasons why people might crop their pitbulls’ ears today.
The first is appearance. Because of the long history that Pitbulls have as powerful, aggressive dogs, some people think that by cropping their ears they can maintain that appearance.
This probably isn’t a good enough reason to expose your dog to a dangerous procedure.
The second reason is a misunderstanding when it comes to the benefits of ear cropping. Some people believe that it is much less likely for a dog with cropped ears to get infections.
The truth here is that this isn’t really true, and as long as you properly look after your dog there are other ways to mitigate this.
Another reason is that people believe ear cropping makes a dog’s hearing better.
This is something that isn’t true because the natural evolution of a dog’s ear is always going to be superior to a modification a human can make.
There is no real evidence that cropping ears is a way of improving hearing.
So really, when trying to figure out whether or not ear cropping is a good choice for your pet today – the answer is that there is no real scenario where it would be.
The only true reason would be if you would want to involve your dog in illegal and morally wrong dog fighting rings – something no true lover of animals would want.
It’s also worth noting that ear cropping is banned in a long list of countries.
Final Thoughts
In short, people crop the ears of their Pitbulls for a variety of reasons, none of which really hold up when explored.
If you want to know more about how to properly look after your Pitbull, there are a lot of resources available online or through professional trainers and dog groomers who can help you to learn everything you’ll need to know to keep your dog happy and healthy.
We hope that this article has given you a good understanding of why people crop the ears of Pitbulls and that you can now form your own opinion on this controversial practice.
Pitbulls are great companions and we hope that you form a tight bond with your dog that will last a lifetime.
Hi everyone, I’m Emily Andrews and I can’t wait to explain why Bullypaw.org means so much to me.
For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a veterinarian. I loved every dog, horse, bird, and squirrel. But from an early age, I noticed that bully dogs like Pitbulls and Staffordshire Terriers were given a different treatment than their friends.
Everyone said they were prone to aggression, but I didn’t believe it. They seemed just as friendly as my family Labrador. Turns out I was right. These dogs are loyal and were once considered the perfect nanny dogs.
My love for animals wasn’t just a childhood fantasy. In 2002 I graduated from my veterinary school in New Zealand with a BVSc. I wanted to travel the world and help rejected animals as I went, but to do that I needed to pass the American Exams. It didn’t take long for me to earn a DVM, and soon I was heading to Florida.
We want to show everyone why bully dogs can be amazing pets. If you like any of our work, share it among your friends and help reduce decades of misinformation.
