# Should I crop?



## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

After reading the recent ear crop thread I'm debating on cropping. I like the look a lot better than the floppy ears, but I don't have a practical reason for doing it. Any advice/suggestions? Crop or leave it?


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

That is an question only you can answer. If you like them cropped then crop them. I like cropped ears but that your decision.


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

i prefer my dogs cropped. I think your pup would look sharp with a nice new hair cut.


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

i like them cropped!!! but its up to you what you want. if it is a vote i say crop them your baby will look great (if done right). but it is totally up to you and what you want

nice looking pup BTW


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## Saint Francis (Jun 2, 2010)

OK, I feel compelled to make your decision harder Do not crop, just go natural....it's cheaper too What does your pup think? LOL!!!


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## butch (Aug 23, 2010)

quit the crap an crop


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

butch said:


> quit the crap an crop


:rofl::rofl::rofl:


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## NesOne (Feb 7, 2008)

Of course I'm going to say crop 'em. But since you're also asking for advice/suggestions, I will say that if you're not the type of person to get your hands dirty (especially with blood) then you might want to think twice. But if you're ok with cleaning your pups ears and tuning out the crying, then go for it. 

Now this all depends on the vet that you choose. Some will wrap the ears, and you won't have to deal with much after care, but if the vet is like my vet, he had me cleaning the scabs off daily (after the 1st 3 days) with hydrogen peroxide. 

Hope I didn't push you towards not doing it, because your pup looks like it will look real nice with cropped ears.


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

NesOne said:


> Of course I'm going to say crop 'em. But since you're also asking for advice/suggestions, I will say that if you're not the type of person to get your hands dirty (especially with blood) then you might want to think twice. But if you're ok with cleaning your pups ears and tuning out the crying, then go for it.
> 
> Now this all depends on the vet that you choose. Some will wrap the ears, and you won't have to deal with much after care, but if the vet is like my vet, he had me cleaning the scabs off daily (after the 1st 3 days) with hydrogen peroxide.
> 
> Hope I didn't push you towards not doing it, because your pup looks like it will look real nice with cropped ears.


i left them alone, there is no need to pull the scabs off it just make the healing process harder and will possibly leave scars, and i didn't deal with blood or crying once with my girl, but as i said i left them alone untill the sutures came out, performace kennels could give you better advice on the after care though if you have questions about that though


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## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

I personally would crop. I love a crop but also she is gorgeous dog and with a nice crisp crop she will grow in to a great looking girl. I mean she will anyway but a crop will seriously add to the effect of her.


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## NesOne (Feb 7, 2008)

Aireal said:


> i left them alone, there is no need to pull the scabs off it just make the healing process harder and will possibly leave scars, and i didn't deal with blood or crying once with my girl, but as i said i left them alone untill the sutures came out, performace kennels could give you better advice on the after care though if you have questions about that though


Yeah, I guess my vet is just old school. It was explained to me that doing what he asked me to do was to specifically avoid any scarring and/or wrinkling of the skin.

So mcmlxxxvii, if you are squimish you may not even have to worry about it. So get those ears done! :thumbsup:


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks guys. Now I'm leaning more towards cropping than I was before. My only fear is the pain she will go through, but then I just remember it's temporary and she'll forget all about it once they heal up. I suppose it's now time to do some vet research and call around.


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## aimee235 (Apr 29, 2007)

Just make sure your vet gives you pain meds if you are worried about the pain. They hide being in pain very well.


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks aimee. That helps.  

Well, I called at least 20 different offices nearby inquiring about ear cropping and at least half of those calls were answered by a receptionist attempting to lecture me that NO ONE crops ears anymore because it "hacks off" the dog's ear and it's too painful for even a vet to do so NO they don't do it and NO they don't know anyone who would want to. Aye caramba...


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

mcmlxxxvii said:


> Thanks guys. Now I'm leaning more towards cropping than I was before. My only fear is the pain she will go through, but then I just remember it's temporary and she'll forget all about it once they heal up. I suppose it's now time to do some vet research and call around.


remember you own a pit lol, unless your baby is a little wimpy she should do well, just leave them alone untill the sutures come out and you shouldn't have to worry about pain to much, do you have pictures yet of what style crop you want? if not get some!!!! the vet will need that to see what type of crop to due on your puppy


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## wild_deuce03 (Aug 14, 2010)

I like the look of cropped ears but I don't think it's something I could do. Ultimately, it's your decision. Me, I think them are some great looking ears already.


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

Aireal said:


> remember you own a pit lol, unless your baby is a little wimpy she should do well, just leave them alone untill the sutures come out and you shouldn't have to worry about pain to much, do you have pictures yet of what style crop you want? if not get some!!!! the vet will need that to see what type of crop to due on your puppy


Yeah, after looking at pictures I seem to like the show crop or the short show crop. I found a picture online of what I liked best but wasn't sure which crop it was. Maybe someone can help me out on that one.

Edit: I just ate my own words. I found this pic on another forum and it appears to be a long crop! Hmm. :\


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## NesOne (Feb 7, 2008)

mcmlxxxvii said:


> Thanks aimee. That helps.
> 
> Well, I called at least 20 different offices nearby inquiring about ear cropping and at least half of those calls were answered by a receptionist attempting to lecture me that NO ONE crops ears anymore because it "hacks off" the dog's ear and it's too painful for even a vet to do so NO they don't do it and NO they don't know anyone who would want to. Aye caramba...


I figured you would get that type of attitude. I went through it too, and thought I was going to have to drive out to Irvine to get it done (I'm in the Antelope Valley).

Here's what I told someone else on another post:

_If you're willing to travel, I would recommend Robert LaBounty in Studio City, CA. You would need to drive up here, take your dog to him, and in about 4 hours he'll be done, and you can take him back home. Then you would bring your dog back once a week, for 3 more visits (included with the price of the cropping). Last I heard, he charges approx. $300._

Robert LaBounty
11966 Ventura Boulevard
Studio City, CA 91604-2606
(818) 762-1491

When I went to him, I did it on a Saturday, so I didn't have to take time off of work, and only went a total of 4 times. So if distance isn't too much of a burden for you, at least call them up and see what they tell you.

Oh, and they have plenty of sample pictures there for you to pick from. When I got my boy's ears done, I told them to give him the "Gator" cut (one of their past patients).


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## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

NesOne said:


> I figured you would get that type of attitude. I went through it too, and thought I was going to have to drive out to Irvine to get it done (I'm in the Antelope Valley).
> 
> Here's what I told someone else on another post:
> 
> ...


:goodpost: I would go with this one too. I have seen quite a few dogs and heard for people that have gone here and always got good results and a beautiful crop.


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## cEElint (Oct 6, 2009)

i like cropped and natural.. more so natural though.. either way, she'll grow into a beautiful lady


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

just make sure you know which crop you want first, I brought a pic a found the night before, changing my mind and it is a little shorter than I will prob get my next dogs, and although I still like the cut and think it will suit cheza it is still not the one I prob would have chosen if I had thought on it longer. so start gathering pictures now create a album of nothing but good crops you like, print them out look them over, compare them to your pup and what would look best on you beautiful baby, THEN bring that pic or two to the vet for a reference!!!!


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## cEElint (Oct 6, 2009)

oh and that crop above looks like a show crop to me.. not long


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## staash (Aug 19, 2010)

*Leave 'em be...*

She's beautiful just the way she is.


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## APBTHAUS (Mar 3, 2010)

Personally I like the natural look and would never alter my dog, aside from getting her spayed to avoid any accidental pregnancies, but it seems like you want to crop so, crop away.


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

NesOne said:


> I figured you would get that type of attitude. I went through it too, and thought I was going to have to drive out to Irvine to get it done (I'm in the Antelope Valley).
> 
> Here's what I told someone else on another post:
> 
> ...


Thanks! I called him earlier today before I read this post. I was told I would have to give a $50 clean-up fee prior to making an appointment and then it would be $200 for her to get cropped including 3 weeks of aftercare. $10 every appointment after the 3 week mark. His price is really good compared to other places around here. Dr Jezbera was $320 with aftercare and Dr Butchko wanted $285 without aftercare I believe. The drive isn't too bad, it's only an hour away for me.


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

hey that's great sound like you have a plan, i can't wait to see pics of your baby with her new ears!!!!! :woof:


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

looks like you found a vet but just do the after care yourself, no need to pay someone it is pretty easy if you know what your doing and I have thread about it in the nutrition section complete with video on how to tape the ears. The after care is minimal wait till the stitches come out then you can tape if you need to. I also recommend getting a soft cone for the head so they cannot scratch the ears and tear out the stitches. A hard cone can deform the ears as they heal and make the taping process last longer.

I might be a little old school on how I tape but it has worked for all my dogs and none of my crops came out bad because they were not taped right. I have a large kennel of dogs and most are cropped.

http://www.gopitbull.com/health-nutrition/27844-taping-cropped-ears-general-info.html


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## Pittielove29 (Dec 21, 2009)

I see no point in putting dogs under anesthesia for a cosmetic surgery since there's always a risk they'll react negatively to the anesthesia. The risk is slim, but still not worth it in my book.


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## jmejiaa (Dec 8, 2009)

I love both looks. My first Pit was cropped when I took her in, my current dog is not..

Even though I like both looks I don't think i could get myself to pay for it since they look so cute natural..**That's whats she said.


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

performanceknls said:


> looks like you found a vet but just do the after care yourself, no need to pay someone it is pretty easy if you know what your doing and I have thread about it in the nutrition section complete with video on how to tape the ears. The after care is minimal wait till the stitches come out then you can tape if you need to. I also recommend getting a soft cone for the head so they cannot scratch the ears and tear out the stitches. A hard cone can deform the ears as they heal and make the taping process last longer.
> 
> I might be a little old school on how I tape but it has worked for all my dogs and none of my crops came out bad because they were not taped right. I have a large kennel of dogs and most are cropped.
> 
> http://www.gopitbull.com/health-nutrition/27844-taping-cropped-ears-general-info.html


I've never dealt with cropping ears before so I'm nervous about doing it entirely by myself. Since the aftercare for 3 weeks is included I figure I can take him up on that just to make sure it comes out right and I don't manage to screw it up. lol  I like that thread you did though, I had looked it over before and found the video really helpful. If only my dog would stay put like that I think it would be a piece of cake. :woof: I'll also look for a soft cone...thanks!


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## aprilortego (Aug 23, 2010)

I just had my APBT ears cropped yesterday. I picked her up today from the vet. SHe has head gear on but does not seem to bother her to bad. I can't wait to see the end result. I love the floppy ears on a puppy but not so much on a full grown APBT. Thats just MO.


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

aprilortego said:


> I just had my APBT ears cropped yesterday. I picked her up today from the vet. SHe has head gear on but does not seem to bother her to bad. I can't wait to see the end result. I love the floppy ears on a puppy but not so much on a full grown APBT. Thats just MO.


I completely agree! I still feel guilty for wanting to crop though. Ahh! How old is your puppy? You should post some pics, I would love to see the new ears.


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## Black Rabbit (Nov 14, 2009)

OMG your pup is totally adorable. I like both but looking back I wish I would have cropped Dosia's ears. They are so darn big he could fly away with em  When he was a baby my boyfriend used to tell me his head looked like a tennis ball with bat wings lol. I've always liked the look of short to show crop with little or no bell.


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

kg420 said:


> OMG your pup is totally adorable. I like both but looking back I wish I would have cropped Dosia's ears. They are so darn big he could fly away with em  When he was a baby my boyfriend used to tell me his head looked like a tennis ball with bat wings lol. I've always liked the look of short to show crop with little or no bell.


:rofl: too funny. i'm thinking of going with a show crop. i figure it will make her look feminine still since a lot of the short crops make them look too much like a boy. idk if that makes sense, lol.


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

performanceknls said:


> looks like you found a vet but just do the after care yourself, no need to pay someone it is pretty easy if you know what your doing and I have thread about it in the nutrition section complete with video on how to tape the ears. The after care is minimal wait till the stitches come out then you can tape if you need to. I also recommend getting a soft cone for the head so they cannot scratch the ears and tear out the stitches. A hard cone can deform the ears as they heal and make the taping process last longer.
> 
> I might be a little old school on how I tape but it has worked for all my dogs and none of my crops came out bad because they were not taped right. I have a large kennel of dogs and most are cropped.
> 
> http://www.gopitbull.com/health-nutrition/27844-taping-cropped-ears-general-info.html


I SUCK AT AFTER CARE!!!! i seriously think i'm screwing up my dogs ears, i will prob have my vet start helping me asap, but ya if done right you could do the after care yourself


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

Aireal said:


> I SUCK AT AFTER CARE!!!! i seriously think i'm screwing up my dogs ears


exactly what i'm nervous about! lol


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

i think my thing is i just wish i had someone to tell me if they are coming along well enough, sometimes i'm like they look good then others bleh
lol but the end result... ah there is NOTHING like a good crop


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## aprilortego (Aug 23, 2010)

mcmlxxxvii said:


> I completely agree! I still feel guilty for wanting to crop though. Ahh! How old is your puppy? You should post some pics, I would love to see the new ears.


I will post some as soon as the headgear comes off. She was on the older side to crop so they had to tape them up so in about 10 days I will post some without the headgear. lol She is 5 1/2 months old


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## aprilortego (Aug 23, 2010)

We did the show crop with little to no bell, not sure how much bell will show when it all comes off. I like the short crop but more on a male and show on a female. Nila has not had a problem so far with the headgear so she does not have a collar on her but if they start bothering her we will have to bring her back in for one. We waited until she was 5 month so we could crop and get her fixed all in one go. I thought I would be picking up some sad depressed puppy today but to my suprise she is more active than ever. lol My girl is a beast haha I remember walking bent over for a week after my c-section and she is jumping and running!! haha


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

hahaha that's great, i can't wait to see some pics of your baby!!!!


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## NesOne (Feb 7, 2008)

mcmlxxxvii said:


> exactly what i'm nervous about! lol


That's where having a talent of being able to 'tune out' their crying comes in real handy. I had my daughter help me hold Smokey down for the 1st 2 times I cleaned off the scabs, then he figured I might as well sit tight and get it over with.

If you go with LaBounty, and don't go too long of a cut, then you won't have to worry about taping. I believe he only tapes the long cuts. He's known as one of the best for Dobies, Boxers, & Schnauzers out here in the San Fernando Valley... maybe even the only one since everywhere that I called they were all anti-crop facilities.

And yeah, I paid that $50 fee/deposit at the time of scheduling the actual appointment. The staff there are cool and straight out. I recall the lady telling me, "If you miss your appointment, say bye-bye to your 50 bucks" HAHAHA. And I think you can only re-schedule once, but I may be mixing that up with somewhere else, not to mention that they expect you to be 'on-time'.


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

I can tune out the crying just fine I just don't think I wrap em right, I actually watched Lisa’s video and tried her tech this morning, lets hope it works, I went step by step with the videos and it seems to go fairly well the video def helpped, except I need to go buy some cotton applicators instead of having q-tips tapped together. Ya’ll cross your fingers that it comes out well for ALL of our babies’ lol


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## NesOne (Feb 7, 2008)

Hey, practice makes perfect. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Once you get started, I'm sure you get the feel for it.


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

NesOne said:


> Hey, practice makes perfect. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Once you get started, I'm sure you get the feel for it.


thanks, i'm hoping so, i mean this won't be my last crop and i would much prefer to do it myself than have to bring them to the vet, so i'm preying this style of wrapping works for me, i think i just need that tape she talks about


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## shadowwolf (Dec 5, 2008)

I have one cropped dog. It was breeder's preference to have it done. I love his ears as they are, but I love him as he is. There are many, MANY days I regret doing it but there's nothing that can change that now.

I personally prefer natural - I'd rather glue them to make them sit rose than deal with the hell I had in aftercare after Ryker's ears were done - the battle of infection, sutures not popping even when he didn't fuss with it, etc. Not to mention constantly hearing him cry if he so much as bumped an ear (and that was with pain medications).

It all healed the way it was supposed to in the end, I just don't think I'd ever put another dog through it - even with bat or hound ears (the two ear sets I loathe).

Days Before the Crop









Day of the Crop:









And more recent/healed:


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

shadowwolf said:


> I have one cropped dog. It was breeder's preference to have it done. I love his ears as they are, but I love him as he is. There are many, MANY days I regret doing it but there's nothing that can change that now.
> 
> I personally prefer natural - I'd rather glue them to make them sit rose than deal with the hell I had in aftercare after Ryker's ears were done - the battle of infection, sutures not popping even when he didn't fuss with it, etc. Not to mention constantly hearing him cry if he so much as bumped an ear (and that was with pain medications).
> 
> ...


oh man but his ears look GREAT now, that is one sharp pup :clap: i may have to save these pics for my next one lol (if that is ok with you of course)


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

Aireal said:


> oh man but his ears look GREAT now, that is one sharp pup :clap: i may have to save these pics for my next one lol (if that is ok with you of course)


i was thinking the same thing, lol! that's the style i like. :clap: is it ok if i use these pics as my reference?


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

mcmlxxxvii said:


> i was thinking the same thing, lol! that's the style i like. :clap: is it ok if i use these pics as my reference?


i know right i am so green lol, i wish i would have had these pics BEFORE cheza's crop :roll:


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## shadowwolf (Dec 5, 2008)

Ya'll are welcome to. He went to an incredibly well-recommended vet who did it with a laser. While he was under, he had an ID tattoo done too.

As I said before, I personally won't do it again. I miss his ears - yes, he looks handsome, but more folks (around here) walk AWAY from him than approach him where the girls and rescue boy (who are all natural) get more attention. It sucks in general, but it is personal preference.

P.S. That is the 'show crop' length.


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## m3ds (Jul 6, 2010)

You guys all suck that live on the west coast! I've called about 20 vets, and about 3 do the cropping all around $500.

So naturally being that I'm pretty broke, his ears are going to stay floppy and he will forever look *aloof* :roll:


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## abbymc (Mar 14, 2010)

It's definitely cheaper and lower maintenance to leave the ears alone, and if your dogs are going to outside be at all, like our pits are, the natural ears serve a purpose and protect them a little more than if they had cropped ears. Also, people seem to be less against pit bulls when they don't have cropped ears, "less scary" for some reason.


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## jerzj123 (Aug 20, 2010)

i have a similar looking pup i had her ears cropped a week ago i prefer that look ... i also plan on showing her so it was actually out of necessity she looks cute with/without i just prefer the cropped look ... my pups pic is my avatar .. btw how do you start a post ? on this site i just signed up today do i need to be a paying customer ?


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## jerzj123 (Aug 20, 2010)

helloi have a similar looking pup i had her ears cropped a week ago i prefer that look ... i also plan on showing her so it was actually out of necessity she looks cute with/without i just prefer the cropped look ... my pups pic is my avatar .. btw how do you start a post ? on this site i just signed up today do i need to be a paying customer ?


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## dylroche1 (Mar 14, 2010)

I had both of my dogs ears cropped.. Both of them healed up nice in about 10 days and then the rolls were removed and stitches came out.. They should give you pain meds and antibiotics for the pup.. Make sure the vet you pick knows what they are doing I would ask if they have any pictures of past croppings they have done.. You should definately do it I agree with everyone else your dog would look nice with a good crop ... Anyways good luck and keep us posted!


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

abbymc said:


> It's definitely cheaper and lower maintenance to leave the ears alone, and if your dogs are going to outside be at all, like our pits are, the natural ears serve a purpose and protect them a little more than if they had cropped ears. Also, people seem to be less against pit bulls when they don't have cropped ears, "less scary" for some reason.


she's an "inside" dog so i'm not too worried about that since she'll be with me or someone else any time she's out. my bf actually likes her floppy ears and doesn't want me to crop bc he thinks she will look mean and reminds me that she is a girl. lol



jerzj123 said:


> helloi have a similar looking pup i had her ears cropped a week ago i prefer that look ... i also plan on showing her so it was actually out of necessity she looks cute with/without i just prefer the cropped look ... my pups pic is my avatar .. btw how do you start a post ? on this site i just signed up today do i need to be a paying customer ?


your pup is so cute. she looks good with the crop! if you want to start a post, go back to where it lists all of the posts and it should have a gray button on the upper left saying "NEW THREAD". click that and voila! 



dylroche1 said:


> I had both of my dogs ears cropped.. Both of them healed up nice in about 10 days and then the rolls were removed and stitches came out.. They should give you pain meds and antibiotics for the pup.. Make sure the vet you pick knows what they are doing I would ask if they have any pictures of past croppings they have done.. You should definately do it I agree with everyone else your dog would look nice with a good crop ... Anyways good luck and keep us posted!


if i go through with it, i feel as though i decided on a great vet. my only worry lies with me never doing a crop before. :flush:


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## jamielvsaustin (Aug 25, 2010)

I'll never have it done and I'll always advocate against it. I think it's unfair to have a procedure done on a dog for aesthetic reasons. BUT, I have seen some really beautiful looking dogs with cropped ears. And I'll never turn a dog down with a crop/docked tail/dew claws. 

It sounds like you've gotten some really great advice about it. There are three things that I think are really important in making this decision. 
1) I would look for a vet that knows the difference between the four crops. A vet that has a portfolio or a reference list of people he's done work for and really look into him. As mentioned you should be getting pain meds and antibiotics. Don't go to the vet that's the cheapest just because of that-because you'll get cheap work. If you have to pay more-do it.
2) Make sure you're providing the correct after care. You mentioned you're worried about doing it, then don't hesitate to have the vet do it. If not done properly it could cause an infection or not turn out looking the way you want it to. (I don't know who mentioned taking the scabs off and using peroxide but I think that's a bad idea-one it'll take longer to heal and two-peroxide shouldn't be continuously used on open wounds-it'll dry out the surrounding skin).
3) Please be aware of the risks. If you're interested I can link a thread from another forum where a girl's dog had some serious complications. The dog was blind at first and was paralyzed. I want to say it died on the table until the vet brought it back. I believe the dog is better now, but it was very scary for her and her dad during that time. 

For me, it's not worth the risk and the pain. But I know that others don't feel the same way about it as I do, so I just try to giving good (hopefully) unbiased info.


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## k8nkane (Jul 9, 2010)

Neither of my pups have their ears cropped.

For Kane, it just seemed more in line with his personality to leave his ears natural. It's an understatement to say that he's just a big goofball and I think having his huge bat-ears flying and flopping around goes with who he is as a dog, if you know what I mean. They complete the picture, lol.

On the other hand, me and the bf regret not having Roxie's ears cropped. She has such a big head with liquid eyes that would have been brought out so much better if her ears were cropped. She's too old now, 8 mths, and we don't have the money anymore, but if we could go back in time, we probably would have ended up doing it.


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## mcmlxxxvii (Jul 29, 2010)

jamielvsaustin said:


> I'll never have it done and I'll always advocate against it. I think it's unfair to have a procedure done on a dog for aesthetic reasons. BUT, I have seen some really beautiful looking dogs with cropped ears. And I'll never turn a dog down with a crop/docked tail/dew claws.
> 
> It sounds like you've gotten some really great advice about it. There are three things that I think are really important in making this decision.
> 1) I would look for a vet that knows the difference between the four crops. A vet that has a portfolio or a reference list of people he's done work for and really look into him. As mentioned you should be getting pain meds and antibiotics. Don't go to the vet that's the cheapest just because of that-because you'll get cheap work. If you have to pay more-do it.
> ...


thanks for the advice! i feel as though i'm taking the right steps in the decision making process and have found a great vet who specializes in cropping - especially doberman, which i must say even the pics of his work for that breed are beautiful. on the other hand, i am worried about the risks involved which is why i haven't jumped at a decision yet. 



k8nkane said:


> Neither of my pups have their ears cropped.
> 
> For Kane, it just seemed more in line with his personality to leave his ears natural. It's an understatement to say that he's just a big goofball and I think having his huge bat-ears flying and flopping around goes with who he is as a dog, if you know what I mean. They complete the picture, lol.
> 
> On the other hand, me and the bf regret not having Roxie's ears cropped. She has such a big head with liquid eyes that would have been brought out so much better if her ears were cropped. She's too old now, 8 mths, and we don't have the money anymore, but if we could go back in time, we probably would have ended up doing it.


that's my dilemma. i don't want to regret not doing it while i had the chance if she grows up and the ears don't suit her.

i know people have said it is preference, but the truth is that natural ears look great on CERTAIN dogs, but i've seen some dogs who i think would look better if they had been cropped. i'm not too sure which would look better on her which is why i asked the question. a lot of people on here have been around the breed and seen pups develop. maybe they can get a better idea of how she will look as an adult and have a much more educated answer than i could come up with.


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## Pittielove29 (Dec 21, 2009)

jerzj123 said:


> helloi have a similar looking pup i had her ears cropped a week ago i prefer that look ... i also plan on showing her so it was actually out of necessity she looks cute with/without i just prefer the cropped look ... my pups pic is my avatar .. btw how do you start a post ? on this site i just signed up today do i need to be a paying customer ?


You don't have to have the dog's ears cropped to take them to shows.


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## k8nkane (Jul 9, 2010)

mcmlxxxvii said:


> that's my dilemma. i don't want to regret not doing it while i had the chance if she grows up and the ears don't suit her.
> 
> i know people have said it is preference, but the truth is that natural ears look great on CERTAIN dogs, but i've seen some dogs who i think would look better if they had been cropped. i'm not too sure which would look better on her which is why i asked the question. a lot of people on here have been around the breed and seen pups develop. maybe they can get a better idea of how she will look as an adult and have a much more educated answer than i could come up with.


Well, Kane was always the goofy one. When we got them at 5 wks, his legs were already really, REALLY long and so he ran kinda awkward and he was/is always happy for no reason, tail wagging at nothing, so it seemed to fit that we leave his ears natural. I'm sorry, but having a goofy dog with cropped ears, which IMO makes a dog look more serious, would just look weird.

I was totally against cropping their ears to begin with, because I was worried about the social stigma against them since I live in a pretty rich middle-upper class area. But I can honestly say I've never had one negative reaction to them. I've had a few ignorant comments, definitely, but no one has crossed the street on us and everyone else we've met with dogs has walked right up to them and pet them and talked about their friend who has one, and how amazing that dog is, etc.

Whether this is solely because of their floppy ears, because they're still puppies, or because the word has gotten out somewhat that pibbles = awesome, I'm not sure.


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## shadowwolf (Dec 5, 2008)

jerzj123 said:


> i have a similar looking pup i had her ears cropped a week ago i prefer that look ... i also plan on showing her so it was actually out of necessity she looks cute with/without i just prefer the cropped look ... my pups pic is my avatar .. btw how do you start a post ? on this site i just signed up today do i need to be a paying customer ?


Seriously? Who told you that? There have been many natural earred UKC champions and grands. Even loads more natural earred ADBA/AADR CH and GRCH's.

The breeder Ryker came from believed that garbage too and he's cropped because of it. Lyric made UKC CH with natural sillies.










And so totally OT, but it was cute....


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## Pittielove29 (Dec 21, 2009)

> Seriously? Who told you that? There have been many natural earred UKC champions and grands. Even loads more natural earred ADBA/AADR CH and GRCH's.
> 
> The breeder Ryker came from believed that garbage too and he's cropped because of it. Lyric made UKC CH with natural sillies.


I've heard from lots of people that believe it. Some simple research would be enough to lay the myth to rest, but some people like using it as an excuse as to why it HAD to be done.

Lyric is beautiful! I love natural ears. Don't care how floppy, or whatever, they are.

I also don't promote cosmetic surgeries, or causing unneeded pain to make a creature (human, or other) look "better".


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## Loke-a-doke (Jun 11, 2010)

I thought about getting Loki's done my boyfriend wanted me to and he still bugs me about it lol but his ears are just soo pretty to me I couldn't bear to lose them  I love how they have all 3 of his colors.


















Plus I'm still not sure if he's full or a mixed breed or what, and I didn't know if certain mixes interfered with cropping them somehow...


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## DynamicDogs (Jun 29, 2010)

NesOne said:


> Of course I'm going to say crop 'em. But since you're also asking for advice/suggestions, I will say that if you're not the type of person to get your hands dirty (especially with blood) then you might want to think twice. But if you're ok with cleaning your pups ears and tuning out the crying, then go for it.
> 
> Now this all depends on the vet that you choose. Some will wrap the ears, and you won't have to deal with much after care, but if the vet is like my vet, he had me cleaning the scabs off daily (after the 1st 3 days) with hydrogen peroxide.


When I got my dogs ears cropped, I was told NOT to touch them at all. There was no cleaning, no blood, just leave them alone for 10 days until the stitches come out. They were taped up. Also, hydrogen peroxide kills germs but also living cells, so from what I know, it would be damaging to use. Something like chlorhexadine might be better IMO.

I have known of some dogs who got their ears cropped and were bothered by it and ripped out the stitches, had to get re-stitched, sounds like a nightmare to me. I think a good crop looks great, but a bad crop looks TERRIBLE, so if you do decide, find the best vet you can for crops and do not price-shop. If you can't find a really good vet for crops then just leave them be. Also request pain meds, IMO it's cruel to not give pain meds after surgeries. Studies show dogs will heal faster with pain meds.


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