Why Tail Docking and Ear Cropping Are Rare Abroad

1 Overview

If you follow international kennel club events, you have already noticed that breeds once always docked now appear with full tails and ears, such as the Doberman.

Why are docked and cropped dogs becoming fewer?

As early as 2004, the Australian government enacted a law clearly forbidding anyone from docking or cropping a dog’s tail or ears. Even a dog that needs it for medical reasons must be treated by a designated veterinarian.

This law influenced the whole world, and soon Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Denmark and many others enacted similar bans.

The United States was no exception, but because each state has its own legal system, the ban is not effective in every state.

Of course, although the law forbids it, many dogs in various regions are still docked and cropped.

Why is docking and cropping considered inhumane?

To answer that, we must understand the reasons behind it.

The Achilles’ heel

For many hunting dogs, docking and cropping reduced the chance of work injuries. Picture a pack of uncropped Dogos chasing a cougar that attacked a person. As one Dogo closes in, a cougar bites its ear. What would you, rifle raised at the cougar, do?

If you shoot, that unlucky Dogo will likely die with the cougar. Do not think it trivial, because training a dog that works as a team takes enormous effort; it is not simply raising a dog and going hunting.

If you do not shoot, that unlucky Dogo becomes the cougar’s prey because of its big ears. Think of your effort and regret for not cropping its ears.

Of course, the above is hypothetical. Take the famous working Rottweiler: one reason it was docked is that in the field its tail skin is thin and easily scraped by wild plants, hurting work efficiency.

Today, dogs docked or cropped for work reasons are very few. The vast majority are done purely for looks.

This brings us to the RSPCA’s view: docking and cropping rob dogs of their own rights.

Why so? Many breeds are born with tails, but after docking, owners can hardly read their emotions and state.

This leads to another so-called benefit of docking and cropping.

Keeping outsiders from reading the dog’s emotions

The Cane Corso is the best example. It was bred to guard property and chase fleeing slaves. Imagine a thief who knows dogs: would the Corso’s big tail become the thief’s accomplice?

Docking and cropping avoid this problem, and upright ears give strangers a strong visual shock.

Again, as said before, dogs docked or cropped for work are rare today; the vast majority are purely for appearance.

Speaking of the RSPCA, we are reminded of the dispute between two other famous US dog organizations.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) believes:

Docking and cropping are essential to preserving breed character.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) believes:

These surgeries only change a dog’s appearance and harm its health.

Although docking and cropping remain common in China, we can see more and more undocked and uncropped dogs around us. Minds are slowly changing, and it is a long process.