I feel so angry people are still doing this even though it’s an illegal practice.

[Pancakeparlour]

I have just come back from walking my dog down a little country lane in the village I live in.
There was a car parked in an entrance to a field. There was a guy standing there with 4 dogs - 2 Rottweilers, a large dog which looked like some kind of bully xl breed and a Doberman.
The poor Doberman had his ears in splints. It was obvious it was because his ears have been clipped.
As far as I am aware this is an illegal practice which has been so for quite a number of years in this county. No vet would perform this op unless absolutely necessary.
The guy was quite intimidating looking and with the 4 (frankly scary looking) dogs, I walked away as quick as possible.
But now I can not stop thinking about that poor Doberman. Who performed the procedure and did they use any kind of anaesthesia when cutting up his poor ears? Did he do it himself? God, I can’t stop thinking about it.
I feel so sad and angry.
What the fuck is wrong with some people? This is animal abuse and these type of people only do this because they want their animals to come across as intimidating and use them as a status symbol. How can they be animal lovers if they are prepared to put their pet through this unnecessary torture?

This is what the poor dog looked like 😢

So cruel.

The people who do this to dogs or own dogs with cut ears wouldn't be so keen if the favour was returned to their own ears.

I didn't know this was a thing. Fucking sick. Anyone who does it should have their own ears cropped. Mutilating these poor animals, its disgusting.

It's awful, it can be done by a vet but only for medical reasons. It is legal to import dogs that have theirs ears cropped but if the dog had splints I highly doubt this was the case. It's bloody disgusting and totally unnecessary. That poor dog.

Note his vehicle registration and report him

The breeders do it themselves and yes it's disgusting and against the law.

Lots of XL bullies around here with cropped ears. No way they are all imported dogs. Nothing seems to be done about it though, so they carry on.

Could it be splints to make the dogs ears stand up?

ear cropping and tail docking usually heals on it’s on and wouldn’t need splinting.

not saying it should ever be done- I have a breed whose tails are traditionally docked, this is my first who hasn’t, and it’s a joy to see his waggy tail and how he communicates.

I had a friend with a rotty who posted a picture on IG of her dog. Floppy eared thing. Anyway someone clueless got their knickers in a twist about it having it’s ears cropped as they were floppy and not standing up, there was an awful row. It’s very clear it doesn’t have cropped ears btw.

Vet nurse here - yes it is illegal unless for medical reasons (which tbh there is very few situations which would need this!)

As others have said sometimes the ears are not cropped but splinted to 'train' the ears to stand - this is usually in dogs that have ears that naturally want to stand though such as German shepherds (they occasionally have a slight flop to ears and it helps to prevent this). Not sure how effective that would be with a dog with naturally floppy ears like a dobie? I've personally never seen it. Dogs can be imported legally that are already cropped but I would imagine they would need to be heeled prior to this so it's unlikely in this situation!

Rest assured of done by a vet for medical reasons they would be under anaesthetic and given pain meds. My worry would be if it's done by a breeder as others have said 😢

Dobies ears are cropped before they are splinted to make them stand. They remove a piece of the ear and then splint them.

I loved my dobies big flappy ears.

My parents had Doberman's 60 years again, no cropped ears!!

I think they had cropped tails tbh.

Just be aware that not everyone with a cropped ear dog is a shit.

There's one round here - who was rescued from a dire start in life at 9 months and now has a simply wonderful owner who had to teach him so much (how to be in a house, how to play, opportunities to interact safely and learn to be a dog) and he's done a marvellous job. The dog is a delight - normal behaviour, good recall, plays with dog friends, doesn't bother other dogs or passers by).
But yes, the owner gets evil stares because his poor puppy had his ears cropped before he was rescued. But he's not the shit, he's the saviour.

There's an XL Bully near me with docked ears. I hate the practice and can't believe nothing happens to the owners of these dogs.

The owners are how you would expect XL bully owners to be so it's not a case of this dog being rescued and placed into a lovely new home.

Investigations should be immediately launched into people who crop their dogs ears for no medical reason as there is no way they will be responsible owners.

Might be making the ears stand upright as previously mentioned, I’ve known it for gsds. I met a gorgeous dobie in a pet shop, she had ragged chopped ears. She was from the Ukraine where I think it’s legal, not sure. Her owner had imported her when the war started.

wetotter I totally understand, I have a rescue myself, he had an awful life before coming to us.

I just don’t understand why anyone would even ‘train’ their dogs ears to stand upright, why on earth would you even contemplate that? I’ve had dogs all my life and it wouldn’t be something that would even cross my mind to do.