Does a Dog Need Cropped Ears and a Docked Tail to be a Member of a Breed?
I have been told by some that a Cane Corso is not a Cane Corso unless they have the tail and ears cropped and docked. What is your opinion? I have a six-week-old female named Lupa. I have also asked numerous vets, and they have told me that they do not do this procedure. Help, I need answers.
Sandra
Philadelphia, PA
Don’t do it.
A Cane Corso is a Cane Corso regardless of whether her ears are cropped and her tail is docked. A Cane Corso is a Cane Corso whether she has four legs or three and two eyes or one. A Cane Corso is a Cane Corso whether she is black, fawn, or brindled.
The breed standards for many breeds call for tail docking and ear cropping. The breed standards are on the wrong side of history.
Here is another 30 year prediction, to go on the record with my 30 year prediction yesterday regarding antibiotic feed additives. In 30 years, almost nobody will own dogs with cropped ears or docked tails.
There are two reasons why I am confident of this. First, public opinion is rapidly turning against the practices of ear cropping and tail docking.
You alluded to the second reason why the practices will die out in your question. Fewer and fewer vets are willing to perform the procedures. I do not perform them. Nor do most of the vets I know.
The vast majority of vets who dock tails and crop ears are older. In 30 years they won’t be practicing. You won’t be able to get your dog’s ears cropped even if the breed standards haven’t changed.
But they will change. The inevitable cannot be delayed forever.
Photo: Look at those beautiful ears! By Claudio Domiziani. License: CC.
You have questions. 
WooHoo! Love this post! Two thumbs up!
I second Gina.
Thank you for the excellent post, Dr. Barchas!
This is mutilation in my opinion. Who came up with these ridiculous “rules” for dogs to have their tails removed and ears chopped off. Excellent post! Glad to hear things are moving in the right direction.
Hi ….I feel that dogs have alot to say with their ears . None of my APBT’s have ever had their ears done . I have a new APBT she is 3 mo. and she is going to keep her ears .
Great post and great breed!! I adopted a 3 year old female Cane Corso from my local shelter in December. She has cropped ears, but if I had gotten her as a puppy I would never have chosen to get the procedure done.
In my own opinion, it is sadistic and unnecessary for cropping and docking. The dogs are beautiful in their original appearance.
Yeay! I hear a lot of vets are refusing to do declawing of the kitties now too. :)
Many years have passed since I showed dogs, but I noticed in watching dog shows that breeders and owners of show kennels are slowly gettin away from cropping and docking. Cropping and docking was done not for purely cosmetic reason, but for the protection of the dogs in the field where they hunted and often tangled with wild animals. It prvented them from being held down by their ears or tails. Well, dogs do not hunt in the wild, much, anymore. There is no real reason for docking and cropping. The practice was outlawed in the UK decades ago and has not hurt breed standards in the show ring.