TO CROP OR NOT TO CROP? |
IT'S YOUR DOG... GET IT? IT'S YOUR DOG. YOU SHOULD DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG. A NICE CROP REALLY DOES MAKE FOR A HANDSOME DOG WITH A DIFFERENT KIND OF PRESENCE. OF COURSE THERE IS SOME PAIN THAT THE PUPPY MUST ENDURE AFTER A CROP, DON'T LET ANYONE LIE TO YOU ABOUT THAT, BUT IT'S VERY TEMPORARY. NO ADULT DOG (CROPPED) THAT I'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED HAS HAD ANY PROBLEM WHATSOEVER WITH HAVING THEIR EARS TOUCHED, RUBBED, AND PETTED. ALL THE SAME, I HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO CROP THE EARS ON SOME OF MY FIRST DOGS. I LIKE THE WAY NATURAL EARS LOOK ON THE CANE CORSO. CONVERSELY, I LIKE A NICE CROP AS WELL. IT GIVES THEM A TOTALLY DIFFERENT LOOK. I JUST CAN'T COME AROUND TO DO IT TO ONE OF MY OWN. I'M HAPPY TO ACQUIRE A DOG WITH A NICE CROP... OR HAVE ONE OF MY PUPS DONE. I'M ALSO FINE WITH SOMEONE GETTING A PUP FROM ME AND GETTING THE EARS DONE BY A WELL QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED VET, BUT I DON'T PUSH PEOPLE TO DO IT LIKE OTHER BREEDERS OUT THERE. WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO ASK YOURSELF IS, "WHY AM I CROPPING?" IF A CORSO JUST WOULDN'T LOOK LIKE THE DOG YOU WANTED IT TO WITHOUT IT, THEN THERE YOU GO. BUT IF YOU LIKE THE NATURAL LOOK, THEN DON'T DO IT SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S CUSTOMARY DON'T DO IT BECAUSE YOU'RE A LEMMING... DO IT FOR YOU. SOME BREEDERS WILL LOOK DOWN THEIR NOSES AT ME FOR NOT ADVOCATING THE CROP... THEY WILL REFER TO NON-CROPPERS AS "BACKYARD BREEDERS" WELL, OUR DOGS COME WITH INCREDIBLE PEDIGREES... OUR DOG'S HIPS ARE CHECKED THROUGH PENNHIP... AND OUR PUPS COME WITH HEALTH GUARANTEES... WE ARE BREEDING FOR QUALITY... EARS SEEM LIKE SUCH AN AFTER-THOUGHT. BESIDES, DID YOU KNOW THAT EAR-CROPPING HAS RECENTLY BEEN OUTLAWED IN ITALY? SOME OF THE BEST DOGS IN THE WORLD WILL NOW BE IMPORTED TO THE STATES WITH NATURAL EARS. I WILL SAY THIS, IF YOU ARE ON THE FENCE ABOUT IT, THEN YOU REALLY DON'T NEED TO BE CROPPING YOUR PUPS EARS. IT'S AN UN-NECESSARY SURGERY THAT IS MORE PROBLEMATIC THAN A SIMPLE TAIL DOCKING. ON THAT NOTE, ALL OUR PUPS WILL HAVE THEIR TAILS DOCKED AT AROUND 3 DAYS OLD UNLESS WE ARE OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED BY THE NEW OWNER. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. -SEAN |
