Most of you know that I am a tail advocate; but I am also an advocate of every bit and piece of our dogs. What bits and pieces I’m talking about are ears, tails and dew claws. This topic is a hot one although more and more people, breeders included are coming over to the side of the dog. What do I mean? I mean that we should stop amputating body parts for fashion or ease of living with our dogs. Lets love our dogs entirely and learn to live with instead of cut off.
Ears are taken off many breeds for a few reasons. One because the “standard” says that they should be cropped. Fashion is another reason, even when people are not going into the show ring they want that “proper” look to their breed. Then there is the tough image or lack of anything to grab. Bully breeds and mixes often end up in this category for the “tough” image.
Can you imagine cropping ears on dogs for years and years; then pinning them up to look a certain way just because? All the time, money and pain spent on fixing something that we humans think is incorrect. We need to learn to appreciate the way a dog looks and not try to alter it by amputation. It is time to consider this and stop. Many countries are way ahead of us in by banning it.
Whatever their ears look like when they come out, let’s leave them like that; because those are your dog’s ears. Dogs are gorgeous all on their own; who are we to say they need a little nip and tuck here and there? Humans have bred so many different looking dogs and then if that was not enough, we cut things off that we dislike or want to alter.
Tails are cut to all different lengths on many breeds and mixes. It does surprise me when I see a mix with a docked tail because one of the reasons people dock tails is again, standard. The breed standard says… Frankly I don’t care what breed standards say about cutting things off of our dogs. Some folks long ago thought that it was a good idea, wrong.
Just like with ears there are lots of reasons why people cut tails off. If you research different breeds you can find out why they started doing it but why people continue is a mystery to me. Tails come off because they might get “damaged” while hunting. Guard dogs have them docked so the bad guys can’t grab a hold of their tail and stop them. “I need their tail as a handle when they go to ground” one person told me about why JRT tails are docked.
My own breed is one of those that are typically docked but I am very happy to see that things are changing; it is happening, albeit slowly. People often complain that “a full tail can clear a coffee table,” true they can. So we should cut their tails off for convenience? We have learned to live with this minor detail and constantly watch the wine glasses when Miss Elsa is feel feisty. :)
As someone who constantly watches tails, I know how much that they need their tails. Tail communication is huge in dogs; it is where I first look to see how a dog is feeling. Without it we have to rely on the other parts of the body. Dogs also need their tails for movement. If you’ve never watched a full tailed dog zig zag across a field, it is glorious how their tail balances their every movement.
Just consider that the tail is an extension of the spine. That alone is shocking to think about the ramifications of removal.
Dewclaws are very controversial and tend to be removed or not removed willy nilly per breed. Yep, again it is in the “standard,” where dogs parts are said to be or not to be removed. Someone long ago had a thought… But shouldn’t we have stronger more educated thoughts about removing things from dogs for no reason? Riggs is our first dog with full dewclaws and yes it has taken some getting use to but that is my job if I want to live with dogs. They should not be taken off because someone long ago said so.
There are many people who claim that they can be ripped off or torn on walks. Well yes they can be ripped and so can toe nails. Our little Jack Russell ripped a toe nail almost completely off, it was very painful but we got it fixed and it healed. Riggs gets his dewclaws cut and filed regularly. Dogs need their dewclaws, that is why they are born with dewclaws.
I am very passionate about this topic and the reason I am is because I love dogs as much as I do. I don’t think that dogs should be a fashion statement; they are far too amazing for that. A dog’s heart is where in lies their beauty; whether they have long hair, short hair; are black, white, brown or a combination makes no difference to who that dog is.
Let’s stand on the side of the dog; the side where are perfect just the way they are and we don’t see things that need to be cut off. Let’s decide this for ourselves and not rely on what someone who decided long ago that dog were better with a bit taken off here and there.
This is not a blog on spay or neutering, that will be another separate blog.