what does it mean to crop ears?????

Answer 1

When they crop ears they cut part of the dogs ear off and shape it. Then it is taped, usually until the dog is done teething, to make them stand.

Great dane with cropped ears
http://www.gotpetsonline.com/pictures-gallery/dog-pictures-breeders-puppies-rescue/great-dane-pictures-breeders-puppies-rescue/pictures/great-dane-0006.jpg

Dane with natural (uncropped) ears
http://www.castellodellerocche.it/newsite/vassilias.htm

Answer 2

Ears are cropped in some breeds to produce a particular look - a beautiful standing ear (the ear would otherwise flop over to a greater or lesser extent, like a Lab's ear). It gives an alert expression to the dog, and has until recently been part of the standard of the usually cropped breeds - Dobermans, AmStaffs, Schnauzers, Danes, etc. If you're going to get this done, look around and find someone who does a LOT of them. There are true works of art, and there are hatchet jobs.

On the down side, the ears are cropped - unlike tail docks and dewclaw removal - relatively late in the pup's life, and it's a painful procedure; taping the ears is a pain in the a**. If you buy a puppy, let the breeder take care of it for you, or consider leaving the ear uncropped. Warning, though - it will invalidate your contract (to be able to give the dog back) with some breeders if you don't crop the ears, because they may find it harder to place the dog.

Answer 3

It means that dogs ears are cut and shaped to unnaturally stand erect. There is alot of care involved after the surgery. It may take weeks and sometimes months for the procedure to be complete.
In my opinion I think it is cruel to do this unless it is a medical necessity. A dog's ear is a very sensitive body part , containing cartilage , tissue and nerves so it is a very painful procedure. You have to keep going back and forth to the vet to remove stitches and have the ears examined. I dont believe in putting a dog through such an experience. I believe the same with docking a dogs tail. Im glad they have banned these surgeries in Europe and I hope they do the same here in the United States.

Answer 4

To trim the ear leather and cause ears to stand erect is what cropping is. America is one of the few countries that still allows it. Cropping a dog's ears is a way to make them look more intimidating. Would you be scared of a doberman with big floppy ears, or one with ears that are erect and pointy. I do not condone the cropping of a dog's ears, in fact, I feel that the natural ears are beautiful, but this is just how things are.

Answer 5

oh laurena.....its not nice.
Dog mutilation. people who show dogs, or sometimes people who want tough looking dogs, will chop around 1/2 the ear flap off... then bind and tape the ear in the desired shape, standing up. I find it brutal, cruel, and something done for humans enjoyment, the dog is usually born with the ears it is supposed to have.
Basically, 'cropped' ears that stand up, make a dog look more aggresive, and tough. The practice is illegal in australia, although it still goes on. Ive heard its done with large sharp kitchen scissors sometimes.
Then theres the docking of tails for cosmetic showing. its now illegal too.
I have a great dane, and they used to crop danes ears, same with dobes, pitbulls, and other breeds.
My dogs are left the way they were born. Tails and ears left alone. :)

Answer 6

the vet cuts off the edges (skin and cartilidge) of a dogs ears into a specific shape, then posts them and tapes them to make them stand up.

it is a painfull (and anyone that tells you it isnst shoudl go to the doctors have them cut off the skin from the edges of their ears and apply tape for the next year) procedure that is PURLEY cosmetic in 99% of cases and considered BARBARIC by many.

it is an ILLEGAL procedure in the UK and many other european countreis...

the ONLY time this procedure is considered nessicary is in some pig dogs/hunting dogs (in which case they have a very short MILITARY crop that leaves very little earflap for often visious animals to tear and grab onto) or in dogs who get repeated severe earinfections that can only be solved by getting more dry aire into the ear canal...

every other dog that gets it done its PURLY cosmetic because the person likes the look, even in the show ring...
there are many people even here in the USA that are now showing natural eard dogs over cropped dogs and placing over them too...

anyone that wants it done to their dogs simply because "it looks good" or "thats the way the dogs supposed to look" think of these things first...if the dog was supposed to look like that wouldnt it be bred for its ears to be that way naturally?! and how would you feel if someone choped up your ears, sewed them back up and then stuck tape on them and peeled it off every few days and re did it for the next 6months to 4 years?

Answer 7

its when the vet cuts part of the ears and makes the ears stand up

Answer 8

they cut part of the ears to make the ears stand up

Answer 9

It is when part of the ear is cut off to make the ears "prick up". It isn't necessary unless you are planning to enter your dog into dog shows. My mom is a dog grommer and gets asked to do this all the time, but she sends them to the local vet.'s office.

Answer 10

Look at my avatar. My dogs ears are cropped.