The rottweiler is an impressive and powerful dog breed with high energy and a strong muscular build. With their extreme loyalty and sensitivity, they can make a great addition to the family.
Seeing a rottweiler with a docked tail is pretty common, but getting a sight of an ear-cropped rottweiler is once in a blue moon. While ear cropping is not a standard set by the American Kennel Club for this breed, many people still make their rottweilers undergo this unnecessary procedure for a couple of selfish and practical reasons.
If you are thinking about getting one for yourself or have already fallen for an ear-cropped rottweiler, then this article is for you.
In this article, we’ll look at why this incredible and well-known breed is prone to be cropped and docked, as well as the risks of undergoing this grueling procedure. We will also explain how the ears are cropped and whether it benefits your dog in any way.
Why Are Rottweiler-Cropped Ears Common?
The execution of ear cropping originates back to Ancient Roman times as a way to identify dogs with specific functions and roles within their human communities. It’s done for a variety of reasons, including to make dogs look more alert, aggressive and intelligent and to clean their ears easily.
A working dog’s ears were traditionally cropped for practical reasons, such as preventing ear injuries from excessive physical activity. Moreover, the fighting breeds also had their ears cropped to hide any perceived weaknesses in the dog’s physicality.
Ear cropping is also done for merely aesthetic purposes too as it’s part of some dog breed standards, like Dobermans. The inexperienced owners, due to this, continue to crop their dogs’ ears without knowing the consequences of doing so.
But the truth is that ear cropping is a practice that has been proven to be inhumane and cruel. It’s a painful procedure for the dogs and leaves them with permanent disfigurement.
Is Ear Cropping Necessary For Rottweilers?
Not all dog breeds have their ears cropped, including Rottweilers. It’s typically for working or guard dogs to have their ears cropped for the reason of reducing injury when they are carrying out their roles.
Having a rottweiler as a family companion that’s not being used as a working dog makes the whole ear-cropping process seem pointless. There are no situations where they would need the practical purposes of dog ears.
In fact, ear clipping isn’t a part of this dog’s breed standards. The ears of a Rottweiler, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC), should be of medium size with a pendant, triangular shape. Anything beyond that wouldn’t be permitted in any competition or show.
The AKC, though, includes a docked tail in their breed standard for rottweilers. Rottweilers have been having their tails docked for many decades and it has actually become a very recognizable feature of this breed.
Is Ear Cropping Fine For Dogs?
There are no proven benefits associated with ear cropping though some negative results sure do hang around it. Ear cropping, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, is solely done for cosmetic reasons and has very little or no therapeutic basis.
Making your pet undergo such a painful and unnecessary procedure for the mere reason of aesthetics is totally inhumane and unfair.
Even dog breeds sensitive to ear infections aren’t usually clipped. This is because the hair in your dog’s ears helps protect them from bacteria and dirt. If they get dirty, they need to be cleaned out — but not with a pair of scissors!
That’s why many countries are trying to ban this practice, as well as docking tails of various breeds like the Rottweiler and Miniature Schnauzer.
How Is The Process of Cropping Ears Done?
Ear cropping is the practice of removing a part of the outer lobe or pinna of the dog’s ear and then trimming the remaining tissue into a desirable shape to make it stand erect.
The process is usually performed on pups between 8–12 weeks of age under an anesthetic dosage to keep them still and comfortable and to make the procedure less painful and easily performed. However, the recovery isn’t painless at all.
The cropped rottweiler ears are then taped to a hard surface in an upright position. The tapes and dressing are then changed after every few days and medication is prescribed for reducing pain and avoiding infections.
The surgery takes around 1–2 hours, but the patients are kept under observation for a few hours or so after it. If everything goes as expected, the process will take between 4 to 8 weeks to heal properly.
The cost for cropping ears varies depending on the vet’s fee and other factors. Usually, it is between $150 to $600 or more.
If you’re planning on getting this done for your rottweiler, it’s important to know that the cropped ears are not a permanent solution. It could be reversed if someone were to train them properly in which case they will revert to normal ears again.
Things You Should Know If You Got a Rottweiler With Cropped Ears
If you adopted a pup or grown rottweiler with ears cropped, then below are a few pointers that you should cross-check to ensure that you have a healthy rottweiler with a good set of ears
Identify The Surgeon
As the ear cropping process is quite expensive and not many authorities allow its execution, many breeders and owners choose to have it done by an unprofessional or worse, by themselves.
If you got a rottweiler with cropped ears make sure that you find out more about how the procedure was done and by whom. If the procedure isn’t done properly and professionally, it could lead to serious health problems and infections.
Ensure it is done by a professional or a veterinarian so your rottweiler doesn’t have to face major complications. Finding out more about the breeder or the entity that performed it will help you protect your pet as well as other dogs too.
Take Post-Treatment
Take your ear-cropped rottweiler to a trusted vet so they can examine their condition properly and prescribe the right painkillers and sufficient pain management to make the recovery process easier for your dog.
It’s important to keep your dog comfortable and calm during this time. Make sure you provide a clean and quiet area also to keep them hydrated and fed throughout the process so that they can heal in peace.
Keep Ears Clean
The cropped rottweiler ears should be kept dry and clean and should be free of any dirt or dust. Don’t bathe the pets for at least two weeks after the surgery.
You should clean the ears with a cotton ball dipped in warm water and mild disinfectant. After that, you should dry the ears with a soft dry towel. Make sure that you do not push too hard on your dog’s ears as this could hurt him.
If you notice any problems with the ears, such as redness or discharge, you should immediately seek medical attention.
Observe Dog’s Behavior
Keep a close eye on the rottweilers so they won’t scratch their ears or cause any other damage to the ear. If possible keep them indoors so they won’t hurt themselves while playing outside.
They may even try to flap and move their ears like before and not performing such may cause them discomfort. Give them some toys to distract them away from their ears or try to keep them busy by giving them some treats.
If possible, bring them to a vet and have them checked out. This way the vet can tell you if there is anything wrong with your Rottweiler’s ear or not.
Risks of Having a Dog With Cropped Ears
A number of risk factors are associated with having a dog with cropped ears. These include:
Anesthesia
Anesthesia is required to perform a dog’s ear cropping surgery. This is never without risk, but the danger increases when it is done to a puppy that is only just a few weeks old. Also, a dog’s anesthesia is riskier than that of a human because dogs are more prone to respiratory distress and heart failure than us.
Because their bodies are so small, it only takes a very small amount of anesthetic to cause these complications. In addition, your rottweiler may experience a loss of appetite when he or she wakes up from surgery.
Post-Operative Trauma
The ears may be painful for several days following the surgery, which can cause your dog to experience anxiety and stress as a result. The pain may also make it difficult for your dog to sleep and rest comfortably.
Your dog may also experience some swelling in the area of the surgery, and this can cause pain as well. In addition, there’s a chance that your dog will experience bleeding from the surgical site, which can lead to anemia if it isn’t caught quickly.
Ear Infections
Since the ears are a prime location for bacteria to hide, dogs with cropped ears are more susceptible to ear infections than dogs with uncropped ears. This is because their ears are more exposed and can’t be cleaned as easily.
Further, dogs with cropped ears are more likely to develop ear mites and other types of parasites than dogs with uncropped ears. This is because the cropping procedure is an open wound that makes it easy for these pests to enter the dog’s body.
Disparity in Communication
A dog’s ears are a vital part of its communication methods. They use them as a way of conveying emotions such as fear or aggression as well as showing interest in people and other dogs.
Dogs can also use their ears to determine where sounds are coming from so they are able to locate potential threats in the environment.
When the ears are cropped, this ability is lost and the dog is unable to communicate effectively. The lack of ear movement can make it harder for a dog to read the signals given off by others and make decisions based on those signals.
In addition, the inability to hear sounds coming from all directions may make dogs more vulnerable to surprise attacks from predators. This can make them more likely to be injured or killed by other animals.
Deafness
Dog ears are designed to funnel sound waves into the ear canal. Those with natural ears, hear a wide range of frequencies and sounds, while those with cropped ears don’t have this advantage, so they may have difficulty hearing certain high-pitched noises or even human speech.
This can be due to the lack of an ear canal, which serves as a funnel for sound waves. It may also be caused by infections or surgical trauma to the ears that damages nerve cells responsible for hearing.
Unsuccessful Results
Aside from aesthetic reasons, many people opt for ear cropping to save their dogs from getting infections or to improve their hearing ability.
However, according to a study performed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the claims that cropping prevents or successfully treats these conditions are not substantiated by any authentic evidence.
Is Ear Cropping For Dogs Banned?
Ear cropping, or “ear-tipping” as it’s sometimes called, is a controversial practice that many people don’t agree with. As a result, there are some countries and regions where ear cropping for dogs is banned.
A growing number of countries have prohibited ear cropping. This practice has been banned in many parts of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom due to its unnecessary and cruel nature.
In other countries, such as the United States, ear cropping is not illegal by federal law, but opinion varies from state to state. Some states, such as New York and Pennsylvania, allow it to perform if done by a licensed veterinarian while the dog is under anesthetic. Other states, such as Texas, have no outright laws that ban ear cropping in dogs.
Conclusion
Just for once put yourself in such a situation and think how would you feel if someone cuts a part of your body just for the mere purpose of aesthetics or their personal advantage. Dejected? Used? That’s the same way your dog feels when you crop its ears.
If you love your pets and want to enjoy their company, then it is your duty to keep them happy and healthy. Allowing them to live a full life without any restrictions or limitations is what makes pet ownership so special.
As we have seen, cropping Rottweiler dog ears has no proven benefits and has serious risks linked with it, so there is no reason why you should crop your Rottweiler dog’s ears. There are other ways to groom your dog or keep them healthy and safe that are less invasive and more humane.
Keep in mind that the decision to crop a dog’s ears is one that should not be taken lightly, and if you do choose to crop your Rottweiler dog’s ears, it is essential that you make sure they are done by a professional and the best interest of the dog.
