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.
1 thought on “Does a Dog Need Cropped Ears and a Docked Tail to be a Member of a Breed?”
Talk to actual dog owners who own Corso’s. Many of them will tell you of how often they get ear infections without cropped ears. They also complain of the dogs literally beating their tails so hard they eventually get nerve damage and often the dog eats it off. The PC liberal culture isn’t going to survive the long haul. That is MY prediction. Reality eventually shines through.
Your Corso will still be a Corso without either , but you are doing them a favor if you keep them traditional, and saving yourself a lot of vet bills. If your vet won’t do it, put them on your ban list and move on to another vet. Trust me, veterinarians don’t make that much money and they will figure it out eventually.