Boxer Breeders, Boxer Puppies for Sale: What's the deal with ear-cropping?

What's the deal with ear-cropping?

We would not be considered big fans of ear cropping. We do understand to some, a boxer isn't a boxer unless the ears are cropped. We have both cropped and uncropped boxers. The only Boxers that have cropped ears at our house have been shown, or will hopefully be shown someday.

The after-care and, more importantly, the discomfort of the pup, have basically discouraged us from ear cropping the majority of our dogs.

You can see from the following pictures, it is not something to be taken lightly:

Our vet, Dr. Kenneth Main of Allegan, Michigan, is a very highly reputable man known for his perfect ear crops. Show people from all over the Midwest take their puppies to him.

The cup on the pups head is used to stablize the ears for up to two weeks. Not only are the cups extremely effective, but they're also very amusing. Our neighbor says they look like they just got back from a party.

This close-up shows just how far down the cheek of the pup the incision goes. In addition to the staples you see, there are stiches laced all of the way up the outside of the pup's ear, which are very difficult to remove, and best done on a return visit to the vet

You have probably read or heard about some of the facts and opinions concerns regarding this elective surgery. They are as follows:

Ear cropping is normally done between 8-12 weeks. The sooner the better. Some vets WILL crop as late as 16-18 weeks, but often it is a waste, because the ears never stand.
The dog can die during the procedure due to an adverse reaction to the anesthetic. It is true that this can happen. However, the vet we use for ears (known and used widely in the Midwest by show and breeder people in numerous states), does between 300 and 400 ear croppings a year, and reports that he has lost only 3 dogs in the last 5 years. The risk is obviously quite low with this vet. Keep in mind that this man is a VERY experienced vet that does a large number of surgeries every year -- the vet you intend to use probably does not have such an impressive success rate. Keep in mind that there is a blood test that can be given in advance that will indicate sensitivity to the anesthesia. We require that this test be performed.
The after care is NO FUN. It is a huge time commitment. You MUST be prepared to change the taping on the dogs ears at least every couple days. The wrapping is extremely important, as it is a major factor in determining how the ears look when you're done. Most vets include two or three wrappings in the cost of the procedure. They will happily charge you for any more, ifyoure not comfortable doing them. The rest are up to you, and they must be wrapped for at least four weeks,however, you must be prepared to tape your dog's ears for up to a full YEAR. A little tip from our personal experience: DO NOT USE WATERPROOF TAPE. It may seem like a logical thing at the time, but the tape doesn't breathe, and you get a horrible, hair-removing mess, as well as an easy breeding ground for infection. The future of your dogs appearance is in your hands.
The surgery is quite invasive. Ear croppingis no where near as simple as theremoval of dew claws or taildocking (neither of which requireeven a local anesthetic), and involves far more than just a trimming of the ears. It involves that, and a bit of a face-lift. .. the staples and/or stiches go quite a way down the side of the dogs cheeks. Infections can easily set in. Again, proper after-care is critical.
AKC Boxer standard was just changed over the past few years. They now do not require ear cropping in order to show Boxers, however, many Boxers. with natural ears are overlooked in the show ring. Technically, you could Champion a Boxer with natural ears, but it would, in theory, be tougher than doing so with Boxer with a good show crop.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if you are considering getting your Boxer cropped, use a vet that is KNOWN for ear cropping. A bad crop can RUIN a Boxer for show, and may be something unsightly that you have to live with for the entire life of the dog. Don't let your Boxer puppy get a crop that makes it look like a pitbull (too much ear taken off) or a Bat dog (too much bottom bell of the ear left on).