Posted by Cross post on January 6, 2006, 4:50 pm Anne M. Hier
Cropping has been done at least since Roman times on guard and war
dogs to prevent either other dogs or people from getting a grip on
the head. In England, baiting and pit dogs were cropped to prevent
dogs from getting hold. It was also fashionable to do so on many
vermin dogs. The alternative to a short cropped ear in the Bulldog
was the small, thin rose ear. After Bulldogs were put out of the bull
baiting business in 1835 cropping was no longer acceptable on this
breed and the rose ear became the preferred long because it ideally
is close to the head and presented pretty much the same look and
enhanced a broad,blocky skull. Many of the pit dogs continued to
crop. So, the crop has both a practical and historic purpose and
origin. However, today, I find some of the fashion of extremely long
crops on Dobes, Boxers,Danes, and Bostons - and a few other breeds -
to be a bit ridiculous. Because some breeds are routinely cropped in
the US not much attention is paid to selecting for proper ear
texture. As a result, many such long crops do not stand properly and
give the dog much less than an alert,elegant appearance. Certainly
in Boxers and Bostons, in my opinion, a too-long crop is generally
out of balance with the blockier head. Cropping in England has not
been permitted since 1905 and the first breed to forbid it in the
breed standard was the Irish Terrier. Bull Terriers followed suit.
We could hardly imagine either breed as cropped today. So, fashions
and opinions change. The English White Terrier literally became
extinct as a result of this cropping ban because members of the breed
club refused to comply and, as a result, were barred from showing. I
don't object to cropping, however, but I think there should be room
in standards for alternatives.
As to docking - also since Roman times on their war and guard dogs.
Docks to prevent injury on certain hunting dogs seem obvious.
However, as regards certain herding breeds, England used tail docking
as a means to identify dogs which could be taxed. Herding dogs such
as Border Collies, Bearded Collies, etc., - those with long tails -
stayed on the farm. Drovers such as Corgis and OES were docked and
since the dogs drove stock to market to the financial benefit of the
farmer, they were considered taxable personal property.
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