Cropped/Docked or Natural?

[sillysally]

This is not really meant to be a pro or anti cropping debate (I'm pro-choice about cropping), but more about what you prefer aesthetically.

While I like the look of a cropped and docked boxer or dobe (the "show" crops especially are so elegant looking), I prefer rotties with tails--it just looks more balanced to me somehow. I also do NOT like the look of cropped pitties or amstaffs--I'm just not a fan. Any bully breed pup I get will not have cropped ears if I have anything at all to do with it. Actually, most of the breeds that tend to have the shorter crops I just prefer natural. Danes are one breed that I can go either way with--I like the equally natural and cropped.

Of the breeds that are commonly cropped or docked, do you prefer that look, or the natural look?

 

[Fran101]

I prefer dobes cropped/docked.
I prefer rotties cropped/docked as well.

MOST breeds that are docked I prefer docked (weims, rotties, small breeds etc..)

Other than that.. I tend to prefer natural Pitties especially I think their natural ears just suit them and look really cute (I also don't like certain very short crops on some dogs)


That said, if I ever happened upon a dog that I liked (through a shelter for example) of a breed that is traditionally docked/cropped.. I wouldn't go out and make the effort of getting my OWN dog docked/cropped but if I went to a breeder that offered the option or that cropped/docked all puppies, I'd be all for it

 

[Xandra]

I don't like any docked tails.

I like cropped ears on Dobes and Beaucerons (I prefer the Beauceron crop).

I prefer natural ears on pit bulls but cropped dogs can look nice as well.

On presas, I'm for cropped ears 100%

 

[Lizmo]

To be really honest, I don't care.

 

[Brattina88]

I have never seen a weim with a tail
Cockers with tails are kind of funny looking But I had some fosters with tails, I like them either way
But Danes I LOVE natural ears... it makes me go *squee* haha. But I still adore them either way as well but if I were to have one, they'd have natural ears

 

[Greenmagick]

Pure looks I prefer crops on many breeds (but do not like breeds with super short crops...dont like the way it looks). HOwever, I would not personally crop. I am not "against" it but would not risk surgery for my pup for a look.

Docking...I dont know...I really dont like the idea of it but the little nubbins can be awfully cute.

 

[Archie's Mom]

some pics to see the difference

Archie's ears are natural. We had some fun on another forum using photoshop to see what our dogs would look like w/ears cropped.
Here is Archie w/his natural ears:

And here with a medium crop:

I wouldn't actually have his ears cropped but sometimes wish his "weapon of mass destruction tail" was gone.

 

[Greenmagick]

I do sometimes wonder what Ivy would look like cropped. She has really small ears for a dane lol....they will sometimes sort of stick up on their own lol

 

[Maxy24]

I don't even notice when a docked breed has a natural tail, I just don't pay attention to such things. So in my world I would never dream of docking a pup, why would I cut off a tail if I don't even notice it's gone?


Ears on the other hand I notice. The only dogs I actually like the looks of cropped ears on are Dobermans and Beaucerons. I don't like it at all on Boxers, Boston terriers, or Neo Mastiffs. On the rest of the breeds (the ones I know of anyways) I prefer natural ears but don't find the crops as unattractive as I do on those three breeds. I would never personally have it done regardless of breed, I don't see the point.

 

[JennSLK]

Cropped and Docked 100%

 

[Kat09Tails]

Personally I dislike cropped ears on any breed. It tends to offend my eye because no matter how skilled the surgeon I can never just look at the dog and not have those ears stand out as unmatched in a negative, unnatural way sort of like when you see a one eyed, lame, or three legged dog. It just draws my attention.

As far as docks - I prefer my spaniels, normally docked terriers, gun dogs, boxers, aussies, old english and dobes docked to the appropriate spot. I prefer corgis, rotts, ACDs, undocked.

 

[96 GTS]

I prefer cropped ears on dobermans but that's about it. I do like docked tails on just about every breed that traditionally is, except maybe rotties. Oh and I love corgis with tails

 

[Pops2]

in some breeds i like a crop in some i just don't care, but the breeds i like cropped i prefer a smaller crop maybe just a hair more than the Archie photoshop.
docking depends i like docking on breeds that need it for high rates of happy tail.

 

[*blackrose]

I prefer docked over natural on breeds that are supposed to have a docked tail. Boxer, Rottie, Dobe, Cocker, Weim, what have you.

I prefer natural ears on most breeds, but I do know I like cropped ears on Dobes.

 

[Specsy]

I love my Rottweiler with a tail. It is SO much better. Leo is my ONLY natural dog and very first natural one. He does A LOT better steering himself when running super fast (you would have never thought there was even a difference until you see all dogs running together). He also has better ability to land on his feet when he jumps up, he is more accurate when stopping to grab something, when he is doing bite work he is much more stable. I have heard similar differences from others with tailed dogs. I will NEVER own another docked Rottweiler. EVER.

I LOVE the cropped ears on a Doberman but I have only seen it in photos and I will never see it in South Africa as it has always been illegal. Never met a Beauceron but they seem to look better with cropped ears.

ETA: All other breeds I prefer not docked and not cropped.

 

[oakash]

I really like the look of Dobermans, cropped and docked. I pretty much don't really notice whether a dog is docked or not. I mean, I notice it, but I don't go, "weird, I've never seen a weim undocked, or whatever."

 

[vanillasugar]

It really depends on the breed for me, and it varies quite a bit between cropped/docked and natural.

Dobes: cropped and docked
Boxers: docked, natural ears (most docked breeds I prefer as such)
Great Danes: au natural
Am Staffs or Pitties: au natural
Any of the mastiff types that are cropped really short I generally prefer natural ears on.
etc.

 

[elegy]

I like tails on dogs, period.

From a purely aesthetic standpoint, I think long show crops look graceful on pointy-headed dogs like dobes. I think crops look downright ugly and unbalanced, no matter how well it's done, on broad-headed dogs like pit bulls and mastiffs. I don't find it complimentary to their structure at all.

 

[katielou]

I have never seen a crop that I like.

Docking doesn't bother me to look at but I only really like it on working dogs.

 

[copperdogsmom]

I Like the docked look on all dogs that normally has it done. Cropped look only on Dobes.Love the look of Dobes with a proper Dock and Crop.