Should You Crop Your Boxer's Ears

A highly sensitive topic in many boxer communities is ear cropping which was at one time considered to be a standard practice, but in recent times has fallen into disfavor because it is viewed as cruel and potentially dangerous to the dog. Whether or not to crop the ears of a boxer has people on the fence with both sides raising several valid points, but cropping or not still remains at the discretion of the owner. Presented here are some of the main reasons both for cropping and against cropping, so it will help you make an informed decision as to what is appropriate for your boxer puppy.

If you are not sure of what cropping means, it is a cosmetic surgical procedure that involves cutting off a portion of the ear of a boxer while the dog is young. This is done in order to give the dog a more majestic or imposing look. The cropped area of an ear will need to be tended to for a period of days after surgery to make certain the boxer puppy does not scratch at the ear (which could lead to pulling out stitches), and the site needs to be cleaned and checked daily to prevent scabbing which in turn leads to scarring. The surgical wounds will heal quickly and you would only needs to spend the first few days post-op watching for signs of a potential problem with the cropping.

People who prefer ear cropping favor it because of tradition and medical reasons which support ear cropping for young boxers. Not only is ear cropping recognized as a common practice by international boxer organizations, it may also help prevent ear problems which can occur from a boxers normally floppy ears which would otherwise cover up the ear canal of the dog. Cropped ears in a boxer can lead to significantly less cases of ear mites and other forms of ear infections, because the ear canal gets more exposure to light and air which results in reduced humidity in the ear canal, and hence an unfavorable environment for mites and infections to thrive and grow.

Those who are against ear cropping point out that it may be a painful procedure for a young boxer puppy to undergo and maintain that the surgery is a form of animal cruelty and an outdated practice. If the surgical wound is not properly cared for, the site may become infected and cause additional problems for the puppy. More recently a concern which should also be considered, is that many cities and other governing bodies have been putting into effect laws that prohibit owning a dog or dogs that look like they have been raised to be fierce and aggressive. In some locations, these laws may be applied to a boxer with cropped ears because the surgery tends to make the dogs appear frightening (some people argue this change in appearance leads to an increase in hostility, even though there is no connection between the two).

It is important to remember that ear cropping is a surgical procedure and cannot be undone at a later point in time. Make sure that you have carefully reviewed and considered the pros and cons of ear cropping before deciding whether or not it is right for your boxer.