30 million ( parts of the to salt lake friend every seen at that hospital. Another survey reviewed 2 canine emergency cases, and turned up only three tail injuries all of them complications from docking. One certainly wonders about the validity of the tail injury argument, when sporting breeds such as Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Irish, English and Setters, Beagles, Foxhounds, and Pointers do not have their tails docked, while Vislas, Weimeraners, Shorthaired Pointers, and Springer, and Cocker Spaniels do. Spaniels have heavy, furry ears that appear more hazardous thorny, brushy terrain or water than a tail. Spaniels are also notorious for severe, chronic ear infections. Does it make any sense that they are allowed to keep their pendulous ears, but not their tails? The tail injury argument also doesn't explain why Rottweilers, Dobermans, Poodles, Schnauzers and Old English Sheepdogs routinely have their tails docked. These working and non-sporting breeds aren't running around the brush and woods. Old English and Aussie breeders might offer that a tail is a liability around livestock. But why isn't this then, for Border Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, Australian Cattle Dogs, Great Pyrenees, or other herding breeds? The argument seems very thin when examined logically. Breeds whose ears are naturally floppy, like Great Danes, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Schnauzers, and Manchester Terriers, have traditionally had their ears surgically cropped to stand up straight. This custom has existed some breeds for hundreds of years. Initially, some of these breeds, such as Bull Terriers, were fighting dogs, and their ears were cut to reduce or eliminate easy target. Since dogfighting is illegal the U.S. today, this rationale is no longer applicable. Ears are cropped at 8 weeks of age. The puppy is put under general anesthesia, the ears are cut, and the sore ears are stiffly taped position to make them stand up straight. They be taped and re-taped for weeks to months. Postoperative pain medication is not routinely given, even though the ears have extensive blood and nerve supply. Even after all the torment, some dogs end up with floppy, bent, scarred, wrinkled, twisted, or otherwise disfigured ears. There is no reason to perform this painful, mutilating procedure, other than for looks or breed club standards). There is no health benefit to the dog. Contrary to pro-cropping advocates' claims, there is no scientific evidence that cropping has any effect on the incidence of ear infections. dog show judges now allow natural dogs of traditionally cropped and docked breeds their classes, and sometimes even reward them with blue ribbons. breed standards accept either cropped or uncropped ears. 1998, uncropped Boxer won every show leading to his championship, and went on to claim AKC Best Show award. Animal advocates have for years pleaded with the AKC and similar organizations to make cropping optional the more rigid breed standards. However, AKC's reaction was the opposite direction it amended the Boxer standard to specify that deviations from the ideal appearance must be penalized the show ring. AKC, breeders, and breed clubs do not want to a resolution passed San that might impinge on their demands for specific alterations of appearance certain breeds. Cropping advocates theorize that their breeds become unpopular and wither away, because no one want dogs that do not conform to the standard. However, a recent article Dog World speculated that people who previously avoided some of these breeds due to cropping requirements now be more interested them as companions. The appearance of breeds has changed and evolved over time, including the Labrador Retriever the most popular dog breed the nation despite its new look. The historic tradition of cropping and docking should be made as obsolete as the equally historic tradition of slavery. While cosmetic tail docking and ear cropping are clearly of no benefit