Let's See Your Dogs!!

Great looking beagles, madcatter! Love mine...best dog ever.

 

Now I am the exact opposite. I don't like cropped ears on any breed. You are about rescuing and you want a painful, time consuming thing like that done to your dog? It is yet another way to introduce bacteria and risk infection. If it is done wrong it looks like $hit too. Just my $.02

 

My brindle has a tail and 1 floppy ear, the other got cut off to get rid of some cancer on there. Most people who dont know any better think she is a pitbull. I rescued her from the pound and she was too old to have her tail docked. All of my boxers have had floppy ears, but I must say they have alot of ear problems if you keep the ears floppy.

 

[quote="OldManTan";1459477]Now I am the exact opposite. I don't like cropped ears on any breed. You are about rescuing and you want a painful, time consuming thing like that done to your dog? It is yet another way to introduce bacteria and risk infection. If it is done wrong it looks like $hit too. Just my $.02[/quote]

Good point OldManTan...Back in 1976 I did pay to get my boxers ears cropped and I agree it can be painful but again I wonder if I don't make it a little cleaner for them and maybe avoid some ear mites. I guess it's a call the Dad and Mom (Human) have to make. I do agree if its done wrong it really looks like hell too. I have been blessed to rescue all my Boxer's from good people who took some time and expense to make sure no infection set in. If you get their ears to short it makes them look like pit bulls in my opinion. Guess you just got to get use to whatever it is you like and what you think is best for your family. What is your take on docking tails? I'm told the europeans have stopped docking tails as well!

 

Please elaborate, never heard of that.

 

I am in favor of docking, if it is for the benefit of the dog. I was led to believe that boxers tails are fragile and can split easy. Again to avoid infection it was a necessary evil. Since, I have been told a lot of different stories. Although I have read that when a puppy gets his tail docked, they don't even flinch. I am not a proponent of cosmetic surgery in humans, unless to fix a disfigurement to better someones quality of life. I have been losing my hair since 18. I am 32 and am quite lite on top. I found a wife who could care less, and I love her for that. I believe that you take what you are given and make the best of it. Therefore I am not a fan of cosmetically enhancing a dog, or cat or anything as you can tell. I also read that Europe may stop docking. I am curious to see what they find.

 

[quote="OldManTan";1459667]I am in favor of docking, if it is for the benefit of the dog. I was led to believe that boxers tails are fragile and can split easy. Again to avoid infection it was a necessary evil. Since, I have been told a lot of different stories. Although I have read that when a puppy gets his tail docked, they don't even flinch. I am not a proponent of cosmetic surgery in humans, unless to fix a disfigurement to better someones quality of life. I have been losing my hair since 18. I am 32 and am quite lite on top. I found a wife who could care less, and I love her for that. I believe that you take what you are given and make the best of it. Therefore I am not a fan of cosmetically enhancing a dog, or cat or anything as you can tell. I also read that Europe may stop docking. I am curious to see what they find.[/quote]

I still talk to a friend of mine over there who taught me to train boxers and he said the consideration of returning to docking the tail is very strong...translation...they don't prosecute any more. He also told me there is a tendency now to return to ear cropping as well as the health benefits are now looking like they out weigh the other risk. In Germany of course they are more humanitarian than the U.S. (IMO) Especially when it comes to treatment of domesticated animals. I don't think alot of people know that but the germans would prefer your dogs than your kids and if you were an american with a german breed it gave you a leg up when you dealt with them...

 

Unfortunately the way parents are these days, so would I!!

 

Rofl

 

yea i agree, but its getting harder and harder to find good vets to crop ears.
boxers are great dog (as long as you can keep them out of the trash!)

 

[quote="OldManTan";1459642]Please elaborate, never heard of that.[/quote]
Every one of my boxers has allergies and they go to work scratching on those ears. Also if you dont keep them super clean they scratch on those ears leading to busted blood vessels in the ears. Think cauliflour ear in MMA fighters. If the ears are clipped more air gets in there causing moisture to evaporate and less chance of ear mites or infections caused due to moisture.
At least this is what a vet told me, saying all of this, I still prefer to keep my boxers ears floppy, because I dont beleive in harming my dogs any more than is necessary.

 

Thank you for that, never realized there could be health benefits to it. I am still for floppy though. My wife is a super fanatic about cleaning his ears and teeth. The vet complimented both on our last visit. We also are trying a low to no grain diet to help prevent allergies. I had a cat once with ear mites, they are just horrible. We have had a couple vet visits because of paranoia, so we definitely don't screw around. LOL

 

Alot of the health issues come from their diet! I have done alot of research and Kirklands Pet food (Costco brand) is one of the better foods you can give to your dog. It is also cheaper. I used to feed my dogs Science Diet and have alot of probs with skin ears etc.. but after switching to Kirklands all of that has pretty much gone away.

 

Try the "BLUE" brand. It supposedly has antioxidants in it for cancer fighting. As you may well know our beloved boxer baby's seem to have a higher than normal rate for intestinal cancer. Not sure if you can get this brand where you live. I know I have never seen the Kirkland brand before. I've also had pretty good luck with Bil-Jac but like you with six of them in the house I try to standardized the food for both nutrition and allergies and the Blue seems to help the most. I use their canned dog food as well, plus bathe them with a colloidal based oatmeal to cut down on the scratching. Here in the south the flea's and ticks are terrible..... I meant try the frozen Bil Jac never used the regular pellets.

 

LMAO or jumping an 8 foot fence.

 

or eating through an 8 foot fence

 

LOL what ever it takes!!! By the way did they give you "what did I do look?"

 

Na, Bruce gives me that "check this shit out" grin.

 

And I bet he gives you that grin--knowing your watching him....LOL...LOL