[ABCDogs]

I went into PetSmart to buy dog food and to talk to the trainer there to get information on their puppy socialization classes. A woman overheard me talking to the trainer saying the dog would be coming home from the breeder in two weeks. She made a sound behind me like a “pfffhh” but the trainer and I ignored her. We continued talking and I mentioned the pups were getting their ears done that day. This woman said “excuse me? I wasn’t going to say anything about you getting a dog from a breeder because many people are ignorant like that, but I draw the line at puppy mutilation. You wouldn’t do that to him would you?” (Pointing at my son in the shopping cart.) The trainer and I were both speechless. I said “ma’am, he is not a puppy.” and the woman walked away mumbling about calling DFCS on me!

I’ve always had rescue dogs. I know the rescue community is pretty toxic right now, very high and mighty. But never in my life would I criticize someone’s parenting because they had their dog’s ears cropped!

Anyway, is this a standard reaction people have seeing a Doberman with cropped ears in public? I’m going to socialize my pup whether or not people judge me about his ears, I just want to know if I should prepare for it.

 

[melbrod]

I wouldn't quite call it a standard reaction and it sounds a little more extreme than most who do make comments, but some people definitely do respond negatively about ear cropping. Folks make comments about cropped dogs. especially when the dog is a puppy.

You need to develop a thick skin if you're going to have a cropped dobe.

If you feel like it, you can mention that spaying and neutering are much more invasive and can be just as cosmetic (if they are done because folks don't want to have to fool with entire dogs and bitches in heat) or you can even bring up the topic of circumcision, but usually ignoring comments or walking away is easier.

 

[js4fnn]

Yup ppl at gas’s stations who you’d think would have better things to do
Some veterinarians
Wait till you post picture of your dog in a none Doberman forum you’ll get eaten up

Let it bounce

 

[spocksdad]

ABC, your story is not unheard of by Doberman owners on DT. Just search past threads. In my experience the adverse reaction is rare, at least down here in S. Texas.

Besides prejudice against buying from breeders and then cropping ears, Doberman owners must also contend with outright breed discrimination as being "vicious" On our block when we first were waiting on our puppy Neo to come home, a lady admonished us with the "Adopt don't Shop" mantra when I told her about our new Doberman puppy coming soon. I said his ears were getting cropped as well by breeder's vet and she almost had a conniption fit! I explained it was the breed standard. However, later when she saw Neo after he finished ear posting, she gave him nothing but compliments over how handsome and affectionate he was!

 

[ECIN]

What you should have replied to with when she pointed at her kid ,

With a Mug like that , Yes , cropped ears would Definity improve his looks , LOL

 

[melbrod]

Yeah, well, except if I'm reading it right, the mug-face was the poster's child.

 

[ECIN]

Good point Mel

But if it was , they could also spin that and say , sure , his Vet appointment is next week .

 

[ECIN]

Yeah I have had it happen several times - along with the right act about prone collars ,.

So I will jink myself , It is been several years since the last one , maybe because of the lock down ,

Glad you brought his up so I can work on some new smart azz relies

 

[ABCDogs]

What you should have replied to with when she pointed at her kid ,

With a Mug like that , Yes , cropped ears would Definity improve his looks , LOL

She pointed at my kid!

I didn’t mention she had a crusty little white dog in her cart. Could have used a bath and haircut for sure!

ABC, your story is not unheard of by Doberman owners on DT. Just search past threads. In my experience the adverse reaction is rare, at least down here in S. Texas.

Besides prejudice against buying from breeders and then cropping ears, Doberman owners must also contend with outright breed discrimination as being "vicious" On our block when we first were waiting on our puppy Neo to come home, a lady admonished us with the "Adopt don't Shop" mantra when I told her about our new Doberman puppy coming soon. I said his ears were getting cropped as well by breeder's vet and she almost had a conniption fit! I explained it was the breed standard. However, later when she saw Neo after he finished ear posting, she gave him nothing but compliments over how handsome and affectionate he was!

I worked at the animal shelter in Atlanta for a few months a while back in the kennel. I loved the dogs, but goodness the ADOPT DONT SHOP people were crazy. And when you see all these poor dogs come in from backyard breeders you can’t help but agree in most ways. Almost nobody has any business breeding their dogs.

I wouldn't quite call it a standard reaction and it sounds a little more extreme than most who do make comments, but some people definitely do respond negatively about ear cropping. Folks make comments while cropped dogs. especially when the dog is a puppy.

You need to develop a thick skin if you're going to have a cropped dobe.

If you feel like it, you can mention that spaying and neutering are much more invasive and can just as cosmetic (if they are done because folks don't want to have to fool with entire dogs and bitches in heat) or you can even bring up the topic of circumcision, but usually ignoring comments or walking away is easier.

Dog people have very strong opinions about things. I mentioned in a comment on Reddit a few weeks ago that it’s “not necessarily irresponsible to keep your dog intact, as long as you’re vigilant and not letting your dog breed.” You would have thought I said something absolutely evil from the replies I got to that.

Circumcision is the first thing that popped in my head when she pointed at my son and asked if I’d crop his ears. I’m pretty level headed so I didn’t let my internal dialogue come out, and she probably wouldn’t have listened anyway. Guess I’m working on that thick skin already.

 

[ECIN]

Oh sorry about that ABC

I reread that , How did I miss the kid in the shopping cart part

 

[GP Person]

Maybe it depends on where in the U.S. you live. I'm in Colorado and no one ever said a word to me about Gibbs the German Pinscher's cropped ears. Nor has anyone ever given me a hard time about buying a puppy. The closest to that I've ever experienced is a description of their wonderful adopted dog that seems kind of unnecessary. Of course it also may be that when the person on the end of leash is obviously a TOB (Tough Old Broad or other B word depending), people decide to take their opinion elsewhere.

On the other hand, I got a lecture on words are violence from some jerk in a PetsMart once when I told his kid to quit it the 3d time she ran herself and her Golden puppy into Schara. Sometimes I wish we lived in different times so one could bloody a deserving person's nose without needing a lawyer. That crap is so insane he left me speechless, but I'd have liked to show him what real violence is. Not every Rottweiler, not every dog period, would tolerate what the best Rottweiler God ever created did.

 

[Gretchen_Red]

When they pay my bills, they can tell me what to do with my property. It is indeed not mutilation; it's done under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian and is virtually painless to the puppy. So maybe they shouldn't speak on something they know nothing about and next time they should do proper research before opening their mouth and vomiting ignorance. better to not speak and appear the fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.

I support rescue, I'm on the board of the local dobe rescue and I currently have a foster. With that said, in essence, rescuing is supporting BYB's and puppy mills because those are the only kind of dogs that end up in rescue. My response to those kinds of people are, "I support reputable breeders, not puppy mills and BYBs that rescues support. My dogs are co-owned, under contracts and the breeder offers a lifetime of support". If you want to leave the temperament and health of your dogs to chance, good for you, but I choose not to."

On top of this almost every volunteer for our rescue has a dog from a reputable breeder as well.

 

[Gretchen_Red]

Maybe it depends on where in the U.S. you live. I'm in Colorado and no one ever said a word to me about Gibbs the German Pinscher's cropped ears. Nor has anyone ever given me a hard time about buying a puppy. The closest to that I've ever experienced is a description of their wonderful adopted dog that seems kind of unnecessary. Of course it also may be that when the person on the end of leash is obviously a TOB (Tough Old Broad or other B word depending), people decide to take their opinion elsewhere.

On the other hand, I got a lecture on words are violence from some jerk in a PetsMart once when I told his kid to quit it the 3d time she ran herself and her Golden puppy into Schara. Sometimes I wish we lived in different times so one could bloody a deserving person's nose without needing a lawyer. That crap is so insane he left me speechless, but I'd have liked to show him what real violence is. Not every Rottweiler, not every dog period, would tolerate what the best Rottweiler God ever created did.

I just had some crazy lady try to start stuff at Bass Proshop here in CO. Her husband had to shush her out of the building.

 

[ECIN]

I just had some crazy lady try to start stuff at Bass Proshop here in CO. Her husband had to shush her out of the building.

Boy I would have paid good money to have been there when that one happened G-Red , lol

 

[dobebug]

The "Adopt don't shop" is relatively new and it irritates me to be told that's what I should be doing...but I've had people telling me all about how I was abusing and mutilating my Dobermans by cropping them. A friend whose first language was not English taught me an all purpose Spanish insult to go with the one that starts out "No habla Englis..."

dobebug--that worked surprisingly well...

 

[NOLAdoberman67]

What you should have replied to with when she pointed at her kid ,

With a Mug like that , Yes , cropped ears would Definity improve his looks , LOL

Nice!

 

[greenkouki]

The same people will thank you for not "clipping the ears" when your dog is an adult. Folks just don't really know at all.

 

[Eddie]

When they pay my bills, they can tell me what to do with my property.

Well Gretchen we do agree on one thing for sure!

 

[sissl]

Roll off your back. I like rescue dogs but have no issue with choosing from reputable breeders (my step brothers do this; love their dogs) - this lady just sounds like she feels best in grumpy mode, getting her only satisfaction from criticizing others or finding a way to look down on them. Probably she’d chew me out for not composting chewing gum wrappers. I’d feel sorry for her except I wouldn’t

 

[Kansadobe]

I have only had someone say something negative on one occasion. I forget exactly what started the conversation, but this old lady said something like, "Well, I don't like it." I told her, "that is alright, you don't have to!", and went about my busuness.