Why is cupping necessary?
Experienced breeders and lovers of large breed dogs are divided into two irreconcilable camps. Some insist on the need for a docking procedure, others believe that this is severe pain for the animal and outdated methods.
The fact is that the ears and tail of the Alabai interfere with the animal, and will also become additional vulnerable parts in a fight with prey.
But at exhibitions, dog competitions and competitions, an undocked Alabai will be allowed on an equal basis with a docked one. European standards do not classify dogs on this basis.
Is it necessary to dock
Some owners and breeders of Alabai believe that there is no need to crop the ears of such dogs, since there is no need for it. The aesthetic side of this procedure is not an argument for such people. Alabais have a proportionally built body, and many simply do not understand why anything should be changed in it.
The argument in favor of this procedure is that it has been done for centuries and will continue to be done. But why has the ears and tail of this dog breed been shortened for so long? Previously, this was done for the purpose of protection and minimizing the risk of injury in a fight with a predator. Then dogs were used to work in the fields, and this decision was very fair and practical.
Many people believe that Alabai looks ugly with a tail and ears. The ear should be erect and the tail should be shortened to make the dog look attractive. But this is rather a matter of personal taste. Therefore, it is difficult to call this argument in favor of cupping universal and objective. In addition to this argument, some breeders claim that the Alabai, with its ears and tail, looks like a large shepherd dog or Labrador. They claim that he is unrecognizable at first sight.
In many countries there is a ban on this procedure. The only exceptions are cases when cupping is necessary for work or medical reasons. Perhaps these are the only two objective circumstances when cutting off the tips of the ears and tail is really necessary.
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Otherwise, it is a matter of personal belief, and each breeder makes his own decision. If a four-legged friend of this breed is not engaged in any work and does not represent breeding value, there is absolutely no need for docking. The question of the need to dock the ears and tail of an Alabai should be decided individually based on the goals, health status and age of the dog.
At what age is it advisable for a puppy to have surgery?
The ears of Central Asian Shepherd puppies are cropped within ten days after birth. If the procedure was not completed within the recommended time frame, in older age it is performed under anesthesia followed by suturing.
Trimming the tail of an Alabai is easier to tolerate and is carried out before it reaches ten days of age. The tail of newborn puppies will heal quickly, and the procedure itself does not cause harm to health only if the rules are followed.
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Anna Abramenko
An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.
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Previously, ears and tails were cropped only for angry and aggressive dogs, thereby marking the animal as dangerous to people.
Why do Alabai dogs have their ears and tail docked?
Central Asian Shepherds are also called wolfhounds. This stately breed was bred in Asia to help shepherds protect numerous flocks of sheep from predators. Since ancient times, newborn babies have had their ears and tails cut off for practical purposes:
- wolves in a fight with a mighty dog tear the long hanging ears and tail with their teeth. Painful wounds cause disorientation and death of the dog from bleeding or numerous injuries;
- docking of tails and ears was used for dogs that attacked a person, so that in the future people would be afraid to get involved with an aggressive dog;
- in Turkic mythology there is a mention of a beast without ears and tail, which terrifies local residents and animals. Following this legend, shepherds independently cut off the ears and tails of newborn shepherd dogs using a bloodless method. This gives dogs a terrifying appearance from ancient times to the present day.
Ear cropping of Central Asian Shepherd dogs at any age is carried out if there are indications for the operation. These include: necrotizing inflammation or ulcerative dermatitis of the auricle, tumors in the area of the ear cartilage, lacerations or ear injuries. Tail docking in Alabai is indicated for injuries, neoplasms, necrosis or neoplasms.
Docking the ears and tail of an Alabai is not necessary if the dog does not participate in fights with wolves
In Russia, the practice of cutting the ears and tails of Central Asian Shepherd puppies before they reach 14 days is widely used. Despite the conformation standards of the breed, judges allow undocked dogs to enter Russian exhibitions. On the contrary, international experts always ask questions about the reason for a competitor's ear cropping.
Contraindications
Docking the tail and ears of the Alabai is a surgical operation, which means it has a number of contraindications.
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The procedure is not carried out if:
- the puppy is not healthy;
- there are pronounced deviations in the development of Alabai;
- there is purulent discharge from the ears;
- the animal has a fever.
You should also not trust cupping to a non-professional or carry out the procedure yourself in a non-sterile environment.
How much does ear and tail docking cost for an Alabai dog?
The cost of the procedure depends on the location of the operation, the age of the pet, the need for anesthesia and additional examination, and the price of the painkiller. On average, ear and tail docking in a clinic for East European Shepherd puppies aged 2-5 days costs about 500-600 rubles, and at home – 800-1000 rubles. For such an operation on a one-month-old dog, you need to spend about 4000-6000 rubles.
To dock or not is up to the dog owner to decide. Many owners do not accept a dog with long ears, but some selflessly love their four-legged friend the way nature created him.
Which ear shape should you choose?
One of the purposes of cropping is to change the shape of the ears, giving the animal an aesthetic appearance.
There are three forms:
- Standard. Ears of medium length, optional cut.
- "Bear". A rounded cut gives the large alabai the appearance of a cute teddy bear.
- Caucasian. Only a third of the dog's ear remains intact.
It should be remembered that the procedure is carried out 1 time. You cannot try to correct the form again if the owner is not satisfied with the chosen option.
Expert opinion
Anna Abramenko
An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.
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Removing the entire ear is extremely dangerous. This will lead to frequent illnesses, a long healing process, and tumors.
Preparation and features of the procedure
To understand how to dock correctly, you need to understand the rules of the procedure and its varieties.
There are 4 methods of ear cropping. The first is standard: they leave medium-length cartilage, making either a straight or semicircular cut. The second option is called “bear”, and it consists in the formation of a characteristic rounded cut. The third type of cupping is called “Caucasian”, it involves cutting a third of the cartilage. Suitable for Alabais with long hair. With the fourth method, the average length of the cartilage is left.
If the procedure is being performed on a puppy over two weeks of age and your veterinarian recommends local anesthesia, it is still best to opt for general anesthesia. It is impossible to cut the ear part “to zero”. Having caught the base of the puppy's ear cartilage, the dog will subsequently regularly suffer from otitis media. But you can dock the Alabai’s tail quite short.
Tail proportions
It is not easy to dock the tail of a small Alabai, since it is difficult to decide how much length should be left. Experts focus on the place where the thick base smoothly transitions into the thin part, this is approximately 1/3 of the tail.
Preparation for the procedure
Before docking week-old Alabai puppies, they should not be fed for at least 10 hours.
The ears must be cleaned with cotton swabs dipped in a special lotion.
At the veterinary clinic, the owner of the alabai will be offered to carry out the procedure under general anesthesia or local anesthesia.
Cupping rules
Small, barely born Alabai have their ears and tail trimmed, following sanitary rules. They use sterile instruments for the procedure and carefully treat the wounds with brilliant green upon completion.
There is no point in bandaging the docking area for the Alabai; the puppy’s mother will remove the bandage and lick him thoroughly. Often, breeders take puppies away from their mothers, bringing them only for feeding.
If the owner decides to perform docking on a grown-up Alabai, anesthesia or anesthesia is required.
The hair at the incision site is trimmed, treated with an antiseptic, and sharp instruments are selected that can handle bone and cartilage. The stump of the tail is bandaged.
When to dock the ears and tails of an Alabai
Most often, the issue of developing short ears and tails is dealt with by Central Asian Shepherd dog breeders. They carry out the circumcision procedure independently or in a veterinary clinic. Owners decide whether to crop the ears and tail or not. It is better for owners of newborn Alabai puppies to contact specialists in Central Asian Shepherd Dogs. Irregular shape or different lengths of shells may disqualify the dog. Incorrect home surgery tactics can lead to cartilage damage, overgrowth of the auricle and chronic otitis media.
The ideal age for surgery is considered to be the 2-5th day of life of newborn puppies, provided:
- safe birth of the mother;
- good puppy appetite;
- normal physical activity of the baby.
At this age, the nerve endings in the ears are not yet fully formed, and the vertebrae of the tail are very soft. Thanks to this, the procedure for shepherd cubs is virtually painless and does not cause complications. At this age, there is no need to use anesthesia or stitches.
Weakened or underdeveloped individuals and puppies with symptoms of various pathologies are not allowed to undergo surgery.
It is necessary to crop the ears and tail in the first days of the puppy’s life.
If the surgical method of cropping the ears and tail of an Alabai is carried out after the age of 10 days, the procedure requires anesthesia and suturing. According to common veterinary practice, conscientious doctors crop the ears of Central Asian Shepherds only for medical reasons. However, there are specialists who perform similar operations on animals aged 2-6 months at the whim of the owners.
Post-procedure care
After the operation, the wounds are treated with an antiseptic for at least 10 days, and the Alabai baby’s sleeping place is carefully monitored. Bedding stained with blood is regularly changed.
The adult pet is given stitches and put on a special collar that prevents the animal from licking the incision site. It is important to keep the wound clean so that there is no development of a purulent process.
Expert opinion
Anna Abramenko
An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.
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If complications arise, the wound surface of the dog needs to be washed and re-treated.
The special Levosin ointment relieves itching and irritation well, and accelerates healing. It is recommended to use chlorhexidine as an antiseptic.
Aesthetics or necessity?
The first argument given by fans of docking is “These dogs have had their ears and tails cut for centuries!”
Yes, they cut it, but who wondered why they did it? The first reason is invulnerability in a fight with a predator, a very important and fair reason. Cropping ears and tails of dogs that do not work in the fields is associated with superstition. The fact is that in Asia there was a myth about a beast without ears and a tail. This monster was very evil and vile, people were afraid of it and even the birds became quiet... so the shepherds docked their dogs so that everyone would be afraid. Another version says that dogs' ears were cut off as punishment for biting people. That is, a dog without ears and a tail was an evil repeat offender and, again, everyone was afraid of him.
From an aesthetic point of view, Alabai with ears and a tail “looks bad.” For example, you can’t confuse a Doberman or a Rottweiler with ears, but an Asian... undocked Alabai is somewhat similar to a large Labrador and a Caucasian Shepherd, that is, he is unrecognizable at first sight.
Since the exterior is a “sore spot” for breeders, the latter are universally in favor of docking. In fairness, we note that many countries have come to a ban on docking ears and tails of dogs if there are no medical or working indications for the procedure.
Important! If the quadruped is not of breeding value, there is no need for docking of ears and tails. No decent veterinarian will agree to “cut up a dog,” especially one over 14 days old, at the owner’s request.
Veterinarians' opinion
“The owner’s whim is the law. If we are told that we urgently need to dock the ears and tail of an Alabai, we, of course, do not object. If they ask whether this is necessary, we answer directly - no. Why further traumatize the puppy? Any dog looks beautiful with the ears and tail given to it by nature. It is not for nothing that such operations have long been banned in Europe. I think it's humane."
“Our clinic has a simple policy - the person says “must”, the dog lies down on the operating table. I don’t see any point in arguing with breeders - there have been so many disputes on the topic of docking, but they are all pointless. Everyone pursues their own goals. I believe that an Alabai’s ears and tail should be trimmed only if the dog is a guard dog. So he really looks menacing and becomes less vulnerable.”
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Oleg 42 years old, Perm
“I don’t see anything wrong with docking. Each breed has an exterior that makes it different from others. The Central Asian Shepherd with long ears and a tail looks more like a mestizo than a purebred dog.”
There are increasingly disagreements among dog breeders about the need to dock the Alabai's tail. Despite the controversy among breeders, the docking procedure is still in great demand. Today we will talk about the rules for preparing and performing the operation, as well as the features of pet rehabilitation.
