130 CROPPING. 



Cropping. 



This barbarous custom is one that would be more honour- 

 ed in the breach than in the observance of it. Nature gave 

 nothing in vain; some parts being- intended for use, and 

 some for beauty. That must, therefore, be a false taste, 

 which has taught us to prefer a curtailed shape to a perfect 

 one, without gaining any convenience by the operation. As 

 the custom, however, is now fixed, directions are proper for 

 its performance. 



Young dogs should not be cropped before the fourth or 

 fifth week of their age : when the ears are cut earlier, they 

 sprout again, and the form of the crop cannot be so well di- 

 rected as when the ear is more developed. It is a barbarous 

 custom to twist them off by swinging the dog round, and 

 the crop never succeeds so well as when made by scissars, 

 which should be large and sharp.— In cropping terriers, be- 

 gin at the hinder root of the ear, close to the head ; and, 

 when this cut is carried through, one other cross cut from 

 the root at the front of the head, if managed with dexterity, 

 will be sufficient, and will make an excellent fox crop, with- 

 out torturing the animal with numerous trimmings. The less 

 oblique the second cut is carried, the more sharp and foxy 

 will the crop prove. A rounded crop may be made at one 

 cut. The cropping of pug puppies is the most painful of any ; 

 the cuts must, in general, be repeated, and carried close to 

 the root of the ear ; as upon the total absence of external 

 ears (which gives an appearance of roundness to the head) 

 is the beauty of the animal supposed to consist *. It is best 

 to crop puppies in the absence of the bitch ; for it is erroneous 

 to suppose that her licking the wounded edges does them 



* It is not a little surprisiiig that this cruel custom should be so 

 invariably practised on pug dogs, whose ears are particularly hand- 

 some, and hang very gracefully. It is hardly to be conceived how the 

 pug's' head, which is naturally none of the handsomest, is improved by 

 sviffering his cars to remain. 



