Undocked Alabai: pros and cons, the purpose of cupping

For a long time it was customary to cut off the ears and tail of the Alabai. Nowadays, the opinions of breeders are divided, but many still carry out this procedure, although there is no objective need for this. Nowadays, the issue of ear cropping and tail cutting is an exclusively personal matter for every dog ​​owner.

Let's try to figure out why such a procedure is needed. Let's make a reservation in advance that cropping the ears and tails of dogs is one of the most controversial and problematic topics of discussions between amateur dog breeders and professional breeders.

There is a version according to which initially the ears and tails were only cut off by aggressive Alabai, who often attacked people. Seeing such a dog, a person tried not to attract the attention of the dog for fear of becoming a victim of an embittered and aggressive animal. There is no scientific and historical confirmation of this theory, so a different opinion is offered in encyclopedias.

According to scientists docking the ears and tails of these large dogs began several centuries ago in order to make the Alabaevs as less vulnerable as possible when fighting with other animals. So, Alabai, who entered into battle with a wolf, often died from blood loss if his tail was bitten. To protect the pet from such dangerous situations, to prevent the risk of death of animals and began to cut off their tails and ears.

In our time, the procedure has long lost its significance, since most of the dogs live at home - the likelihood of meeting a wild animal and receiving damage that is incompatible with life is minimized. The only exceptions are situations when Alabai works in the protection of the territory or is in the service of law enforcement agencies, then the procedure is resorted to for the greater convenience of the animals themselves.

Nowadays, tail and ear trimming is performed only if if there is a medical indication. Moreover, some countries even banned such procedures. Nevertheless, not all owners are ready to abandon this dubious procedure.

Some breeders cut off Alabai ears for aesthetic reasonsto give your pet a distinctive breed characteristic - the fact is that An uncropped dog is quite difficult to distinguish from a Caucasian Shepherd Dog or Labrador.

Among the medical indications for circumcision are:

• necrosis of the auricles;
• tumor processes:
• ulcers on the surface;
• injury.

There are no reasons for docking the tail as such, therefore the West has long abandoned the practice of evaluating dogs at shows by this parameter. Moreover, at international competitions, the judges even find fault with docked ears and tail, since these manipulations are legally allowed only in Russia and the states of the former USSR.

Keep in mind that there are conditions in which cupping is prohibited, these include:

• growth and development pathologies in a puppy;
• pathology of a viral, infectious or fungal nature;
• recovery period after illness or injury.

If you are determined to cut off your ears and tail, then you need to do this before the age of 10 days, and if the bitch gave birth successfully and without complications, you can do it. in 5 days. The fact is that on the first day after birth, the nerve endings in the area of ​​the auricle in the Alabai do not work, and the vertebrae in the tail in their structure rather resemble cartilage, therefore the procedure is relatively painless for the animal.

When performing docking, it is extremely important that the cut line remains flat, the Alabai is a short-haired breed, therefore, an incorrect docking will immediately catch the eye, and such an animal will not have to wait for good marks at exhibitions. Usually, the ears are given one of the following shapes:

• standard - in this case, cartilage of medium length is left, and the cut is performed in a straight or semicircular version;
• bear - ears are cut in a semicircle, so they become the same as those of a bear;
• Caucasian - the longest option, with this design, the ears are left on 1⁄3 of the cartilage.

Please note that the owner must choose a single shape once and for all. Any further attempts to bring the ears to perfect lines will only hurt and torment the dog. To avoid the wrong decision, it is advisable to contact a veterinarian who has sufficient experience in working with dogs of the Alabai breed.

As for the tail, it is usually cut off. Not too short - this is not just a physiological process, it is also a tool with which an animal lets its owners know about its condition, mood and desire to communicate with other dogs. Besides, the tail is necessary for an Alabai when running - it allows you to maintain balance of movements.

Before the operation, it is necessary to carefully examine the auricles of your pet - if you notice sulfur discharge, the presence of bald spots of unknown origin, skin rashes or inflammation - it is better to postpone the operation until the dog is fully recovered.

Feeding the animal is stopped 12 hours before the operation, at which time it is better to isolate the mother from her puppy. 1.5 hours before the procedure, the inner surface of the auricles should be treated with hydrogen peroxide.

There are no preparatory measures for the tail.

If you intend to do the cropping of a dog that is more than 14 days old, then you will have to work hard to find a veterinarian who agreed to such an operation. In this case you will need to pass tests that will show the general condition of the puppy and reduce to zero the risk of complications during circumcision.

If there is hair on the ears, it must be shaved off, then disinfected and quickly cut off the ears with sharp scissors, the cut site must be immediately treated with an antiseptic. In the same way, the second ear is cut off, after which a part of the tail is cut off with special scissors for working with cartilage, then it is also treated with an antiseptic solution. A professional doctor performs all these manipulations in 3-4 minutes.

Puppies under 14 days old are not stitched, blood usually flows very little, and after a few minutes it completely stops. It is advisable to dock the ears and tails in one operation, so as not to cause additional stress in the Alabai.

After cupping, the cut sites must be treated with an antiseptic for 10-14 days, even if it seems to you that they have already dragged on. During this period, it is necessary to change the puppy's litter as often as possible, otherwise infection can get into the wounds and cause tissue necrosis.

If possible, isolate the pet from the mother by bringing it only for the time of feeding - if you leave him near, then the mother will begin to lick her cub, which will prevent the ears from healing quickly.

When stopping animals older than two weeks, it is better to fix the stitches, they are removed after 10-15 days, all this time they are certainly treated with a bactericidal composition.

Usually, complete healing occurs within 1.5-2 weeks, but complications are possible.

• Bleeding - this is usually the case with adult dogs. In this case, an appeal to a veterinarian is required, who will stop the blood with powder or a veterinary pencil.
• The appearance of seals and scars - they do not interfere with the dog at all, but its appearance deteriorates. To avoid such unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to correctly stop the animal in the first days of life.
• Inflammation - occur when an infection enters the wound. Such situations require an indispensable visit to the veterinarian.

For information on how to properly cut off the tail of the Alabai, see the next video.