For a long time it was customary to stop Alabai ears and tail. Today, the opinions of breeders are divided, but many still carry out this procedure, although there is no objective need for this. Nowadays, the question of stopping the ears and trimming the tails is an exclusively personal matter for each dog owner.
Indications
Let's try to figure out why such a procedure is needed. We make a reservation in advance that stopping the ears and tails of dogs is one of the most controversial and problematic topics of discussion between amateur dog breeders and professional breeders.
Most opponents of this procedure equate it to barbarism and animal cruelty, while practitioners insist on its necessity.
There is a version according to which initially ears and tails were cut off only by aggressive Alabai, who often attacked people. Seeing such a dog, a man tried not to attract the attention of a dog for fear of becoming a victim of an embittered and aggressive animal. There are no scientific and historical confirmations of this theory, therefore, a different opinion is proposed in encyclopedias.
According to scientists these large dogs began to stop ears and tails several centuries ago in order to make the Alabaev as less vulnerable as possible when fighting other animals. So, Alabai, who entered into battle with the 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 stop their tails and ears.
In our time, the procedure has long lost its significance, since most dogs live at home - the likelihood of meeting a wild beast and receiving damage from it that is incompatible with life is minimized. The only exceptions are situations when Alabay works for the protection of the territory or is in the service of law enforcement agencies, then the procedure is resorted to for the convenience of the animals themselves.
In this case, stopping performs the same function - protects the dog from injury in the event of an attack.
Today, trimming of the tail and ears is carried out only if if there are medical indications. Moreover, some countries even prohibit such procedures. Nevertheless, not all owners are ready to abandon this dubious procedure.
Some breeders cut off alabai ears for aesthetic reasonsto give distinctive pedigree to your pet - the fact is that an uncropped dog is quite difficult to distinguish from a Caucasian shepherd or labrador.
Among the medical indications for circumcision, there are:
- necrosis of the auricles;
- tumor processes:
- ulcers on the surface;
- trauma.
There are no reasons for stopping the tail as such, therefore in the West, they have long abandoned the practice of evaluating dogs at shows by this parameter. Moreover, at international competitions, judges even find fault with cropped ears and tail, since these manipulations are legally permitted exclusively in Russia and the states of the former USSR.
Keep in mind that there are conditions in which stopping is prohibited, they include:
- pathologies of growth and development in the puppy;
- pathology of a viral, infectious or fungal nature;
- recovery period after illness or injury.
The fact is that all the described situations are accompanied by reduced immunity - in this case, healing will go slowly and the development of inflammatory processes is not excluded.
The timing
If you are determined to cut off your ears and tail with your alaba, you need to do this before the age of 10 days, and if the bitch has given birth successfully and without complications, you can stop in 5 days. The fact is that on the first day after the birth of the nerves in the area of the auricle of the Alabaevs do not work, and the vertebrae in the tail are more likely to resemble cartilage in their structure, so the procedure is relatively painless for the animal.
The operation should be carried out only by a veterinarian, some breeders try to cut off the dog’s ears on their own, but, as practice shows, this does not end with anything good.
Procedure
When performing a stopping, it is extremely important that the cut line remains flat, the Alabai is a short-haired breed, therefore an incorrectly performed stopping will immediately catch your eye, and such an animal will not have to wait for good grades at exhibitions. Usually, the ears are given one of the following forms:
- standard - in this case, cartilages of medium length are 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 a bear;
- Caucasian - the longest option, the ears with this design leave 1⁄3 of the cartilage.
We pay attention to the fact that the owner must choose a single form once and for all. Any attempts to bring the ears to perfection of the lines will only hurt and torment the dog. To avoid making the wrong decision, It is advisable to consult a veterinarian who has sufficient experience 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 the animal lets its owners know about their condition, mood and desire to communicate with other dogs. Besides, the tail is needed alabai when running - it allows you to maintain a balanced movement.
At home, the tails of animals were cut off by about half, and only the males and females were left with the tail in its original form. These days, the orders are slightly different: the tail is usually cut off at the place where the thick part turns into a thin one.
Preparation
Before the operation, it is necessary to carefully examine the ears of your pet’s ears - if you notice sulfur emissions, bald spots of unknown origin, skin rashes or inflammation - it is better to postpone the operation until the dog recovers completely.
Be sure to inspect the hair and skin of the eyelids of the animal, make sure that the tick has not sucked up anywhere - this is especially true for Alabais living in the aviary or who are on their own in the courtyard of a private house.
Feeding the animal is stopped 12 hours before the operation, at this 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.
For the tail of any preparatory measures are not provided.
If you intend to stop the dog, which is more than 14 days old, then you will have to work hard to find a veterinarian who has agreed to such an operation. In this case you will need to pass tests that show the general condition of the puppy and reduce it to minimize the risk of complications during circumcision.
Nowadays, stopping is most often carried out without anesthesia, so the animal begins to break out - it is very important that the owner holds it and closes his eyes, otherwise a veterinary error cannot be ruled out due to the too sharp movement of the young Alab.
If there is wool on the ears, it needs to be shaved, then disinfected and the ears trimmed with sharp scissors quickly, the cut should be treated immediately with an antiseptic. The second ear is cut in the same way, after which part of the tail is stopped 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 of age are not sutured, usually there is very little blood flow, and after a few minutes it stops completely. It is advisable to stop ears and tails in one operation, so as not to cause additional stress in Alabai.
Recovery
Places of cuts after stopping 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 an infection can get into the wounds and cause tissue necrosis.
If possible, isolate the pet from the mother, bringing it only for the duration of feeding - if you leave him close, then the mother will begin to lick her cub, which will not allow her ears to heal quickly.
When stopping animals older than two weeks, it is better to establish seams, remove them after 10-15 days, all this time they will certainly be treated with a bactericidal composition.
Usually, complete healing occurs within 1.5-2 weeks, but complications can occur.
- Bleeding - usually faced by adult dogs. In this case, you need to contact a veterinarian who will stop the blood with a powder or a veterinary pencil.
- The appearance of seals and scars - they don’t interfere with the dog at all, but its appearance deteriorates. To avoid such unpleasant consequences, you need to correctly stop the animal in the first days of life.
- Inflammation - occur when an infection gets into the wound. Such situations require the immediate attention of a veterinarian.
See how to properly stop the tail of Alabai, see the next video.
