This procedure must be completed between 8-12 weeks of age. 

 

The never-ending debate of whether you should crop your Cane Corsos ears or not certainly gets a lot of controversy with both sides having strong arguments. In this article, my goal will be to provide you with the reality of getting your Corsos ears cropped, along with my personal experience having both Cane Corsos with and without cropped ears.

It all comes down to your personal opinion. There are no requirements or rules about whether Cane Corso’s ears should be cropped or not. While some people think it’s cruel and unnecessary to crop their dog’s ears, others like the benefits of ear cropping and prefer the aesthetic appearance more.

So there is definitely no right or wrong answer here. Every owner can make their own decision and choose if he wants to do it. Although, if you’re looking to enter your dog into a regulated dog show, it’s always better to look up if they require non-cropped ears (the rules are different with every event organization).

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Pros – Supporting Ear Cropping

Here you can find all the most common reasons why people choose to crop their Cane Corsos ears.

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1. Appearance

The number one reason people crop their dog’s ears is appearance. Even though it’s not the most honorable reason, it’s still very important to some Cane Corso owners. It gives the breed their iconic gladiator look and even helps them score better in some shows since the head shape of a Corso is very unique and important to judges.

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2. Health and Hygiene

One of the biggest causes of problems such as ear infections is moisture building up in the ears. Ear cropping has proven to increase the airflow inside the ears dramatically. So much so that studies have shown that ear cropping has decreased the chance of getting ear infections almost by two times.

The other great benefit is hygiene. Being able to easily keep your Cane Corsos ears clean is such an amazing feeling. I’ve had situations where my Corso had a tick in its ear, and luckily I was able to spot it very early because of his cropped ears.

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3. Better for Guardian and Working Cane Corso

One of the easiest ways for a Cane Corso to get hurt or injured is by someone or something catching his ear. Floppy ears pose a big problem when dealing with intruders as a Cane Corso guard dog. It’s even common for them to catch their floppy ears on something when they are work dogs that help with livestock and run around the farm all day long.

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4. The Cane Corso Signature Look

It’s easy to spot a Cane Corso from a mile away if it has cropped ears. In the United States (and around the world) it’s common that Cane Corsos have cropped ears and that gives them their signature look.

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Cons – Against Ear Cropping

Here are a few potential drawbacks and problems that cropping a Cane Corsos ears can cause according to people who are against ear cropping.

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1. Discomfort and Pain

Even though surgical procedures are done under anesthesia and your dog will not feel any pain during the surgery, some amount of pain and discomfort can occur in the period after the surgery.

From my experience, after cropping my Cane Corsos ears and the medications wore off, I have noticed that the puppies are trying to scratch their ears and probably feeling a small amount of discomfort. Plus, after the surgery, they have to wear bandages around their ears until they are fully formed and healed, which can also be annoying to them.

It’s important to note that I’ve never noticed any real pain, just an occasional scratch, nothing more.

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2. Not Necessary For Cane Corsos Health

The biggest argument against ear cropping with any breed is that it’s not medically necessary for the dog. A lot of people will say that putting your dog through surgery with any amount of risk without any reason is immoral. For sure that can be a downside for some people.

3. People Are Afraid of Cane Corsos With Cropped Ears

That’s right… Even though we shouldn’t care about what other people think, it’s important to know that a lot of people find Cane Corsos scary when their ears are cropped. They will be less likely to feel comfortable and safe around them, and not even approach you in some cases. And that brings up the next topic below.

4. People will judge you

There are many people who will point out how ear cropping is inhumane and cruel so don’t be surprised if you get a few weird looks in public. This has also become somewhat of a trend on social media too, where people comment with rude remarks on pictures of dogs with cropped ears.

Conclusion – Should You Crop Your Cane Corsos Ears

There are some good arguments from both sides, but it all depends on you as the owner. Even though it’s considered cruel and unnecessary by some, it’s still a simple procedure with almost no real discomfort or pain. In my experience, I’ve never seen a Cane Corso in pain or seen any problems occur after cropping their ears.

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ADDENDUM: Please be aware that as of January 1, 2025, FCI rules will no longer accept any dog with cropped ears or tail, will deem them outside of the standard and will disqualify any such dog from showing. This rule does not apply to AKC. 

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