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People who support and advocate for this procedure have many ‘justifications’ that they use to defend their decision to clip their dog’s ears. Many dog owners today still crop Pitbull ears, but not for the purpose of dog fighting. This helped to make bull baiting more exciting for audience members to watch. The pinna is the floppy part of the ear we see on the outside of a dog’s head.Ĭlipping also gave their dogs a ‘ferocious’ look that made them more intimidating. To avoid this, the Romans began cutting off most of the pinna. The History Of Ear CroppingĮar cropping originated in Ancient Rome when dog fighting and bull baiting were popular forms of entertainment.įloppy ears posed a threat to fighting dogs because another animal could latch on to their ear and rip it off. The goal of this surgical alteration is to produce a sharp, pointed shape that makes these dogs look constantly alert. The endearing floppy pinna that Pitties are famous for is cut during the procedure. This part of the ear is important to keeping debris/water out of a dog’s inner ear and also helps them communicate with people and other dogs. The outer ear that we love to scratch and rub on a dog is known as the pinna. Or, if your puppy is mixed with a Basset Hound, their ears could be much longer and floppy to the point that they drag on the ground when they walk! The floppiness of the ear depends on if it is a purebred Pitbull or a mixed breed.įor example, if your Pitbull is mixed with a German Shepherd, they could likely have the erect, pointy ears that are so typical of Shepherds. They stand up slightly, but the bottom half of the ear still folds over the top. Some adult Pitbulls can have heads so big that their ears look tiny on the top of their head.Īdult Pitbull ears are not as floppy as when they were puppies, so they are not considered rosebud shaped anymore. These puppies have the appearance of Dumbo, with ears far too big for their tiny heads! This makes them absolutely adorable.Īs they age and grow, their heads become large and block shaped, which helps them fit into their large ears much better. They have soft, folded ears that are slightly lifted up which makes them seem inquisitive. This is the same ear shape that Labrador puppies have. When Pitbulls are born they have what is known as rosebud ears.