I'd rather do the procedure and know it got done by a licensed veterinarian than let a layman undertake that kind of thing.
At least I know that -I- care about proper technique and pain management. Can't always say the same about the "vet down the street," let alone a layman.
I have seen many, many declaws, tail docks, and ear crops while working as a tech. I have never seen a debarking, so I will not comment on that procedure, and I think of all the procedures listed, that is the one I would fight the hardest against.
For the ear crops, most of the dogs never seem to know that anything happened. It's a bloody procedure that must hurt like heck without pain meds, but these dogs all get stoned out of their little minds. They tend to whiny on the pre-meds, but wake up and start playing within hours. Most of them don't show any signs of being in pain by the time they go home (later that day), and they certainly don't seem painful when it takes three techs to restrain and distract their wiggly happiness for the rechecks! Most of the owners I've talked with say that dogs go right back to normal as home, and they question whether the pain meds are necessary (we insisted that they are!) While it is not something that I would do on my own animals, I respect those who choose to have the procedure done, whether it is for show purposes or not. And I admit-- as much as I like a pittie with cute floppy ears, a well-done crop is a beautiful thing (and a rare thing.) I wish more veterinarians were willing to learn to do a proper crop for the dog's head and earset-- experience makes a big difference in how the end result turns out. Of the vets I've seen do ear crops, one of them takes ~20 minutes with the owner looking at pictures, discussing the end result they want, and what option is best based on the shape of the dog's head, where the cut should be, etc and the final result is usually excellent, compared to the other vet who looks at the picture the owners bring, and just slices in the best approximation they can.
Declaws-- I used to hate doing routine declaws, until I started working with a vet that used a laser. And then I was just amazed, and think that it is a 1000x improvement over the old techniques. The pain is lessened, the recovery time is shortened, and I think the benefits in most cases far outweigh the risks. Sure, there still people that do it "because all their cats are declawed" but its their choice to make, and if they make the right choice of veterinarians and follow all treatment protocols, it can be a relatively simple process. While I wish Softpaws were an option for all animals, in reality, it isn't. Some people can't handle their animal. Others can't afford the constant expense of softpaws over the cat's 20 year life span (or the expense of paying someone else to apply them) Some cats chew them off.
Tail docks-- on young pups, I've seen it done without any pain meds or sedation. It seems to be a common practice, however, as a vet, I think I would feel better using a little bit of a local anesthetic. I've seen one vet do it that way, and it makes me feel all happy inside. Remember, tail docking is not a purely cosmetic procedure. In many breeds, it has historically been done to prevent damage to the tail in the field for hunting dogs, or in herding dogs to prevent it from being stepped on by a cow. Same for dewclaw removal. Granted, I don't know how many Yorkies are out herding cows and hunting game, but in many breeds, I can definitely see the point of both procedures. And if its done properly, I don't see any issue with a veterinarian doing it for cosmetic purposes. My own dog has double dew-claws on her back legs, and I am terrified of the day when she gets one caught on something. If that happens, all four are coming off at the same time, breed standard bedamned, lol.
If veterinarians refuse, the owners and breeders especially will find their own ways. Maybe once the breed standards are all changed these things will become obsolete, but until then, I think somebody will always find a way. There are breed registries that will not register a breeding animal unless it has these procedures done-- they dont care about bloodlines or show records, as long as the dog "looks" the type. I question the thought process behind that, but again, it's not my call to make.
Anyway, I'm sure quite a few people here will disagree, and I am okay with that. I think as long as you are comfortable with your choice, it's the right one (so long as no animals are being tortured, of course). I certainly would never look down on a vet who refused to do any of the procedures, and I would hope that my colleagues would not look down on me for choosing to perform a proper procedure with adequate pain management and follow-up care. Would I do it to my animals? Probably not. But if I did, I'd want it done right.
ETA: Just a thought. What if you graduate and get hired at a practice that does these procedures? Would you turn down a job if it meant working in a clinic that was associated with these things? What if you get hired, sign a contract, and then realize, you forgot to ask these things, and it turns out, they are required as part of your job?
What if you were required to learn to do this? Would you learn if it meant doing it on a regular basis? On an "emergency" basis, whatever that might be? If it meant you never had to do it, but just had to make your boss happy?
The reason why they probably do it is because it takes < 1 minute to hack them off with nail clippers.
