I agree the dogs best interest is priority. But once you step over those walls, he is a competitor and in my opinion, the scratch is how you win. Completing the scratch ensures a winner, if one quits and the other doesnt have too, then technically speaking, many dogs are saved from a draw. (Loss) If scratching is the name of the game, then i believe you should scratch to win. From a gambler's view, i wouldnt want to scratch if the opponent quit already, but as competitor who strives for quality, i am very proud knowing we won definitively. But too each his own, i understand the reasoning behind both preferences.