Hi there, I don't know a great deal about Dobermanns but they're a breed I'm really interested in. However, I've just found out that their ears aren't naturally upright (I'd never seen them any other way before! 😅). I know some people have them cropped, which is something I'd never do to any animal unless there was a medical need, but I wanted to ask about the taping and posting that owners do. Does this replace the cropping? Does it hurt the dog? And is there any danger later on for a dog that doesn't have a 'natural' ear position? Thanks in advance for your help, and please excuse me if these questions seem a bit 'naive', I'd just love to learn more. Thanks!
Translated from French
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Hi Prince 44, I’m not looking for a row, but if we want to move forward, we need brave people to stand up against the norm every now and then. Old habits die hard... but the younger generations will adapt to these new standards and will even be outraged by these barbaric, old-fashioned methods. If cosmetic surgery (which you seem to value) was performed on you in your sleep without your consent, and without anyone asking which part of your body you wanted to change, I don’t think you’d be such a staunch defender of these practices. I don’t see a breed dying out at all when it comes to the Dobermann, but rather a breed with new beauty standards that are more respectful of the animal. When we’ve been told for decades that a Dobermann has to meet certain criteria, it’s only natural that those resistant to change feel upset, but they’ll get over it... thankfully, everything passes! Especially when it’s in the name of progress. We’ve come a long way since the cruel practices of the slave trade; people had to fight to put an end to that, and yet the conservatives back then had arguments that held just as much water as yours. I’m writing this without any bitterness; I hope you don’t take it the wrong way.
There are plenty of sheepdogs with floppy ears. It’s a good thing that ear cropping is banned; it’s just inflicting suffering on the dog for no reason.
Pyrenean Mountain Dogs live outdoors with sheep and yet they have floppy ears. The Dobermann isn't a sheepdog and its coat isn't thick enough for it to live outside in the dead of winter...
Hi Prince, you’ve hit the nail on the head. To reply to @Marina (vet), shepherds actually had a very good reason for cropping their dogs' ears – you only have to ask them! It certainly wasn't for aesthetics; it was about recurring ear infections. Since the dogs lived outside with the sheep in the rain and damp, they were constantly suffering from them. They knew exactly when the vet needed to perform the procedure. As for the dressings, they served as protection, and for certain breeds like Dobermans, they have to wear this tape for a while to strengthen the cartilage so their ears stay upright for the rest of their lives. Cropping was never done just for the sake of it.
In a country where that practice is still legal—but anyway, when you’re buying from a distance, you’ve got to be certain the breeder is reputable. The best thing to do is always to go there in person to check out the living conditions for yourself.
Hi, I’m looking for some info – where did you get yours from? I’d really like to get one but I don’t know how to find one with cropped ears and a docked tail please??? Thanks in advance.
@Prince44 this thread hasn't been active for months... The Dobermann breed isn't going to disappear, but it's certainly becoming more of a niche breed, that’s for sure.
Debates on this topic get very heated around here...
As for imports, they were already a thing before the ban, as breeders didn't hesitate to look abroad to strengthen their bloodlines.
It is true, however, that the ban on ear cropping has led to some shady practices (dodgy imports: sick puppies / lack of proper paperwork). Another issue is people trying to bypass the law and cropping the ears themselves... it's absolute butchery and guaranteed agony for the pups.
Unfortunately, Europe isn't going to backtrack, even though it would have been much simpler to leave the choice to the future owners. Especially since several breed standards used to allow both cropped and natural ears.
Personally, I think a Doberman with floppy ears isn't really a Doberman; it looks more like a hound. The result of the ban on ear cropping is that the breed has almost vanished. Just check the Doberman listings on sites like Pets4Homes and you'll see there are hardly any left, and because of this ridiculous law, the breed is going to die out, just like others have. Honestly, I don't think this does anything for animal welfare! We have cosmetic surgery for adults, so I don't see why we can't have it for animals, especially since when you do it at two months old, there's very little pain involved. Plus, the dog has a much better quality of life afterwards without the risk of ear infections. This law was only passed to fall in line with EU regulations, and if they only ever passed good laws, we'd know about it! The direct result is that people just go abroad to buy their dogs, which only encourages dodgy dealings and puppy smuggling. So, for me, I see nothing but negatives with this law, despite what animal rights activists might think—half the time they don't have a clue about the reality of the situation!
