Serbian Dobermanns

French breeders are docking tails less and less for breeds that used to be subject to tail docking, as most European countries that have banned the practice no longer allow docked dogs in shows. It makes it hard for them to export their dogs if they can’t enter them in shows abroad... If I’m talking rubbish, @BeCool will put me right 😉 Furthermore, regarding importing docked or cropped puppies... I’d honestly rather go abroad to pick out a good, handsome pup if I think a pair of cropped ears is worth it, rather than buying a puppy in France and having it butchered under the table by a vet. Sure, the vet would be liable, but since they're working off the books, they could easily deny the whole thing if they botch or neglect the job—and why would they care, with no traceability? The owner would be just as much at fault for having the op done in France, so as for filing a complaint—well, you've got no chance! There are still vets in France who do the procedure properly, but is it worth landing yourself a fine? Or breaking the law? As for tail docking, I heard the hunting community really waded in when they heard about the ban... as well as pig farmers! 😁 Why? Because in factory farming, they dock piglets' tails to stop them from biting each other due to the stress of being cooped up. Fact or fiction? I'm waiting for @BeCool! Anyway, as far as I know, the law only applied to "pets", so why would livestock breeders have been affected?

Spot on, Bernard! You’ve also got to realise that a dog with floppy ears is about as unnatural as it gets. We’ve bred dogs with an artificial physiology that inevitably leads to health problems, some more serious and recurring than others. Basically, if you really wanted to push the point, you could say that any dog without at least somewhat pricked ears is a form of "exaggerated conformation" that’s detrimental to their health, just like dogs that are undershot, brachycephalic, heavy, tiny, or short-backed (delete as applicable). And that we shouldn’t be blaming the artificiality of a surgical procedure when it’s the artificiality of our own selective breeding that created the problem in the first place. But anyway, I’m probably overthinking it... And for Dobies, Canes, Briards, Great Danes, Beaucerons and the like, ear cropping used to prevent recurring ear infections, just as tail docking stopped them from splitting their tails open every time they got a bit too waggy.

Why do these dogs get more ear infections than other long-eared breeds? Is it genetic? Other breeds with long ears aren't immune either; Cocker Spaniels, for example, often suffer from ear infections, yet we’ve never cropped their ears, let’s be honest. Usually, plucking the hair inside the ear flap and staying on top of things helps to limit these issues. The fact is that these types of health problems, which weren't really a thing for Dobermanns, Great Danes, Cane Corsos and so on, are now quite common. They cause inflammation and pain that ear cropping (which, to be fair, was as much about aesthetics and tradition as anything else) definitely used to prevent...

I reckon that’s part of it, but it must also depend on whether the ear can "breathe" properly. It seems to me that the more skin, folds and enclosed areas there are, the more skin issues, irritations and infections you're likely to get.

The Beauceron has fared better; even with uncropped ears, its shepherd-like look remains. It’s a hardy dog by nature, whereas a "natural" Dobermann looks downright ridiculous to a breed purist. As an enthusiast, I think it’s a shame that people haven’t focused more on the Dobermann’s exceptional temperament beyond the whole cropped and docked debate. But I understand... Regarding the health side of things—ear infections, ears getting shredded during rough play with other dogs, or tails that break or get smashed... Great Danes already suffer from these issues with "happy tail syndrome," even though their tails were never docked; now Dobermanns are joining those poor souls. Let’s be honest, it’s laughable that pseudo-animal welfare causes our dogs even more pain, when a procedure done at a young age under anaesthesia could have saved them from all these troubles once they’re grown! I am, of course, only talking about operations performed by expert vets with proper post-op care to achieve a good ear carriage. The amateurs who butcher their dogs with razors or craft knives, or leave the ears in a right state with no follow-up, are the ones responsible for the misinformation surrounding these procedures. As for respecting the breed standard—which can only be truly understood by enthusiasts (sorry, I’m being a bit harsh there)—the history of these breeds is taking a real kick in the teeth. Utility and aesthetics are often intertwined; when you add the health aspect, this law has basically ruined the breeds and the dogs themselves. I’ve had three Dobermanns: one with natural ears who suffered from recurring ear infections, painful treatments, and became aggressive whenever he needed care. The other two were cropped. Zero ear issues, and they were perfectly happy to be handled. Something to think about...

Those are some eye-opening figures, indeed. Thanks for the info; I hadn't thought to look into it myself. No point dwelling on it... specialised breeds that are incredibly effective in their field are eventually going to disappear.

Hi @Be Cool, when you say it’s ruined certain breeds, do you mean in terms of their popularity (like way fewer Dobes) or something else? As for the Doberman: 1,816 births registered with the Kennel Club in 1990 – 1,075 in 2007 – 886 in 2016. The trend is likely the same for the Beauceron.