EAR CROPPING YOUR DOBERMAN

Doberman ears are naturally long and floppy much like a black and tan hound, from the very beginning Doberman ears were cropped very short so that if or when they were attacked by an intruder there would be no long floppy ear flap to hold on to and the Dobermann would be able to better perform his or her job of protecting their masters.

One of the most difficult decisions for many Doberman owners today is the one relating

to ear cropping.
Cropping your Dobermans ears is a very personal choice and one that needs to be given

serious thought. As a new Unique Doberman puppy owner you must be totally committed

to spending considerable amounts of money and time for several months to come to get

your puppies ears to stand.

If you are going to show your Doberman in AKC conformation classes you should crop your

puppy at 7-9 weeks of age. The ear cropping procedure should not be performed after

nine weeks because the ear cartilage is already begging to "set" to lay flat and the blood vessels are becoming too large. Please do not try and crop your Doberman puppy after 12 weeks of age! Many vets prefer to wait as long as possible because of potential adverse reactions of a small puppy to anesthesia, however the longer you wait the longer you will tape and tape and tape, causing you and your puppy unnecessary and prolonged ear posting and wrapping.

Many believe, and we are in this group, that cropped ears have less incidences of ear infections, ear mites etc. and are just much cleaner like the "wild dogs" naturally erect ears. Long floppy ears on any dog is a man made trait, they did not come this way originally.

During the Surgery:  
A  veterinarian that is an ear cropping specialist will shorten and shape the ear so that it will be carried erect.  It's extremely important that this ear cropping surgery has been performed by a competent ear cropping veterinarian so that the end result is in direct proportion to the dog's head and body, believe me this is a very artistic endeavor that your chosen vet must be fully able to successfully perform and care for during the posting process.
Preoperative blood tests depend in part on the age and general health of the animal. Usually, most Doberman puppies are around 7 to 9 weeks of age and are healthy. Following anesthesia, the Doberman puppies ears are clipped and scrubbed with surgical soap to disinfect the area. An incision is made from the top of the ear, down the center and to the base of the ear to remove the outer half of the ear.

After the Surgery: At Unique Dobermans we tape the ears onto a Styrofoam cup on top of their heads until the sutures heal, or if they are still with their litter-mates they are taped down across their head.
Do not allow your Doberman puppies ears to fall down! The longer they are left down the longer they will take to get to stand up. If they are left too long, they may never stand correctly. One day is much too long. An hour or two at most is all you can wait. 

There is a great deal of controversy as to whether or not ear cropping is a humane practice. In the United States, the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights has recommended that the AKC and other breed associations delete mention of cropped ears from their breed standards. Currently as of this writing in 2023, the choice is still yours. 

Please get all the facts before making your decision. 

A lot of people prefer the unrecognizable "pet" look of an un-cropped Doberman and feel that it makes their dog appear friendlier and more approachable. 
You on the other hand may choose ear cropping to give him the breeds' standard traditional look.
It is a personal decision unless you plan to show.
Please make sure your veterinarian is competent in the latest ear crop techniques and current styles for your Doberman.

And please don't forget: (Please follow your veterinarians recommendations)
Your Doberman puppy will need to fast for 4 hours before the surgery. 
Food and water can cause vomiting and aspiration (inhaling of vomit) once the puppy is sedated. This can be fatal. Withhold food after your puppies dinner the night before his surgery. Although the procedure does require the puppy to be anesthetized, it may lessen your fears about cropping to know that the entire operation takes only 30 min. and the puppy is under anesthesia only for that time. 
The very first thing your puppy will want to do after being cropped is eat, our veterinarian offers a small bite of high energy canned food when our Unique Doberman puppies wake up from ear cropping surgery.
Average taping time is approximately 4-5 months, please be prepared for it to take considerably longer. Unique Doberman puppies will usually have their ears standing up by the age of 6 - 7 months. 

Please be totally committed if you decide to crop your Dobermans ears! 

1. Check for odors (The ears should not have a foul smell.) 

2. Keep the ears dry. If the ears get wet, re-wrap them immediately with dry tape. 

3. If the ears fall as they probably will, you must put them right back up, just remember that for each day you allow them to be down you can add another week of tapping!