Doberman ear cropping arouses much debate in today’s pet owners society. Doberman ear cropping is a surgical operation of shaping the Doberman ears to make them stand erect. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia, for the part of the ear is being removed. But despite the risk of using anesthesia, the danger of doberman ear cropping lies not in the operation itself. It’s after the surgery where the problems start. Months of post-operative care may follow. You become committed to all this bandaging, cleaning the ear edges, wrapping and taping of the dog’s cropped ears. The worst thing is that despite all your diligence and care you still may end up with bad, frustrating results. Your dog’s ears may not stand upright in the end for a number of reasons. Then a repeat ear cropping surgery will be required.
The bad thing is that doberman ear cropping is only done for cosmetic purposes. At present there is no proven medical benefit to this procedure. Fortunately, many countries have already banned doberman ear cropping. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has opposed to this practice making the American Kennel Club allow uncropped dogs in the show ring. Unfortunately, doberman ear cropping is still widespread in many countries to comply with the breed standards.
Before you decide for such a challenging procedure, make sure to gather all the necessary information on this subject. Weigh all pros & cons of doberman ear cropping. Find the best specialist who has much experience in ear cropping. Before taking the final decision, you may want to ask the following questions to learn more about doberman ear cropping procedure.
Why does doberman ear cropping practice exist?
Dobermans seem subject to having the ears cropped more than other dog breeds. Let’s go back into history of this breed for a while. Dobermans are born with long ears flopping down to the side of the head. A long floppy ear is a perfect handle for an attacker to grip on. Doberman ear cropping was mainly performed to avoid this. As Dobermans are considered “guard dogs”, doberman ear cropping was also believed to give them better hearing. There is one more reason why this practice was in common use. Natural ears were thought to more likely accumulate moisture in the ear canals. This made them a hotbed for bacteria. Cropping of ears was supposed to enhance air conditioning. Though, there is still no medical proof for doberman ear cropping to prevent ear infections by simply improving ventilation of the ear canal. These days Dobermans have their ears cropped to put on a fierce look. This allows them to frighten off attackers and effectively perform their guarding job. One more reason for doberman ear cropping is to give Dobermans the appearance of dogs belonging to this breed.
What is the appropriate age for doberman ear cropping?
Usually this procedure is done at the age of 7-12 weeks. Though, many veterinarians will refuse to do doberman ear cropping operation after 9 weeks of age. The matter is in the ear cartilage. It becomes set very quickly. This imposes much risk on the surgery success at an older age. But the worst thing is that even when cropped at an appropriate age, the ears may still never stand up, simply because they are not going to.
What are the common styles of doberman ear cropping?
Your dog can have his ears cropped in different styles. It depends on the length of the ear crop.
Military crop – relatively short in length and wide at the bottom of the ear. This type of doberman ear cropping is the most likely to be successful.
Medium crop – leaves a longer ear and a narrower ear base.
Show crop – performed mostly on Dobermans who are going to participate in the show ring. This doberman ear cropping style requires more artistry than technique on the part of the surgeon. It may take a year of taping and posting the long and narrow ears until they are standing strong.
Why is doberman ear cropping post-care so important?
The desired results mostly depend on the quality of aftercare you are able to provide to your dog. Months of laborious work follow after the doberman ear cropping operation. The first thing you will immediately face is cleaning the edges. Your puppy will have to remain in a special rack or cup for 7-10 days. The sutures will still be holding the ear edges. It’s important to keep them clean. You can use peroxide or BFI powder to help the edges dry out faster. When the stitches are removed, another rack is placed to keep the ears upright. The healing time depends on your diligence and patience. Though, it’s very easy for a puppy to remove this annoying object from his head. The ears are sore and very itchy after the operation. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to prevent him from scratching all the time. Ears should be taped until they are completely healed. The time usually differs from 6-5 months to one year. If you have still made up your mind for doberman ear cropping, make sure to choose a professional for this. He has to not only master the art of ear cropping, but also assist in a proper aftercare for your pet.
Are you still considering doberman ear cropping for your dog? This procedure requires much effort on your part. Moreover, it implies risk on your four-legged friend. The use of anesthesia, possible complications during the surgery and long months of post-operative care are not the things you should expose your dog to. The desire to comply with the breed standards may turn into a deplorable result in the end. Of course, doberman ear cropping is a matter of personal preference. But remember that this is probably the last thing your dog would choose if he could. A good pet owner should care for his pet, and not impose his personal tastes. Most dogs get along without ear cropping perfectly well. Then why not love your Doberman with natural ears? Hopefully, this material on doberman ear cropping was of any use to help you make the right decision.
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