Why do you crop the ears?
Because 90% of the ear crops I have seen done by most vets are a bad crop or misporportioned to the head, most vets don't crop enough to know how to do a good crop, there fore you get ugly looking crops, misproportioned crops, or to small or to big, Any vet who specializes in ear cropping and knows how to do a good crop is $650 + per puppy. Our vet has been doing it for years and does an excellent job.

At what age do you crop the pups?
We have our pups ears cropped at 6-9 weeks, At this age it is much less traumatic on the pup, Since he has his ears done with us he is less stressed because he is in an environment he knows with his litter mates, people and parents, It is also easier on the new owners, then having them done within the 1st couple weeks of adjusting to a new home.

Why do you crop at 6 weeks rather then 12-16 weeks?
I have allot of people ask why I have my ears done at 6 weeks rather then 12-16 weeks, I know some old fashioned vets say you can't, yet allot of show breeders do it. So I researched it and  researched it and after, tried it with a litter and it is MUCH EASIER on the pup and the new owners, Since he has his ears done with us before going to his new home, he is less stressed as he is in an environment he knows with his litter mates and parents, where as being done a in new home where the people, smells and environment are new, A puppy goes through a big transition moving  to a new home where everything is new, then to do a surgery on top of it and for several weeks to months of taping his ears, he learns to shy away which should not be taught.

I believe the constant fussing with ears hurts the bond with the new owners as their 1st impression is that you are going to hurt their ears. The first 2 months with your new pup at home you should be bonding and getting to know each other not be constantly fussing with ears,

I know some of you are fortunate enough to have great vets but I have been a breeder for many years and have seen some pathetic vets that only care  how much $ they can make, In all my years I have only ever been happy with 2 vets who cropped ears.

Most vets look at the $ side of ears, and why not you have $650 + for the cropping of each puppy and then all the return visits for suture removal and on retaping and if you have problems for 3 months to a year! They make out good! while our poor puppies suffer with retaping and more retaping and sometimes when it goes bad they vet reccomends recropping and starts it all again. I simply avoid all of this by having the pups cropped here wiht us and in most cases standing and completely done, here before they go.
 

Will the ears be totally done and standing when I get my pup?
Most are but some may need an additional 1-3 weeks of bracing, but by being done at this age you and the pup only need to go through 1-3 weeks of bracing rather then 3 months -1yr.
 

Where do I get supplies if I need to rebrace the ears?
If a pup needs additional bracing I will send a kit home with you. However for a list of supplies see my How to Post Dobe Ears page.
 

Do you guarantee the ears?
No, We do not guarantee the crop, like any surgery in dogs or humans vets and doctors do not guarantee the results and neither can we, As individual people one person will love the crop and the next will not, The pups ears are usually far enough along you can see the crop and how it stands to make your decision of whether you like it or not. If you are having a pup shipped I can take photos of the ear crop for you. If you prefer not to have a pups ears cropped let us know before the pups are 5 weeks old.

Types of Crops
These are the  typical crops we give our dogs, and you can see Max as a natural eared below.

Tail docking is almost always done when puppies are one to five days old. At this age, the procedure does not require anesthesia and it has been reported that minimal pain is felt. When the animals reach six days of age, their pain sensors and nerves begin to function fully. Thus, general anesthesia is needed for procedures after this time. Although as a general rule anesthesia is safe, there is always the risk of a complication occurring especailly at this young of an age.
 

Should I have my puppy's ears cropped?
Whether or not to have the ears cropped is a personal decision that must be made by each individual owner. People are attracted to different breeds because of their unique appearances and cropped ears are often an important part of what people think a doberman should look like. Others may not want to risk anesthesia in their new puppy and be perfectly content with the softer look of pendulous ears. Although pendulous ears can have a higher incidence of ear infection, this is easily prevented with good hygiene and a preventive ear cleaning program as a part of routine grooming. The cost of ear cropping can range from around $400 to $9000 depending on the locale and the reputation of the surgeon.

Aftercare adds more cost and many trips to the breeder or veterinarian for the taping procedure which "teaches" the ears to stand.Complications can include infection, improper taping (which can cause ear tips or whole ears to lose blood supply and  fall off), and failure to stand (caused by improper taping or inadequate taping, assuming the crop is a good one). A commitment must be made to follow the recommended taping procedures to achieve optimum results.
 

Is ear cropping painful?
Individual dogs, like people have different levels of pain tolerance. In general, dobermans are very pain tolerant and most puppies returning home from an ear crop will be eating normally and playing just as they did before surgery within hours of the procedure. Although the ears are
uncomfortable if touched excessively or bumped, this discomfort usually subsides within a few days of surgery. Some veterinarians will offer pain medication for those individuals who seem to have a low pain tolerance. The skill and experience of the surgeon also have an effect on the discomfort level after the procedure.
 

Is there a risk connected with cropping?
As with any surgical procedure that requires anesthesia, there is always a risk. With the newer anesthetic drugs and monitoring equipment that veterinarians have access to, these procedures are much safer than they were ten years ago. Each veterinarian and each hospital will have its own unique success/failure ratio. 
 

Should I restrict my puppy's activities after the surgery?
If your puppy comes home the day of surgery it will probably want to sleep until the anesthesia has completely worn off. The day following surgery and thereafter, it is not necessary to restrict the puppy's activity. The only restriction would be that the puppy should not be allowed to play with other dogs until the ears have healed. Other rambunctious puppies would tend to bite at the ears and could cause the ear edges to bleed, not to mention the pain of having the newly cropped ears chewed on. While adult dogs have more sense, they also tend to have a nurturing drive which causes them to lick at the pup's ears excessively. This might impair healing or cause the ears to bleed.
 

Is the taping procedure something I can do myself?
Of course you can. If you would like to attempt it yourself see How to Post Dobe Ears 

Is tail docking painful/traumatic?
When the tails are docked at 2 to 5 days of age, the procedure seems to be momentarily painful, that is, the puppy cries during the procedure, but as soon as the pup is placed back with its littermates, it quickly falls asleep and is very willing to nurse if the bitch presents herself to the puppy. This is in contrast to a truly painful puppy who exhibits continuous crying and restlessness and fails to nurse. The older the animal, the larger the tail, and therefore the more traumatic the procedure. If the puppy is more than 10 days old, the procedure should be performed under anesthesia after the time of weaning, preferably at around 8 weeks of age.
 

What are dewclaws?
Dewclaws are like thumbs. They are the first digit on a dog, and, unlike digits 2,3,4 and 5, are not used for walking. They are located a short distance up the leg on the inside surface. They are usually removed at the same time the tail is docked, at 2 to 5 days of age. At this age, the bones that make up the toes are tiny and soft so that snipping them off is easy. If the dewclaws are not removed at 2-5 days of age, like the tail dock, one should wait until the pup is old enough to be performed under anesthesia safely. Removing dewclaws from an adult animal is much more difficult than snipping them off of a days old puppy. Recovery time is also longer and many adult animals will bother the incision excessively because it is so easy to reach. This usually necessitates the placement of an Elizabethan collar, a funnel shaped plastic device that surrounds the animal's head, so that it cannot lick or chew its sutures out. Dewclaws serve no purpose to the dog. They are easily snagged on things and often traumatized.