Ears to You!
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- Renie_Burghardt
- deborahjm
- heideggerX
- Renie_Burghardt
- deborahjm
- heideggerX
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» Renie_Burghardt - Ears!
Hi Deborah, I can't imagine a Doberman with floppy ears! Interesting article. Thanks. Hope all is well with you. Renie-- posted by Renie_Burghardt
» heideggerX - Re: Re: Ears!
Dobermans without cropped ears don't look at all like coonhounds. They look like Dobermans without cropped ears. The article cites a common fallacy - that uncropped ears lead to ear infection. The Doberman's natural ears are neither long enough nor heavy enough to maintain enough moisture in the ear canal as to result in infections. The dogs who get ear infections are those with heavy, pendulous ears, such as cocker spaniels, bloodhounds, etc. The US is one of the only countries in which it is still LEGAL to crop ears. The Dobie's home of Germany doesn't even allow it. It is simply a cosmetic alteration that results in undue suffering and damage to these animals.-- posted by heideggerX
» Renie_Burghardt - Re: Re: Re: Ears!
In response to message posted by heideggerX:Very interesting comment, heideggerx! In fact, I wish you had a picture of a Dobe without cropped ears. I'd be curious to see one. I have a Rottie with a cropped tail. I wonder if they also allow tails on Rottweilers in Germany? Thanks for telling us about Germany not allowing ear cropping of Dobermans. Take care. Renie
-- posted by Renie_Burghardt
» deborahjm - Re: Re: Re: Ears!
In response to message posted by heideggerX:Dobermans without cropped ears are often mistaken by many people for coonhounds--obviously you are much more discerning than those folks.
I have been told that minimizing ear infections is one reason to crop. This has been confirmed to me personally by many veterinarians and Doberman breeders (the latter of which have no monetary motivation for advocating cropping).
Dobermans have very deep, bulb-like pockets below each ear that trap moisture and having erect ears allows for better air circulation. The insides of the ears stay drier. Again, numerous veterinarians and breeders with whom I have spoken confirm this.
I did not wish to imply that having non-erect ears is considered a breed fault; however, erect ears is the traditional stance. The Official AKC Standard of the Doberman Pinscher (visit
http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/dobp... states, “Ears normally cropped and carried erect.”
The official stance on cropping reads, “The American Kennel Club recognizes that ear cropping, tail docking, and dewclaw removal, as described in certain breed standards, are acceptable practices integral to defining and preserving breed character and/or enhancing good health. Appropriate veterinary care should be provided.” (http://www.akc.org/insideAKC/cropdoc.cfm...
In the United States, cropping is perfectly legal if performed by a veterinarian. The US is, in fact, one of many countries that still allows cropping
Likewise, the German standard states, “Ears: The ear, which is set high, is carried erect and cropped to a length in proportion to the head. In a country where cropping is not permitted the uncropped ear is equally recognized. (Medium size preferred and with the front edge lying close to the cheeks).”
However, this does not mean that the cropped ear is not part of the breed standard in Germany. Since June 1, 1998, cropping has not been permitted in Germany, but it is still part of the country’s official Doberman standard. The standard is merely acknowledging that in some countries cropping is not allowed and that in those countries, the cropped ear is considered just as good as far as standards are concerned.
Many European countries still crop. Countries that don’t crop include the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, England, Sweden, Singapore, South Africa and Germany.
Cropping is largely cosmetic--Louis Dobermann tried to breed the erect ear characteristic into the dog and began cropping because he could not achieve naturally-standing ears--but individual owners must decide which is best for themselves and their dogs. No older dogs should be cropped, as the cartilege in the ears has become stiffened by then, and no one but an experienced veterinarian should crop ears.
-- posted by deborahjm
» heideggerX - Re: Re: Re: Re: Ears!
I have several pictures of my 10-month old Doberman who has his natural ears. If you're interested, email me at heidieggerx@hotmail.com.-- posted by heideggerX
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