Dobermans ears are naturally floppy. Without the procedure, they will not stand up on their own. If you wish to have your Doberman’s ears cropped, they must be ONLY done by someone with experience. The surgery should be done by someone who specializes in ear cropping. Ear cropping is more of an artistic endeavor then say neutering or spaying which is more a technical procedure.
If you have decieded you want to have your Doberman’s ears cropped, there are 3 main styles.
This ear is relatively short in length and has a wider base (bell). It does not typically take very long to stand. This is sometimes referred to as a pet crop and results in shorter, upright ears. Many owners select this style if they don’t intend to enroll their Doberman in dog shows but still want the elegant look many recognize in the breed.
This ear is a little longer and has a little less bell. The medium crop is the final option of the three Doberman ear cropping styles. If you’ve ever seen a fierce-looking Doberman standing guard to protect their family, chances are they had this ear style. The medium crop gives the breed a more intimidating look which is ideal for any working dog, especially if their task is to protect the home. When it comes to length and width, this style is between the size of the military crop and the show crop.
This ear is the longest and a little narrower than the other two crops. There are particular requirements for show dogs in an event. For this cropping style, a veterinarian specializing in cropping will alter the ears to stand upright and appear narrower. Often ears cropped in this style appear slightly curved along the outer edges, and it’s the longest of the cropping styles. Remember that you’ll have to choose this style of ear cropping if you want to enroll your Doberman in dog shows as laid out by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
Ear cropping is usually done at approximately 7 to 8 weeks of age. The operation does require anesthesia. The puppy must not eat for approximately 12 hours prior to the surgery. The procedure takes about 30 minutes. Once the surgery is complete, the first thing your puppy will want to is eat.
The first 7 days after the surgery, your doberman will remain in the rack or cup with the sutures holding the edges closed. After about 7 to 10 days, the sutures will be removed along with the cup being changed. There the pup will remain in their cup for another 7 to 10 days with the ears still taped erect until the cut edges are healed. Use peroxide to clean the edges of the ears and then dust the edges with BFI Powder to help dry them out. Ears should not be taped until most of the scabs from the surgery have healed. If there ends up being 1 to 2 remaing scaps, you can cover those with cotten balls
There is no exact set time that the ears will stand. The average taping time is between 4-5 months. Most of the pups will have their ears up by 7 months. Ears should be taped for a week, then untapped to allow the ears to breathe and dry out, then taped up again. The longer the ears are left untapped, the longer it will take for them to stand on their own.
