Below is simply a non-dobe person's opinion. It might help you understand what some people think about cropping or it might just take up server space LOL.

I've met a dobe with normal ears and she looked more noble IMO than the ones with the ears cropped so that they look like little wires sticking up. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

It could also attract fewer people to the dobe for the wrong reasons if the dogs looked differently.

The only problem with that theory about less people in the breed for the wrong reasons is the fact that litter registrations in Germany are so low there is a real danger of it becoming a rare breed. Last I heard the reg numbers were around 700 pups in one year in all Germany.
Docking and cropping bans will only harm the breed. Be under no illusion of that.

http://www.users.bigpond.com/kampk9/index.htm

Oh it will definitely harm the breed, chris j is absolutely right. And if your going to put up the argument that "looks should not affect your choice of a dog" than jump anyone for breeding a useless toy variety of any type. The reason the tail and ears were cropped in the first place was to avoid injuring the animal in its place as a working dog. Though I suppose the anti-crop geniuses probably see no need for working dogs of any type anyway. The problem is in our constant pursuit of enlightenment and a more humane world, people loose touch with reality and common sense goes right out the window. Yeah Im a little sensitive about this subject.

Hello everyone, my name is John and I currently own two dobies which I am trying to train for the sport of sch. My male is from canada out of a kennel called monacobay's dobermans. and my female is from a local breed in califronia. Now I am located in Sacramento California, is there a local breeder who sells sch. bloodline dobermanns pups? I am actually looking to buy or maybe pair my male with a nice bitch to produce nice dobies that can compete with the GSD out there. My bitch is probably not going to work out for this sport due to that she came from an AKC agility line. So if anyone have any info reguarding this matter please email me! thanks
John

DOBE, Who didn't fall in love with dobermans while watching Magnum P.I.? The only time I ever wanted Magnum to get his but kicked (he made my heart go pitter patter!) was when Zeus and Apollo were on site with Higgy baby! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

In all seriousness though, I never did agree with ear cropping. Yes, it does make the dog look more noble and fierce, but when I did some research on how the procedure is done, the taping, etc. I would never subject my dog to that. My standard poodle is docked and I have several friends with hunting/sporting breeds with docked tails. It doesn't seem to bother me as much. Although by today's standards most docking/cropping is done for purely cosmetic purposes.

My first trainer (the one I liked best) and a friend I met a few years later have had dobermans for 30 years as pets and obedience competitors. Both wholeheartedly agreed that they would never again buy another cropped dog, the procedure was too cruel and painful. Their new dogs have uncropped ears.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I found, at one point, a web site for the "Cropping and Docking Council" ( http://www.cdb.org ). They made some interesting arguments for docking and cropping. Of course they showed the worst examples they could find (in some cases it looked like borderline animal neglect), but there are problems with broken tails and ear infections in breeds bred to be cropped/docked that aren't. The ears were breed larger to accomodate the cropping, particularly for show crops, and do not provide for good air circulation and increased growth potential for bacteria. The tails are often broken by hitting things as they are wagged in to tables and walls.

Richard, Is this the site you meant?

The Council of Docked Breeds
http://www.cdb.org <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yep, I just found it again too.

When it comes to the cruelty of cropping ears and tails on the dobermann, I think that this is nothing at all,if we compare it to other things we do whith dogs and animals. Many breeds suffer from defected functions due to stupid breedstandars where the unnatural becomes natural. People breeds dogs whit such abnormal functions that they could hardly breath or get puppys the normal way. Some even have to large eyes for their eyesockets which even leads to that the eyes pops out from the skull. Many breeds suffer because they are breed to some peoples opinion about "beauty". In such cases we could really talk about cruelty. My opinion is that we also have to think about what the antidockinglaws do to the dobermannbreed. Lets face it, most people don´t like the look of an uncropped dobe, this leads to small interrest in this breed, the docking laws could be a serious threat to the dobermanns future, is this a prize we are willing to pay? The dobermann was created for protectionwork, docked ears and tails makes his job easier, you can´t catch a dog which is docked, also less injuries to the sensetive ears and tail. A protection/guard dog also in my opinion should have a deterent "look", this is probably in most cases enough to scare criminals away.
Take a look on the link below, click on articles and you could read about docking in the dobermann breed, I think you will found that this is not so cruel, like some people say.
http://www.dobermanns.dk

Regards