Hey guys, I'm a new Doberman owner and I'm a little confused about their ears. I've seen some Dobermans with floppy ears, and others with pointy ears that stand up. I'm not sure if the floppy-eared ones are born that way or if something happened to cause their ears to droop. Can anyone shed some light on this? I want to make sure I understand the breed properly so I can take good care of my Doberman. Thanks in advance for any insight you can offer!

Hey there! I have owned Dobermans for years, so I can help answer your question. Doberman puppies are actually born with floppy ears. As they grow and mature, their ears will naturally start to stand up, usually around 4-6 months of age. However, sometimes a Doberman's ears don't stand up on their own and remain floppy. That's where ear cropping comes in. Ear cropping is a surgical procedure that many Doberman owners opt for to get that classic pointy ear look. It's done while the puppy is still young, usually between 7-12 weeks old. The procedure involves removing part of the ear flap and shaping what is left into a point. After the surgery, the owner must properly care for the ears during the healing process to ensure they stand up properly. Some owners choose not to crop their dog's ears because they believe it is unnecessary, others because it is illegal in their country. Either way, a Doberman's ears will not naturally stand up at birth, but over time they should straighten out on their own just fine.