A big controversy in the European Doberman world is whether it is humane or not for a European Doberman owner to crop his puppy’s ears. People disagree widely on what should be allowed and what the standard should be changed to. In the United States, the majority of veterinarians will not crop a puppy’s ears. They will also go to great lengths to try and convince you to share their point of view. Many veterinary practices will sometimes even refuse to see dogs that have been cropped, especially if you have a problem with your European doberman’s ears. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) opposes ear cropping in dogs. This is because they believe the procedure is purely cosmetic and that it poses an unnecessary risk to the dog. In Europe, the most prominent doberman club association (FCI) has banned the possibility of showing any cropped European doberman after 2016. They have only made it possible for dogs with the “natural look” of floppy ears and a long tail to be shown in their competitions. The ironic thing is that they call it a “natural look”, but is it really natural? The canis lupus, which is also known as the wolf, has erect ears. The lycaon pictus, also known as the African wild dog, also has erect ears. The Hyaenidae, also known as the Hyaen, also have erect ears. In fact, most wild animals that are carnivores have erect ears. For example, the lion, weasel, bear, and coyote. So, the question arises: how did we end up with floppy ears on our canines? The answer is better stated as a question: How did we end up with European Dobermans to begin with? This answer is one that most people are completely unaware of. The answer is through the process of inbreeding, which was used to manipulate desirable traits and magnify them in offspring. The only way to ever get any kind of purebred dog today is to inbreed two closely related dogs together, or, in other words, design the breed by understanding the genetics of the two dogs. This repetitive process is what brought about the 344 different dog breeds recognized today by the American Kennel Club (AKC). Knowing that the European Doberman, along with all the other different dog breeds, were created by inbreeding, we can explain the cause of the unnaturally floppy ears. Even though the facts are not certain, the European doberman bloodline is said to consist of the Beauceron, German Pinscher, Rottweiler, Weimaraner, Greyhound, and Manchester Terrier. Every single one of these breeds has the unnatural floppy ear trait. Somewhere even further back in those dog’s history, the breeders made the mistake or decision that they preferred dogs with floppy ears rather than the upright ones that we consistently find in nature throughout history. These minute changes within the appearance of canines are what biologists refer to as micro evolution. I myself fell in love with this breed because of their physical appearance. I don’t pressure or judge anyone based on their style preference. Everybody, especially in the European doberman world, will have something to critique or comment on, but the important thing is that you get what you want and pay for.