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Originally Posted by dobebug  frankly vabtrfly, i don't agree on your take on breeders & ear crops. i don't know of reputable breeders who only crop their show prospects. most breeders crop at around 8 weeks & often do not make their final choices from the litter for several weeks after that.
i would find a breeder who was telling me that they prefer not to crop to be a big red flag. generally it is likely to signify a breeder who is saving money on the crops &/or the trouble to deal w/a newly cropped puppy rather than turn it over to some poor novice owner who doesn't have a clue. we see it on these forums all the time. |
This is a new age for the Doberman and there are most definitely reputable breeders who prefer the natural look of an uncropped/undocked dobe. It may not fit your taste and it may not even fit my own but, that does not in and of itself send up a huge reg flag to me, nor should it to any prospective owners. To give that information as fact, is irresponsible, IMHO. If the breeding stock is health tested, conformationally correct, and shown in some venue.... this is what should count the most. Not whether ALL dobes are cookie cutter perfect to someone else's ideal. Sorry, we will just have to agree to disagree on this point.
Bob Vandiver does not routinely crop his pet puppies. He also keeps all puppies up to 12 weeks just in case a "pet prospect" shows more promise than it did upon the initial gradings. He will however, refer ALL pet puppy purchasers to highly qualified vets who excel at ear cropping, in their locale. As a matter of fact, if I'm not mistaken, he even gives references to other doberman breeders in case help is needed by the new owner. Whether you agree that he is a reputable breeder or not will depend on your opinion. That's the great part of this forum.... we are ALL able to state OUR opinions. Don't ya just love it! lol.