Canada's Ear Cropping Ban: A Message to Future Doberman Owners

The province of Ontario has passed a ban on medically unnecessary medical procedures that would include ear cropping. This will not be enforced until January 1st, 2027.  The CDC requires that pups be 6 months old to enter the US, which is too old to be cropped by that age.  Therefore Canadian breeders cannot offer cropped puppies after January 1, 2027.

My love for this breed extends well beyond the length and carriage of their ears. The breed will remain the same, by way of character, temperament, size, and ability.  They will be the same goofy dog with a heart of gold and a brain that makes it impossible for them to pass up an opportunity.  Ears up or down, Dobermans will still protect you with their lives, chase the squirrels away, follow you everywhere, and cuddle with you when you need them.  

I will not be rushing to breed a litter just so that the pups can be cropped, and I won't smuggle my pups into the US to be cropped.  When the cropping ban takes effect it is up to all of us true Doberman enthusiasts to do their part to support Canadian breeders in their efforts to preserve the breed.  We will undoubtedly face some growing pains and we blend our values with the most of the World.  There is nothing you or I can do to prevent the ban, but there is a lot we can do to prevent harm to this noble breed.

Do not purchase cropped pups from Brokers bringing pups in from the US and other countries that still allow cropping.  I can tell you for certain that NO ethical preservation breeder will sell their pups to a broker for resale.  Pups offered by a broker will almost definitely come from puppy mills and backyard breeders.

Do not purchase a cropped puppy that is born in Canada after November 6th, 2026, unless the breeder can verify that a veterinarian performed the surgery.  Cropping is not a procedure that should be done in someone's garage.  The pup needs to be safely anesthetized and monitored, and the surgery needs to be done by a skilled professional. Backyard breeders who crop their own pups do so by knocking their pups down with ether, or dosing them with heavy sedation drugs.  Both cause damage to the liver and can have catastrophic effects on the puppy.

Bringing cropped dogs into Canada from other countries will hurt the breeding program of ethical Canadian breeders.  We need to have litters in order to keep our bloodlines going.  The reality is that 80-90% of the pups produced from a litter will be sold as family companions, with only 1 or 2 pups being retained by the breeder to maintain that pedigree.  Dobermans have large litters, and if a breeder can't place their pups in suitable family homes, they simply won't breed a litter. 

Importing cropped pups into Canada will strain the population and potentially fill the animal shelters when these dogs cannot be kept by their owner.  The responsibility of these unwanted imported dogs will fall on the preservation breeders who support our local Canadian breed clubs and rescue agencies.  Please consider this before you decide to import instead of buying to support your local breeder.  We can't do it without you!