Not to mention the original crop job of a Great Dane is nothing like what we see today. They were cute very close to the head. The long erect ears of today are not at all how they used to be and only adds to the fact that it is done for looks only.

While judges may “prefer” a cropped look it shouldn’t matter. If owners and breeders stepped up to the plate and left their dogs with natural ears then the judges would have no choice. Don’t use the judge as an escape for cutting off the ears.

Well at least I know they can be trained… The owner got a harsh verbal response along the lines of “if you can’t control your animal, I will control it permanently FOR YOU” and there have been no further problems.

The standard has not evolved much. Even today, when describing the cropped ear it reads that the ears should be:
“identical in shape and length, with pointed tips. They are in balance with the head and not exaggerated in length. They are set high on the skull and carried perpendicularly at the inner edges, with as little bell as possible along the outer edges”

I’ve owned Danes for over 30 years, and have shown and bred them over 20 years. I’ve had both cropped and “natural” earred Danes. I prefer a cropped dog, and so do the judges!

The dogs in the photo were not in a small room ~ if you look closely, they were being barred from entering the kitchen…where a Dane can “counter surf” and eat food off the counters.

Kathy

Danes are big, but they don’t go over obstacles. Heck, the owner could have put a chair there, and the adults wouldn’t even try. The puppies, maybe.