I'm sure I'll get downvoted for this, but for the sake of argument - I'm weighing in as someone who owns a cropped doberman and actually knows something about the breed.

Whoever said it is "difficult" to acquire an uncropped doberman from a reputable breeder was severely understating that difficulty. It is, in fact, damn near impossible to purchase a doberman puppy from a REPUTABLE breeder (one who breeds infrequently and ONLY for the betterment of the breed - who shows, titles, and health tests their dogs). The vast, vast majority of reputable breeders crop the entire litter of puppies before even deciding who they will sell them to. There are many reasons for this, but the primary ones are:

1) It is the AKC Standard, and reputable breeders breed to the Standard. From the doberman standard: "Ears normally cropped and carried erect" (in this usage, "normally" means cropped in the normal manner, not "usually" cropped).

2) If, god forbid, a reputable breeder sells a puppy to someone who must later rehome it, it is FAR easier to rehome a puppy with a beautiful crop. Cropped dogs in rescue are adopted far more readily, and reputable breeders will always require that the purchaser sign a sales contract stating that in the event the dog must be rehomed, that it will be returned to the breeder. It is far easier for breeders to "place" dogs with a lovely crop.

3) For the purpose of minimizing discomfort, puppies are generally cropped around 7.5-9 weeks of age, with the average age being around 8 weeks. Reputable breeders breed for THEMSELVES - to keep a puppy or two in order to title the puppy and better their breeding program. They do not breed to sell puppies. Unfortunately, it is often impossible to tell at 7 or 8 weeks whether or not a puppy will mature into the kind of dog the breeder wants to keep. Therefore, the entire litter is cropped on the basis that usually the breeder has not yet decided which puppy or puppies to keep and show. While "natural" ears are not unheard of in the conformation ring, they are heavily penalized. To my knowledge there have only been a handful (less than 10) natural-eared AKC champions in several decades.

For these reasons and others, REPUTABLE breeders crop their entire litters at an early age. It is so universally true that I can look at a doberman and predict with near certainty whether or not the dog came from a reputable breeder. Those who choose to support disgusting backyard breeders and puppy mills who pump our rescues full of homeless dobermans will almost always have a dog with natural ears or a bad crop. Those who have purchased their puppies from REPUTABLE breeders will have a dog with a longer, natural-looking "show" crop. See my dog for an example of what I mean: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/leebroadway/DSC_0424.jpg

There are a few (very few) exceptions to the rule that all reputable breeders crop ears. One exception are those breeders who specialize in European working lines. Often Euro working breeders who breed for bite sports (schutzhund, French ring) will allow puppies to go home uncropped, as that's the more "European" thing to do. However, there are only a handful (I mean VERY FEW!) reputable working breeders in the United States and many doberman enthusiasts would not be suitable homes for these types of puppies, anyway. They are much different, temperament and drive-wise, than North American-bred dobes. So much that most doberman folks will tell a first-time owner that acquiring a Euro working puppy (particularly a male) is asking for trouble.

I have personally witnessed puppies during and immediately after cropping procedures. Done by a skilled veterinarian under anesthetic, the surgery is minimally invasive - much less so than a spay or neuter. Puppies bounce back and are generally being holy terrors in a matter of hours. Dewclaw removal, which is NOT done to puppies under anesthesia, is considered a more painful procedure.

I should add that the puppy in the GIF was not recently cropped. His ears are completely healed (that happens in about a week and a half or so) and being "posted" - i.e., trained to stand. Posting their ears is sometimes annoying to them until they get used to it in a week or so, but it is not the slightest bit painful.

My point is that when you see a doberman, or any other cropped breed for that matter, with "posted" ears - save your condemnation. It's entirely possible that this person loved the breed enough to purchase an already-cropped puppy from a reputable breeder, rather than seeking out a puppy mill or backyard-bred dog on the cheap.