Normally a Doberman puppy has floppy ears and a long tail. While still a puppy, the tails are often shortened by surgery (called "docking") which heals quickly and causes the puppy very little pain. The ears are cut to a point and so they stand up (called "cropping"). This takes longer to heal. Cropping is considered by many to be unnecessary and is illegal in much of Europe. But it is still done in the United States and is part of the standard.