German Pinscher's ears are often "cropped" & tails are often "docked". German Pinschers by nature usually have floppy ears. Ear cropping is a medical procedure in which a portion of the ear is removed in order to make the ear stand erect. This procedure has become illegal in many parts of the world. Tail "docking" is the removal of the puppies tail (normally past the 3rd vertabrae). This is usually done when the puppy is just a few days old. This procedure is now also becoming illegal in many countries. In the United States & Canada both of these procedures are legal and widely practiced. Due to the variations in the law through out the world (and personal preferances) you will see both floppy ears & erect ears, long tails and short tails. All are true  and lovely German Pinschers.