Tail docking and Ear cropping. Is it Cruelty?

As usual, DP gives some good and solid advice. My thoughts are:First -- tails are docked at birth. To do them afterwards (unless your dog has what is called "Happy Tail" syndrome), is (in my opinion only) too late.For those that think ears are done for cosmetic purposes only, note this -- originally cropping the ears and docking the tail of a Doberman was done to prevent an attacker from having some part of the dog to grab on to. For some, this is STILL the reason to perform these so-called cosmetic and cruel changes. And contrary to popular belief, many veterinarians agree the incidence of ear infections in breeds with erect standing ears is far less than in breeds with droopy, pendulous ears.All 5 of my Dobermans have been docked and cropped. I haven't had a single regret in doing the procedures -- although 2 of the 5 had both ears and tail done before the breeder delivered the pup to me. All had tails done by the breeder.FYI, one of my girls actively does protection work -- and her brother does search and rescue. Imagine trying to save a drowning child and the possible implications to your dog if ears and tail were intact.