Cropped ears and docked tails were said to historically create an alert appearance and to keep the dog's protrusions from tangling in farm equipment. These practices are illegal in some areas in the U.S. so find out the legalities before choosing to crop ears or dock the tail of your dog. Though controversial and hotly debated, many giant schnauzers still have their normally big floppy, hairy ears cropped for protection from insects, dirt, and water, while tails are surgically trimmed to stand erect and stay safe.