Are cropped ears an indication that a dog has been fought?

No. Although this is the reason ear cropping was done hundreds of years ago, it is not an indication today that a dog has been a “fighting dog”. Today, ear cropping is done by irresponsible owners to make their dog look more intimidating. It is an unfortunate practice, but it is important to understand that shelter dogs with cropped ears likely do not have a “dog fighting” background.