ears on catch dogs

Had my dog get his ear tore up when he was 8 weeks old. Had to cut them (very short) because the hurt ear was not savageable......I was mad at the time because I did not like the cropped look, but now that he is grown I really like the way it makes his big block head look. I cannot tell a difference in his hearing. His kennel is besides his sister's (she has full ears) and I can step out of the house about 100 yards away and make a small noise and both he and his sis come out of their dog houses to see what it was.

Think the "keeping stuff out" would be the best benefit to not cropping, but I feel all other is just personal preference and cosmetic.