Two Victorian dog breeders who docked the tails and cropped the ears of their dogs, leaving them with severe bone injuries, have been fined more than $40,000 for animal cruelty.

The couple, Thomas Kilafis and his wife Christina, breed Doberman-type dogs at their Broadford property in central Victoria.

One of the dogs with cropped ears. Credit:RSPCA

However, a lengthy investigation by the RSPCA found the couple had docked the tails of five of their dogs, as well as cropping their ears.

An RSPCA vet who treated two dogs seized from the Kilafis' property found that they had serious injuries to their vertebrae.