If I use the foam roller method, can I just tape the curly tipped ear? if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-worldofdogz_com-leader-2-0')};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-worldofdogz_com-leader-2-0_1')}; .leader-2-multi-604{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:15px !important;margin-left:0px !important;margin-right:0px !important;margin-top:15px !important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;text-align:center !important;}You should always focus on feeding your dog with high-quality food. If perky ears are important to you, I’d consider giving his ears a helping hand in the near future. Some dogs take longer to get through the teething phase. I’m sure other folks reading this article will be encouraged by your advice! A playpen sounds like a better option. At small intervals – maybe an hour or so a day – both ears would be erect, but for the most part, his ears only perk up one at a time. Adding calcium to their diet without a veterinarian’s recommendation can also be harmful to your German Shepherd and cause skeletal problems. Thanks. Your dog is a mutt/mongrel/cur, not a purebred German Shepherd. Even at 5 months it’s totally normal for them to still have floppy ears. I’m going to incorporate more chewing toys for the next few weeks as well. I would not suggest doing this until you know your dog is done teething, which would be around 6 to 7 months. Also, some pups take longer to complete their teething than others. In the meantime, give him lots of safe toys to chew on. What do I do? I love all the tips you offer in this post. Most dogs love it; however, some breeds do not enjoy... Hi, I’m Sharon, and this is Willow, my German Shepherd. P.S. They’ve always been floppy like a lab, which he gets mistaken for a lot. I don’t know the genuine success rates of the procedure so it’s best to speak with your vet first. And his teething will have an effect on his ears for the time being. As for the gulcosamine, I’d stop giving this now because it’s done the work you needed it to do. And although they have gone down subsequently, this is normal and you likely have nothing to worry about. Thankfully, training your German Shepherd’s ears to stand up isn’t as complicated as you might think. The reason behind this is your German Shepherd puppy’s body uses calcium when his teeth and bones are developing, so … My suggestion is not to start doing anything right now, he’s still got a way to go. This is perfectly normal and does not mean that the other ear won’t catch up. Adhesive Remover – Uni Solve Skin Adhesive Remover also on Amazon is a great product. I know this subject has,been discussed but mine is,a little different. Also, does your pup’s parents have large ears? As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. A small infection that’s treated in time is not likely to cause the kind of trauma that can affect the conformation of ears. Expect the comb-over style anywhere from 14 weeks. There are two ways you can do this and both methods are simple and easy. Along with this steady modification, you might also discover a distinction in their habits right after the teething stage. I just loved it when her ears were up and I’m hoping she has a chance to bring that one up again. Even if ears are not a big issue for you and you're fine with your GSD having floppy ears, it's still a good idea to work with an ethical breeder who breeds their dogs according to breed standards. As soon as he is five months old, his ears have fallen. You can see parasites like tapeworms, pinworms, and roundworms in your puppy's poop. All you’ve got to do is protect your pups ears from trauma. His moms ears are not erect, they’re slightly standing but to the side and pretty floppy. If your pup's ears have not perked up at around 8 months, it's time to look at ways to help those little ears! 75% of the German Shepherds make their ears stand up during the first 3 to 10 months. if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-worldofdogz_com-banner-1-0')}; Through proper breeding strategies, this can be somewhat controlled, but there are still some other factors that can determine whether your dog’s ears will stand up or remain floppy: Earlier, I referred to the German Shepherd breed standard concerning their ears. We live in Rio Rancho NM. Paper tape – use the thinnest paper tape that tears easily. It’s hard to say whether it’ll work or not, but it’s worth a try. . If the ear does not stand up after the form falls out, go for another round. I read the bonding and tampon but will that help my dog since its because of surgery and also do I need to do bonding and the tampon use together or either or and if I can see a pic or video how to actually do this visual is much better. What should I do to get his ears off? His ears are hairy and fall. Your line of Shep has a pretty clean record when it comes to breeding stock and practices going way back into the history of this line. I’d imagine that even although there was swelling, it was a natural reaction and not something like a trauma. It’s not likely that his mom will pull at his ears. You won’t be able to use ear form supports, unless you can get your hands on a size suitable your your Spitz. He looks just like a purebred GS but his ears aren’t standing from the middle up. You might want to consider permanent implants that I briefly mentioned in this article. You might also see slight bleeding of gums around milk teeth, which is normal because the permanent teeth are pushing through. I don’t recommend any kind of taping at this young age. Teething The main reason is due to teething. Yes this is a wise and helpfulwebsite. I’d avoid any weight-bearing bones. German Shepherds are known for their loyalty, protectiveness, and overall high intelligence. Adding extra calcium to your puppy's diet could potentially have permanent negative consequences. Sometimes a German Shepherd’s ears will fail to stand up and remain floppy. Dogs have a highly developed Temporalis muscle which is one of the crucial muscles involved in chewing. We also have thought that he was bred more for the American German Shepherd show dog look. There is nothing quite like a German Shepherd’s pointy ears. This time may be dramatically different in each dog and may occur sooner than 5 months or may take as long as 8 months in some cases. He will put them back when he is being submissive to you as well. Are you having trouble with potty training your German Shepherd? Let me know how you get on with the taping. 2 … . Since your boy is already large, he’ll need something that can handle some heavy chewing. Any pup is still very much a baby at 10 weeks, they still have a lot of growing to do relative to their adult size. Then use the Micropore Paper Tape to tape the ear around the foam roller or tampon applicator. He is being trained as a service dog for me. And once the jaw, head, and face muscles are fully developed and teething is complete they go right back up again. If it doesn’t make a difference, then consider taping. But, because you’ve mentioned that she has been shaking her head, I recommend visiting a vet. I’m not sure which part of this article gave you the idea that I’m saying a GSD puppy is weak because of it’s ears. Hope this helps. I’m so glad I found this. You can invite your dog to use their ear muscles through a couple of techniques: If you want your German Shepherd’s ears to stand upright naturally, another critical thing for you to do is to prevent any trauma to his ears. Let me know if you have any other questions. The last time we chatted was when he was 6 months old, so there’s been an improvement. Is this information true for other breeds of dogs as well? My hubs is so worried about his ears standing im not to worried. TIA. How to Have a Healthier Dog: The Benefits of Vitamins and Minerals for Your Dog's Life Cycles, Pure Radiance Vitamin C is widely available on Amazon, use Dr. Scholl's Molefoam Padding from Amazon, Montreal Osto-Bond Skin Adhesive from Amazon, Uni Solve Skin Adhesive Remover also on Amazon, foam hair rollers (found inexpensively on Amazon). We adopted Gibbs at 4 months. And at 10 weeks those ears still have plenty of developing to do. We tried taping the molefo am, and he tolerated, but they went to the side instead of up. I found one that actually allows the veterans to hand pick their dog from selected rescue dogs. It takes a German Shepherd’s ears to stand up after 20 weeks. At the beginning, it has nothing to do with the quality of the breeding during the stage of puppyhood. The chances are almost 100% that they will perk up again. If I was in your shoes I’d have the xrays done first. We have a 5 month old purebred GSD who is definitely still teething and we know they fluctuate through the teething stage. In any case, I was wondering if you use the first method with the ear molds, do you still need to use a popsicle stick or is that solely for the second method? But this was a great article, thank you! 24 vegetables that German Shepherds can eat. I hope I don’t have to tape but it’s good to know it may work if nature doesn’t sort his ear out!! After Hematoma surgically removed his one ear is floppy. I dont know if this is normal and will go away. If his ear is erect at the base, the tip should follow unless there has been trauma. I love Shepherd ears. . That should keep them quiet! This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.World of Dogz is to be used for educational and informational purposes only. When choosing a breeder and puppy there are a few things you should look for with ears…. In a nutshell, no I don’t see anything to worry about. Her ears are big…what can I do to help her ear? Please keep in mind that these stages are highly variable from puppy to puppy. Skin Bond Adhesive – Montreal Osto-Bond Skin Adhesive from Amazon is the best choice. The fact that his parents have perky ears is a huge plus point. What you’re experiencing is totally normal. Thanks for the great article. I’m a retired Police Officer who worked alongside GSDs for almost 30 years, but I’m passionate about all dogs. I wouldn’t worry about it. Eventually, your pup will get used to the tape and leave it alone. Thicker ‘ear leather' will perk up perfectly. In fact, Lupo, my first GSD as an adult, came from such a breeder. If you can’t find those, the second method would work better. My hubs and I just got our boy Jasper 2 weeks ago at 8 weeks old. One of his ears is fully erect at all times and has been for the last 2 months or so. But I’ve spoken with a reader here at GSC who had success taping his dogs ears at 8 to 9 months. These critters also prevent the absorption of the nutrients that remain. Thanks! If your GSD puppy has been obtained from a reputable breeder and not a puppy mill, you can expect your pup’s ears to stand up and remain erect after he finishes teething. So I’d say your puppy definitely has the genes for upright ears. But heartworms and Spirocerca Lupi will need to be tested for. Hope this helps. If it was my puppy I’d give them as much time to recover as they need. My girl andy is 12 months exact.initially there were some issues while perking up her ears but certainly they did now the issue is! We are just seeking for other opinion, as we are not professionals in the area and the doctor that made this tries to convince that this is normal to fix this type of “problems”. I’m worried because she’s 9 months old already…please help me if you can! I have the incerts and I’m now know how to do so again, thank you. It has a lot of good information. I’ve seen him hold it up and backwards when he’s determined and walking to the park. However, sometimes a pup's ears may not stand as they should, may be kinda floppy, or breaking over at the tip, part of that is breeding. Your vet can then prescribe treatment based on the findings. But it’s not impossible. This does happen to some GSD pups while other’s never experience the “Flying nun” ears. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to World of Dogz with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. I love spending time with my dog, and I enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise of all things dogs on this site! If your pup is still teething I’d suggest waiting until this stage is completed. Over a decade or so I've used several different Vitamin C supplements. At 5 months there’s still time to give the ear a helping hand. His ears are bigger I believe. Unless he is exhibiting any other major signs of aggression, then there is no need to worry – it’s completely natural for your GSD. I hope this is helpful. These are my recommendations for chew toys that suit German Shepherd pups, and these especially if they are power chewers. I’m sure it’s a question many veterans ask themselves. I’d definitely begin encouraging chewing on safe toys with some “give” to them. If your pup is already a powerful and experienced chewer, you might need this one instead. Chewing on safe and healthy chew toys is the Number One way to help those gorgeous ears perk up. But I have never tried it since my opinion is to keep hands off ears until they perk up. This is superior to chewing on bones or antlers since they will most certainly increase calcium intake which you want to avoid doing. At random times they come up but not very often. If you decide to tape your dog’s ears, please do your research and consult your veterinarian to ensure you do it properly. As we have already discussed earlier, teething may be the common reason as to why your pup’s ears are not... Genetics. My youngest is a GSD Border Collie cross. This ear stage can start anywhere from 14 weeks. Calcium will have no effect on the development of the cartilage, it will only cause damage and mineral imbalances. even when he looks suddenly that time his one ear is stand straight nd second still down. My wife and I are living off of Disability Pay. His ears are down and i have decided if they dont stand that i will allow his ears to stay down. I went to the vet a few days ago and he told me that if the ears of my german shepherd are not up by now (5 months old) they will probably never stand up. They have fluffy ears which means you’ll have to shave her ears and I can’t say whether that’s the best thing. Using teething as a benchmark is not accurate because of the wide variations in development, even between littermates. I have a 6-year-old female German Shepherd named "Willow," and I've worked with dogs for almost 30 years. And from that point on your friend can make a decision about the way forward. Typically, when a German Shepherd puppy reaches about 20 weeks, and when they are coming to the end of the teething phase, their ears should stand up. Once pups have finished teething at around 5 months old, their ears should stand up. Or ask your vet to get in touch with the company directly. their ears stand up but I don’t really support that I also don’t support docking off these tails but I didn’t really have a choice when I got Luca because I already it already happened before I met her but that does exist which is why you may have seen dogs that have super standing up ears and have wondered why are they like that but I The ears can take turns to stand up and then drop back down – it’s totally normal. Pup's teething occurs … Also make sure your pup is free of internal critters that steal nutrients. Keep an eye on this and you’ll soon notice when he’s done teething. It is considered a “fault” according to breed standards if a German Shepherd has floppy ears. Now that you only have the one dog, he has no other dog to be submissive to and can put his ears up whenever he wants. More than that, I understand the health risk to shepherds if their ears do not stand erect. Good luck and let me know how those ears get on after a few weeks of chewing. His 1 ear was up for about a week and the other was flopped over; then they both stood up but the tips have been curled back for about 2 weeks now with so signs of it changing. Puppies’ pointy ears can look huge, that is until they eventually grow into them! Please consult a licensed veterinarian in your area for pet medical advice. i have a 16 week old puppy. The solution to this question might differ. I suggest discussing this with your vet first. In terms of the epileptic seizures your boy is experiencing, there could be many factors that play a role. Parasites steal the nutrients from the food your puppy eats causing malnutrition. I have a german spitz about 10 weeks with droped ears can I use these guides to fix this problem? Having floppy ears also comes with some health issues which we will discuss in the next chapter. You have nothing to worry about now if his ears are still floppy. Only one ear would be up for a couple seconds then he flops it back down. Carefully place the ear form into the ear. THANK YOU again. Let’s get started! And the fact that her ears were upright is an excellent sign that they will perk up again when the time comes. Most mutts aren't " first generation" mixes and may be a mix of several breeds or more, so it's likely your dog could be mixed with a floppy eared breed. Yes, although rare some German Shepherds will have floppy ears. A good rule of thumb is to keep any hands off your pup's ears. His ears were standing at 6 weeks and down by 8 weeks; I know, perfectly normal and I take it as a good sign. This site is owned and operated by Willow Online Publishing and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn revenue by advertising and linking to Amazon. I have a 10 week german shepherd his name is chaos.. German and Croatian bloodlines. Your email address will not be published. Problem with my gsd pup is that his one ear stood up in 7 weeks but the other is completely down. Wait until it becomes a little tacky, but not to dry. A German Shepherd puppy’s ears usually go up between 4 to 7 months of age. It can take between one to two weeks to take effect. He did test positive for parasites and Giardia when we took him to his first vet visit and has since done 2 rounds of a powder medication. If they are not present when the dog is through the tooth (which varies from dog to dog but usually, between 16 and 20 weeks) German Shepherd Dog owners will get very excited and eager on their ears. Check his diet. Your puppy is still teething and it’s normal for ears to droop during this time. It’s a super smart idea and also has the benefit of stimulating the curious GSD’s highly sensitive hearing. If you have any other questions about her ears just drop me a comment here. Please let us know. After reading all your comments I’m just a little worried she might cause some damage to them, is that possible? Personally, I don't recommend this route. Hi I have 2 dogs 1 is a 5 month old German shepherd and the other one is a 4 month old Swiss shepherd it’s almost the same as a German shepherd but just different color coat anyways my Swiss shepherds ears are not going up I don’t know if it is happening because they play and my German shepherd bites his ears please I really need help on how to fix his ears. Thank you for sharing the story of your rescue GSD here. Is there a chance that caused irreparable damage to the ear or she will recover? You don’t want to run the risk of trying to force anything that’s not genetically natural. Good luck, have patience and love your dog no matter the outcome! I have no experience with this and do not know anything about them. Some German Shepherd ears also up they were about 8 months-old. I have 3 laying around the house – they’re a big hit. The tip is good, just seems less stable on the left side of the right ear. A post shared by Ashley Perez (@ashley.jay123) German Shepherd Ear Growth Stages. Please help we want to get his ear back. Put a cotton ball where the ear canal starts to prevent any of the adhesives from dripping in. Their curiosity helps strengthen the ears . His ears went up at 16 weeks but are soft since then . Here, you will find a ton of helpful tips and info, whether you are choosing your very first pup, are an experienced owner, or just a lover of dogs in general. Most breeders and veterinarians will tell you that floppy ears are common while your German Shepherd is teething, which usually ends between 16 and 20 weeks. The breed standard for German Shepherds requires them to have pointy ears. I’ve had feedback from other owners who’ve corrected floppy ears only with this more natural approach. And he loves tug of war. Good question! Thank you! I’m not 100% sure whether they’ll make an exception and train a dog a veteran already owns. A method I used to perk up my dogs ears was to (provide lots of chew toys, of course) take him out very early in the morning just when the birds start chirping. Because suddenly the cartilage of one ear flops down. link to Best Grooming Tools for German Shepherds: Only These Make the Cut! Something to be aware of if you wish to show your dog. By that I mean their puppy is only 3 or 4 months old and they're already flustered about their puppy's ears. Please ignore folks who ask about it like it’s a negative thing, you could give them a smart answer like “he’s a limited edition – one of a kind”. Let me know what you decide and how you get on. There is a good chance you will have positive results too. I just dont want to wait to long to the the taping process. It’s not uncommon for a German Shepherd’s ear(s) to droop when they have an infection and putting ear drops in can also make them droop. My puppy is slightly over 8 months now and still has pretty floppy ears. My 4 month old CKC Registered German Shepherd male puppy has both of his ears up, but the tip of one of them is actually curling backwards. And it’s the least intrusive way too. This ear stage usually causes GSD owners to panic. Q9: Why do German shepherd ears stand up? If not this may be an indication that they need a little help in perking up. They haven’t come up until now and even when I whistle, I can’t figure out the reason. I’m not sure if taping a Pom’s ears will work or even if it’s a good idea. If you have any questions please feel free to ask, I’m always happy to help. The ear should stand up without flopping at the base. hey i have a 3.5 month old german shephard and his one ear is errect bt the other is too mch floopy..he never goes up..some says he is weak and his ears never stands up..should i worry r wait till six months…?? And if you’re seeing that some of his teeth are not all the way out yet, then he’s still teething. A dog’s ears are made of cartilage, not bone! . Is all his ear droopiness because of the age at which we got him? There are some things you can do to help your German Shepherds ears go up. But in reality, this is the time to start getting super excited about your puppy's ear stage position! Do you think they’ll ever stand for good if I don’t. If I was in your shoes, I’d keep her on the food you’re feeding now. When Do German Shepherds Ears Stand and Stay Up? Could the swelling episode of 2 days have caused permanent cartilage damage? You absolutely can show me a pic. But what makes their ears stand up? I’ve learned that this kind of training can be anywhere from $10,000 to $60,000. He’s a reader here at German Shepherd Corner and he had amazing success with taping his dog’s ears. if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-worldofdogz_com-large-leaderboard-2-0')};As dog breeding trends move further away from abiding by strict breed standards, floppy-eared dogs are being bred more due to their extreme desirability. Since puppies can skip ear stages as I mentioned, you can expect this ear stage anywhere from 15 weeks. With the MoleFoams you'll need to experiment with measurements since you'll be cutting them into the right size before bonding. German Shepherd puppies are born with floppy ears that generally perk up somewhere between 4 – 7 months. Adoption is so rewarding especially when we can help these beautiful dogs overcome their fears and worries. I have always felt more comfortable with finding a dog who needed a home first. As a last resort, if all else has failed, you can consider surgical implants. Yes, parasites can hamper the development of your puppy's body and so affect her ears. Since the breeder demonstrated how to place them, you can always place them in for another round of about 2 weeks after having them both out for a few days. It helps with teething pain, stimulates their overall drive. After that, you can expect their ears to start sticking up. I did experiment with taping it but nothing stuck and I had the feeling whatever I put on was weighing the ear down. Remember, it’s easier with a GSD, they have very little and fine hairs – well the short hair ones anyway. But encouraging chewing has a lot of health benefits, not just for ears, but also for ideal puppy development. My question to you is, when do you recommend that i put her on regular puppy food and when should i stop feeding her the Glucosamine ? If the ear has never shown any signs of perking up, you could consider helping that left ear along. I have a year and a half old male GSD. Their head and facial muscles are strong and their ear cartilage is upright, and (in most cases) in the correct position. He’s pretty much still in the throes of teething right now (and males tend to do this a little longer sometimes). You'll need the following to achieve results with method one: Since the ear support foams are sometimes out of stock, you can use Dr. Scholl's Molefoam Padding from Amazon instead. For others, it will take up to 8 months for the ears to stand up. He has a vet appointment at 5 months and I will talk to him then. All puppies have to go through teething, and it can be quite a grueling... 2. German Shepherds have pointy ears due to their strong and flexible cartilage which causes them to stand up and be pointy. And even then it’s fixable without to much meddling in most cases. She has been fed Purina 1 puppy food. 5 months is still young. Should we stop the crates and use a playpen type thing for them? I just got a new shepherd mix a couple weeks ago. My little rascal that I just recently got hasn’t had as much luck. So in this case just relax and wait for your pup to finish teething. I’ll be happy to take a look and give my opinion. Are they weight-bearing? This way you can pick the best size. We go months sometimes almost a year before having to tape ears. If the ear forms don’t work and the chewing doesn’t make a difference, you might need to accept that her ears won’t perk up. Just keep in mind that your pups gums are still soft and his teeth still developing. Thank you so much. Since it's such an important topic, I decided to address this issue in a post to answer all the questions. An added benefit is it also helps create joint lubricant, for healthy joints. If you have any concerns that your German Shepherd’s puppy ears will not stand up, there are some simple steps you can take to promote the formation of the cartilage.“Feed me good food Mom to help my floppy ear stand up!”. The result of this is German Shepherd puppies with droopy ears that will never perk up. This occurs when breeders overbreed them with bigger eared dogs trying to make the ears stand out. Okay, so I’m not an expert on the German Spitz, but here’s what I think…. If I was in your shoes and Thor was my dog I would not intervene with his ears at this point. Keep your German Shepherd puppies ears taped for a week, then remove the tape to see if they perk up. Will this correct itself, or should I consider taping it. Some Sheps are bred so large that their ears struggle to fully mature. Thank you for your time. If I were in your shoes, I’d consider working with a holistically-minded, progressive vet to determine the root cause. Do you know whether your pup’s ears could have suffered any trauma in the last few months? It might just be a case of him needing something to help strengthen his jaw, face and head muscles which play a role in perked up ears. This was so enlightening. Also, he’s only 6 months and might still be doing some teething. I will continue the forms if the ears do not stand but wondering if you have any other suggestions. It’s not uncommon for one ear to be ahead of the other in terms of perking up. If his ears do not stand up by the time he is 8 months old, they are probably never going to stand up because this is the time when most GSD's ears take permanent form.