At What Age Do German Shepherd Ears Stand Up Straight
When your puppy is finished teething , his ears should start to stick up or should be all the way up. Why does it take five months for this to occur?
As a puppy, the German Shepherd’s cartilage is not strong enough and cannot hold up the weight of their big ears. But as they grow and get the right nutrition, they will develop stronger cartilage. This process usually takes about 20 weeks.
When they start to wean themselves out of the teething phase, you will likely begin to notice their ears fluctuating between floppy and pointy. You might see them rise when they perk up in response to noise but see them flop down quickly afterward.
If their ears can stick up straight during the first five months , then its likely that they will be straight and pointy for the rest of their life.
When Will My German Shepherds Ears Stand Up
So lets move on to the question that brought you here, WHEN will your puppys ears stand up?In most cases,your German Shepherds ears will stand up anywhere between 16 and 20 weeks old. But its entirely possible to see erect ears earlier or later than this age.This is a rough timeline and is standard advice that breeders give out. Its important to understand that the times can vary andsome owners have reported their puppys ears not standing up until 6 months of age although this is rare, it can still happen.Its also not uncommon to see ears dancing around during the early stages. Its more than likely you will witness one ear go up first and just when you think its happening, it flops back down again! Left and right ears can actually alternate between standing up and flopping down. This is all considered normal to see.
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Is There Something Wrong With My Dogs Ears
If five months have passed and their ears have still not perked up, it could be an indication that they are either not developing properly or that they are not getting proper nutrition. Your dog should have a diet that is abundant in protein, calcium, and vitamin D. If they are not getting enough of these nutrients from their puppy food, it might be time to switch to a higher-quality food. If you are really worried, you should take them to the veterinarian for a checkup.
However, most cases of floppy ears are an indication of non-standard genetics rather than lack of nutrition. Owners might want to rectify this problem with taping, but it rarely works because you cannot correct your dogs biological makeup.
If you are not too picky with your puppys appearance, then there is no reason to worry if their ears have not perked up by five months of age.
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When Does A German Shepherd Puppy Ears Stand Up
When your puppy is finished teething , his ears should start to stick up or should be all the way up. Why does it take five months for this to occur? As a puppy, the German Shepherds cartilage is not strong enough and cannot hold up the weight of their big ears.
When do German Shepherds stop standing up? Check his ears. If your puppys ears stand up when he gets excited, they probably will stand permanently by the time he is 6-months-old. Conversely, if your German Shepherd still has floppy ears at 9 months, he probably always will.
When do German Shepherds ears teething? Many GSD puppy ears dont stand up until months later and thats perfectly normal. Teething is usually complete by the time your pup is around five months old. By this time, your German Shepherds ears may already be standing at attention.
Can German Shepherd puppy ears stand up? That flop can give your dog much character. If your are wishing that your German shepherd puppy ears stand up soon, consult with your vet about getting the ears taped. Generally, the earlier the better. Usually though, if those ears arent standing by 7 months, they arent likely going to ever stand.
When Do German Shepherd Puppies Ears Stand Up
For most German Shepherds, their ears will stand up between the ages of 4 and 5 months.
However, it is possible for the ears to stand up later or earlier than this age.This is the standard advice and rough timeline that breeders give out.
In the early stages, it is common to see ears dancing around and you will likely see one ear standing up first and then flops back again.
When you notice that the right and left ears alternate between flopping down and standing up, there is no need to worry as this is normal.
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How Old Is Your German Shepherd
Youve got to be reasonable. You shouldnt be panicking too soon when your puppy is still in its early months. A lot of changes can occur during the first 4 or 5 months and even during its first few weeks. So, you need to be very patient.
There are times when their ears would go up and down during 6 or 7 months old. The other ear might go upright while the other one is down. Do know that every puppy has its own maturity level or growth development.
What Can Be Done For The Natural Growth Of Ears
If the ears of a dog do not stand up, there is nothing that can be done in this case. It might be a genetic problem. If you saw your dog showing signs of making the ears stand up, you can work on the following few suggestions. They might work for a specific case.
- If you let your puppy play with other puppies, keep your puppy away from the ones who have a habit to tug or bite on ears. Visually it looks cute but in the long run, it can damage the ear of your puppy and will not let the ears stand up.
- Check the ears of your puppies regularly. Clean the dirt and wax with a wet cotton bud. If you find it difficult, consult the vet to do it for you professionally.
- You can use flea medicine if you find parasites in the ears or body of your puppy. They can damage the ears.
- Encourage everyone at home to handle the puppy with care and do not play with its ears.
- Take out the proper time for your puppy. Your attention, love, and care will keep your puppy happy and healthy and the ears will stand up naturally on time.
If you are the real dog lover, it wont even matter for you if the ears pop up or not.
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How To Tape A Floppy
Taping your German Shepherds floppy ears is easy to try and only take a few items.
- Foam rollers
- Self-adhering waterproof dog wrap
- Clean popsicle sticks
Dont use regular tapes that you have around your house or they will tear and rip your dogs tender skin. Its best to use self-adhering dog wrap thats waterproof so you wont injure your puppy.
Next, follow these steps to prop your puppys floppy ears upright.
How Do You Know If Your Dog’s Ears Will Stand Up
- person Tamsin de la Harpe
- calendar_todayJanuary 3, 2021
There are few things more adorable than a puppy’s oversized, floppy ears. But as cute as they are, owners of German Shepherds or Doberman Pinschers might be wondering when they should expect their puppies’ ears to stand up. After all, these breeds are known for their majestic erect ears.
Even owners of smaller breeds like Chihuahuas might be anxious about when their puppy’s ears will stand up. When a breed is known for its perky little upright ears, having ears that fold can be disappointing. Or at least, not what you envisioned when you brought the pup home.
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Caring For Your Puppy’s Ears Before Taping
At What Age Do German Shepherd Puppies Ears Stand Up
Your puppy’s ears can stand up anywhere from 8 weeks to 8 months. And generally, they should be standing up by the time your puppy has finished teething.
One of my males was not even through teething and his ear cartilage was upright and ready to position correctly. His two littermates on the other hand still had floppy ears by the time his ears were upright.
Using teething as a benchmark is not accurate because of the wide variations in development, even between littermates.
So I prefer to play it safe and say 8 months of age is the cut off before you should start intervening.
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Have I Myself Already Messed With The Dogs Ears Myself
Have you tried a technique youve read about on the internet to modify your dogs ears such as taping, ear forms or ear padding, and not consulted an expert such as a vet first?
This is particularly common in first time or inexperienced owners who are impatient or panic.
A dogs ears will generally develop naturally, but there are some things that can be done which may influence how they sit.
See a vet for your options.
Prevent And Treat Parasites
Parasites can hinder your dogs overall health, and this can lead to the weakening of both muscle tone and cartilage strength in your dogs ears. It is best to keep an eye on your dog and to regularly check for parasites.
Keep on top of your German Shepherds flea treatment as a means of prevention. If your dog has a parasite or you suspect he does, take him to the vet for a check-up.
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The German Shepherd Ear Standard
The first impression you should receive from a German Shepherd is agile, strong, muscular, full of life, and alert.This is according to the American Kennel Club.
The ears play an important role in giving this breed their state of vivid alertnessas they are ready to rotate in any direction and have a touch of nobility.
The ears of German Shepherds should be moderately pointed and erect when attentive. When viewed from the front, the ears center lines should appear perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other.
You may be concerned if the ears of your German Shepherd are floppy and have no sign of standing up anytime soon, especially if you know that they will be disqualified from the show ring.
However, if you do not intend to show your puppy in conformation rings but want them to just be companions, there is no need to be concerned. Most puppies will outgrow their floppy stage and their ears will eventually stand up.
Why Does My Puppy Have One Ear Up And One Down
Puppies are born with floppy ears
But rest assured this is normal. During their developmental stages, the puppys ears will start to become erect if theyre meant to be. Sometimes, one ear will stand up before the other, creating an image of a dog with one ear up and one ear down. Again, this is normal.
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Gently Place The Foam Roller Inside Your Dogs Ear
Take out the plastic clip on the foam roller and gently place the foam roller against the inside skin of your dogs ear.
Dont shove the roller in! They only need to sit inside the ear enough to support cartilage growth.
Make sure you check for any creases or folds in their ears before moving on to the next step.
Repeat in the other ear.
German Shepherd Puppy Ear Posting
The goal with German Shepherd puppy ear posting, or taping, is to help guide your puppys ears into the correct upright adult position without being invasive or uncomfortable.
You want to give your pup enough time to try to do this naturally. But you also want to intervene before the cartilage in the ears starts to harden , leaving the ear flaps in the wrong position.
You will need the following supplies:
- Some type of surgical tape .
- Foam roller inserts or foam pipe insulation cut to size.
- Two plain popsicle sticks or unsharpened pencils.
Here is what you want to do :
- Insert one popsicle stick into the center of each piece of foam.
- Insert the popsicle stick/foam into the ear.
- Wrap the surgical tape around the outside of the ear to hold the insert in place.
Be prepared for your puppy to find a way to paw off this strange contraption several times before they finally get used to it and forget about it. You want to leave this in place for a week and then remove it to check the ear position.
You may notice the ears start to stand a little straighter week by week. But if you see them flop over again, you need to re-tape them until they are strong enough to stand up on their own.
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Why Do German Shepherds Move Their Ears
Before we get into specific German Shepherd ear positions that indicate different emotions, we have to address why dogs move their ears. Unlike human ears, dogs ears are controlled by voluntary muscles. In other words, their ear movements arent involuntary reactions but instinctual attempts at communication. So, why do German Shepherds move their ears?
German Shepherds move their ears to different positions mainly to indicate interest, submissiveness, or hostility. Several subtle movements indicate more complex emotions, and sometimes various emotions overlap in terms of their corresponding ear position.
You should look at your dogs ear position alongside other body language and behavior cues in the context of his environment when deciding why he is behaving a certain way. If you go by ear positions alone, you might reach the wrong conclusion as each position has at least two explanations.
In the sections below, we will look at the general possibilities for each position your dog puts his ears. You will also learn a few other metrics to determine which one of the possibilities is the actual reason behind the dogs ear movement.
The German Shepherd Puppy
German shepherds arent born with erect ears pups of the breed have floppy ears at birth, which will only begin to point when the dog reaches around four to five months old at the earliest, and sometimes a couple of months later.
This is because when puppies are born, their ears arent fully developed and they cant even hear, and as the pups begin to open their eyes for the first time at a couple of weeks old, so too will the dogs ears begin to function and allow them to hear their first sounds.
However, even after this point, the ears will continue to develop for some time, forming the necessary cartilage to allow the ears to mature and in breeds like the German shepherd that have pointed ears, begin to support the ears in standing up.
If your pups ears are still floppy and show no signs of beginning to stand up by the time the dog is around eight months old, it may mean that it isnt going to happen but you may be able to help to support your pup to ensure that it does.
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Proper Diet And Nutrition
If your German Shepherd puppys ears are not standing upright, then the main culprit for this could be cheap, commercial food. Always feed your dog, high-quality food. Often, dog owners recommend giving puppy supplements like calcium to help their ears grow upright and perky. However, this may not be a great idea because too much calcium can affect your puppys bones and joints resulting in permanent skeletal issues.
So, the best thing to do is follow a natural diet consisting of high-quality foods such as chicken feet, yogurt and cottage cheese. All these foods can help to make your German Shepherd puppys ears pointy and perky. Both yogurt and cottage cheese are rich in calcium and chicken feet are rich in glucosamine. These help to strengthen the cartilage.
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