What Age Do A German Shepherds Ears Stand Up
There is no exact day, week, or even month. All puppies will develop at different rates. However, you should see perky ears within 5 to 15 weeks in the majority of puppies.
If they dont stand up in that time frame, wait until teething has finished at around 6 months of age sometimes as late as 8 months.
Its not unheard though for the ears to remain floppy forever in a few German Shepherds.
Proper Diet & Nutrition:
Cheap, commercial food could be the culprit if your puppys ears refuse to stand. Make sure youre feeding high-quality dog food.
Its worth noting that some people recommend using supplements for your puppies to help with their ears. However, this isnt necessarily a good idea.
For example, many people think calcium will boost those ears but it can also have a negative effect on your pups joints and bones, causing permanent skeletal problems. Its just not worth the risk!
Stick to a high-quality, natural diet instead. Some ideas for foods that may help boost your pups ears include cottage cheese, yogurt, and chicken feet. Cottage cheese and yogurt both have plenty of calcium , and chicken feet are a natural source of glucosamine, which helps strengthen cartilage.
Vitamin D For German Shepherd Ears
Unlike vitamin C, vitamin D is a different story. Your pup can produce some of their own vitamin D by basking in the sun, but thats not enough to meet their nutritional requirements.
To help meet their vitamin D requirements, you need to add vitamin D to their foods. Most commercial dog foods nowadays add vitamin D to their formula to ensure that dogs get the required amount of vitamin D that they need.
If you resort to feeding your pup with 100% natural diet foods, you need to add vitamin D to your pups diet since vitamin D deficiency is quite common in German Shepherds that eat home-prepared foods.
Don’t Miss: Part Wolf Part German Shepherd
Calcium For German Shepherd Ears
To meet your pups daily calcium needs, you may want to give them chicken necks once a day.
Chicken necks have an excellent bone to meat ratio they are enough to supply your pups calcium needs without needing any additional calcium supplement.
Contrary to popular opinion, you dont need to supplement your puppy with an additional calcium supplement. Excess calcium can potentially cause a permanent skeletal problem.
Calcium also wont help German Shepherd puppies ears to go up because calcium does not affect the ears cartilage.
How Do You Tell If A Puppys Ears Will Stand Up
The best way to tell if a puppys ears will stand up is to examine its parents. If both parents have pointed ears, then theres a good chance that their ears will stand up, too. However, you should also inquire about the longer ancestral history of the puppy. If you discover that a floppy-eared dog is in that line, then theres always a chance that your puppy may also inherit floppy ears.
Also Check: Is My German Shepherd Pregnant
Don’t Miss: German Shepherd Mix With Chihuahua
Placing The Form Roller Inside The Ear
Remove the plastic clip in the foam roller and place it gently against the inside skin of your puppys ears.
Do not push the roller inside the ear, it only needs to be placed inside the ear enough to support the growth of the cartilage. Ensure that there are no folds or creases in the ears before doing the next step.
What Causes German Shepherds To Have Floppy Ears
When German Shepherds are puppies, their ears are floppy and small and fold over to the front side.This can be a concern especially if you are a new puppy owner expecting your German Shepherds ears to be upright when they are floppy.
The following are the reasons why your German Shepherds puppy ears are floppy:
Also Check: 1 Year Old German Shepherd Size
Keeping Your Puppy In Good Health
The overall health of your German Shepherd puppy will play in important role in the strength and development of his ears. One simple step that you can take is to make sure that your puppys vaccinations are up-to-date. Also, make sure that your puppy has been de-wormed on schedule.
Overlooking these simple things can not only lead to delayed or improper ear development in your puppy, but they can lead to more serious and irreversible, or even fatal health problems down the road.
In addition to making sure that your puppy is caught up on his vaccinations and de-worming, it is also important to make sure that your puppy is eating a well-balanced and high quality food. Never feed your puppy a generic dog food, or a blend that is intended for adult dogs. It is vital to your puppys overall health that he is being fed a mix that is specifically formulated for puppies.
Royal Canin produces a mix that is crafted specifically for GSD puppies, but you can opt for any number of other reputable brands. Just make sure that it is a large breed, puppy specific mix.
Be Careful With Glucosamine
Glucosamine is an over-the-counter supplement made for humans that maintains healthy cartilage and keeps joints lubricated, but its also commonly given to dogs too.Im not saying Glucosamine is necessarily bad for dogs, but its something you will need to talk to your veterinarian about first. Dont automatically assume your puppy needs Glucosamine because his ears are staying floppy for a little longer than usual. One thing about Glucosamine is that we rarely give it to young children, so this leads me to believe that puppies should stay away from it too. But as I said, speak to your veterinarian if youre considering Glucosamine.
Also Check: German Shepherd Peanut Butter
What Else Can I Do To Make German Shepherd Ears Stand Up
There are many things you can try to help your German Shepherds ears to stand up. However, be patient and give your dog time to finish teething and develop properly before you pull out the big guns and start taping his ears.
Be vigilant and dont allow other dogs or children to play rough with your Shepherds ears. No one should pull, bite, or squeeze your pups ears while they are still developing.
Furthermore, start caring about your dogs ears from a young age. You should check the ears weekly for dirt and waxy buildup, and gently clean them with a cotton ball when necessary.
And as always, whenever in doubt, talk with your vet and see if there is something else you can do to help your pups ears to stand up. If despite all your efforts your German Shepherds ears havent perked up till nine months of age, they most likely never will.
In the end, having a healthy and happy German Shepherd is more important than the way his ears are.
How Long Does This Take
There are individual dogs that will take longer to get their ears to stand up. It is well known that puppies from the same litter have been known to take different times to develop this quality
There are individual dogs that could take as much as seven months trying to grow their ear. If the dogs ears refuse to stand up by the eighth and the ninth month, then it means that the dog most probably will not have ears that stand up. This stage is when the ears of a majority of German Shepherds have their ears take a permanent form.
Reports have shown that about 75% of examined dogs get their ears standing up within the first three to ten months. These reports also indicate that almost one out of five German Shepherds wont have straight ears. The number is usually higher than most people tend to expect.
Also Check: German Shepherd Monthly Growth
What If My Dog Wont Stop Flapping His Ears
If your German Shepherd constantly shakes his head back and forth, this could signify that his ears are bothering him and need to be cleaned. Try gently scratching him behind the ears and see if he pushes his head into your hand for relief.
If the flapping happens while youre trying to clean his ears, he may be uncomfortable with the feeling. Stop what youre doing right away and guide him back into a restful state before continuing so he doesnt become agitated further.
Why Does My German Shepherd Have One Floppy Ear
If your german shepherd has one floppy ear and theyre still a puppy, then it just means theyre growing at different rates.
This is extremely common and normal, and sometimes one ear will stand up constantly while the other ear, may flop and stand up depending on the stimulus around them.
However, if after 8 months one ear is down and one ear is up, then its a lot more likely that their ears will remain like tha.
Also Check: Can German Shepherds Eat Almonds
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 Do German Shepherd Ears Stand Up
Large pointy ears are one of the most distinctive features of German Shepherd, and most owners wait for this moment. So, when do German Shepherd ears stand up?
On average, German Shepherd ears are erect between the ages of 4 and 5 months. The ears will only stand when the small bones and cartilage have developed enough.
Most German Shepherd owners worry and become anxious when their puppys ears do not stand up the right way.
This article will give you more information on when your German Shepherds ears will stand up, what causes them to have floppy ears, and how you can help their ears stand up.
Also Check: Hot Spot German Shepherd
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.
Why Do Puppies Ears Stand Up
Genetics are mostly responsible for whether a dog’s ear will stand up. Dogs that come from the more wolf-like breeds have inherited the wolf’s erect, alert ears.
Similarly, smaller dogs like Corgis or Chihuahuas have been bred to have straight ears, with droopy-eared individuals usually taken out of the breeding program.
Don’t Miss: Full Grown Long Haired German Shepherd
Use The Following Steps To Increase Your Dogs Attentiveness
STEP 1 Pick a toy that is only used for this special training game so they focus on your cues more easily. Some toys that your dog may love are toys that squeak, crinkle, make noises of other kinds, or smells interesting.
STEP 2 Now, act energetically by jumping up and down, making unique noises, or slapping your hand against your leg. Your German Shepherd is much more likely to pay attention to you if youre energetic and excited.
STEP 3 As your dog looks to you, begin to run away. German Shepherds have a high prey drive and love to chase. So, running in the opposite direction convinces your GSD to chase after you, especially if you have their favorite toy in your hand.
STEP 4 Now, reward your dog with their special toy when they catch up to you. Toss their toy for them and enjoy a bit of playtime with them. Keep the energy upbeat and positive. The playtime with the toy is the reward instead of a food treat and encourages your dog to stay near you.
STEP 5 Continue to play the catch-reward-play game throughout the day. Your German Shepherd will begin to form the habit of paying attention to you when you are consistent in your training and in your rewards.
STEP 6 Eventually, move on to using a cue word to get your dogs attention, such as in the focus or capture methods.
Deciding To Tape Your Puppy’s Ears
You May Like: How Much Does A German Shepherd Weight
How To Tape German Shepherd Dog Ears Up
Some people recommend taping your German Shepherds ears if their ears are not still up at five months old. In some cases, tapping may work for show line German Shepherds. But it rarely works for working line German Shepherds.
If you want to tape your German Shepherds ears, you must consult with your vet first, and only do the following steps under your vets supervision.
There are several methods to tape your GSD puppys ears.
German Shepherd With Floppy Ears
Have you got a german shepherd with floppy ears? If so, all of your questions are going to be answered in this article!
Some of the topics that will be covered include when a german shepherds ears should stand up, reasons preventing them from standing up, how to fix ears that dont stand up and most importantly, whether it matters or not.
So keep reading to find out!
Read Also: Do German Shepherds Need Snow Boots
When Does A German Shepherd Ears Stand Up
When does a German shepherd ears stand up? If the dogs breed has floppy ears, then the ear should not be standing on its own. It can take weeks to see if an animals ears are growing back in or turning pigmented.
The german shepherd puppy ears stages are the first thing people notice about a german shepherd. The ears stand up when they are puppies and can be floppy or erect.
German Shepherd Puppy Ears Timeline
As we mentioned in the introduction here, when your German Shepherd puppy was a newborn, your dogs ears were floppy. All dogs are born with floppy ears, so this is totally normal.
Bt as Sequoyah German Shepherds breeder explains a German Shepherd puppys ears should start to perk up soon after.
In some cases, your puppys ears might start the process of standing up as early as four weeks old! In other cases, it may take as long as four months before you see signs of the alert ears the GSD breed is known for.
Leerburg Dog Training explains that sometimes it can take until after a German Shepherd puppy has finished the teething process for the ears to begin to stand up on their own.
The American Kennel Club expanse that teething can take as long as six months to conclude and requires a lot of your puppys resources to complete.
The critical period to watch and wait for is the period between five months and seven months. If your GSD puppys ears are still flopping over by the age of eight months, it may be too late to assist the ears to stand up straight.
Read on to learn exactly what to do to help your puppys ears grow and stabilize in the upright position.
Recommended Reading: Rottweiler Vs Pitbull Vs German Shepherd
Read Also: Weight Chart For German Shepherd Puppy
How To Deal With Your German Shepherds Floppy Ears
Whats the bottom line?
If its been over eight months and your German shepherds ears still arent standing upright at all, then this is an indication that there might be some kind of problem.
At this point, you can start taking steps to fix their ears if you want.
However, unless your German shepherds floppy ears are being caused by some sort of serious medical issue, you dont have an obligation to try and fix them.
Floppy ears on their own dont cause your German shepherd to suffer at all, nor do they cause any sort of hearing issues.
If you just want your German shepherds ears to stand up for aesthetic reasons, there are a few things you can do to help this happen.
Recommended Reading: German Shepherd Vs Rottweiler Who Would Win