Why Do German Shepherds Put Their Ears Down
Finally, theres the flat ear position where the ears will appear tightly pinned back and held tight to the dogs head. Many people believe this means the dog is sick. This is not entirely true sickness may coincide with the position but isnt usually the only cause. So, why do German Shepherds put their ears down?
German Shepherds put their ears down because of fear or anxiety. If your dog is afraid of his environment, another person or animal, or occasionally illness, you will notice his ears flattening and pinned tight to the head. Other signs include cowering, a hunched and rigid body, and whimpering.
Check out this dog in the below photo. His ears are down and pinned flat against his head. He is clearly anxious or afraid and hoping to be adopted.
Stages Of German Shepherd Puppy Ears
The stages of German Shepherd puppy ears can be unpredictable. You never know at what stage the ears of your puppy will pop up straight. Depending upon the normal cases, here are the stages of German Shepherd puppy ears standing up.
Newborn to 5 months
The milk teething of a German Shepherd starts at 3 months. It is commonly found that some of the puppys ears rise and then pop back to floppy.
5 to 6 months
It is the stage where the teething ends. It is the right time when the ears of the German Shepherd puppies start popping up straight.
6 to 8 months
If your puppys ears have yet not stood up, its the time to be a little bit worried and concerned. Before doing anything on your own, you should consult a doctor and ask what to do.
How Do I Get My German Shepherd`s Ears To Stay Down
Your dog can be trained to keep their ears downward. All you have to do is follow a few quick guidelines and you can make your canine`s ears stand down in a jiffy.
Then wait for a couple of weeks and your little fella`s ears should stay down permanently.
- Cut a strip of tape that should have the length of your dog`s ear from one of the ear`s middle to the other one`s middle. In this tape`s center, cut a notch in a trapezoid shape and then fold this notch down.
- Spread this tape between your pal`s ears, attaching each and every of the tape`s ends to the inside of the pooch`s ears near the ear`s base. Try to avoid getting hair caught under this tape to avoid hurting your little friend. !
- Cut a different piece of this tape which should be around 2 long, and then roll the tape with its sticky section out. Place the piece of tape inside the canine`s ear close to the tip on each and every side.
- Fold down the sticky side of the tape so that the rolled piece of tape will latch onto that particular brace you just made with first piece of tape. Squeeze it smoothly to secure it in the right place. At this point, your canine`s ears should be taped down in the right position.
- With a bit of patience, in around 2 or 3 weeks, the tape should do the job. Then, just remove the tape using Detachol or other adhesive remover.
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When Will My German Shepherd’s Ears Stand Up
Sam Shephard is an experienced German Shepherd owner and has learned throughout the years how to optimize the breed’s health and wellness.
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Classic German Shepherds have ears that stand up straight. But anyone who has ever adopted this breed knows that their ears are floppy when they are young. Some owners, especially those who want a very classic-looking German Shepherd dog , are eager to see the ears stand up right away and often wonder whether there is anything they can do to help.
Is Taping A Dogs Ears Cruel
A lot of owners want to know if the process of taping is cruel to dogs. The answer to this is based on each individuals opinion. In general, it is a very common practice that overall isnt seen as cruel to the animal. It is sort of a pain but doesnt do any damage to your dogs ears if done properly.
In fact: A lot of owners say that it decreases the amount of ear infections that your German Shepherd may get.
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Why Do German Shepherds Ears Stand Up
Since most German Shepherds ears are pointy, yet others are floppy, one can get curious about what causes this difference.
German Shepherds ears stand up because of strong ear ligaments and their genetics. Unlike many dog breeds, a standard German Shepherd past teething has naturally standing ears. This shouldnt be confused with pricked-up ears, which is prominent stiffening and has more to do with the canines mood.
Use Breathe Right Strips
McCann dog training trainers advocate a more comfortable and even less invasive method of bracing the dog’s ear.
They suggest cleaning the inside of the pinna and carefully sticking a Breathe Right strip lengthways across the ear’s fold. They report having success with this simpler method. However, it is unlikely to work with dogs that have heavy or very floppy ears.
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What Should I Do If My Dogs Ears Wont Stand At All
Taping a puppys ears should never be done while a puppy is teething, as this is a significant time of development when many nutrients that otherwise go into ear cartilage end up going into other areas of the body seeing substantial growth.
Most puppies will be done teething when theyre between four and six months old. Taping a puppys ears around six months if they havent stood up already. Use one of the methods listed below and avoid duct or similar tape.
For the first method, use foam hair rollers close to the size of your puppys ears, with the plastic was taken out.
Hold the ear up in a vertical position using the roller and a popsicle stick. You will need thin medical or masking tape for the next part.
Put the tape around each ear from the tip to the base. Make sure you finish taping around the tops of the popsicle sticks to finish off each ear.
A somewhat more complicated method involves moleskin dog ear support forms. Use some skin bond adhesive to attach the ear support forms to the ears. Make sure the form goes down to the base of the ear, without going deeply into the canal.
This video, from a German Shepherd owner, details how to use moleskin ear supports.
The Perffeto Ear Stage
At this point, your German Shepherd puppy has gone through all the ear stages.
Their head and facial muscles are strong and their ear cartilage is upright, and in the correct position.
Although they still look too big for their head, this will correct as they grow into their ears.
This stage can start anywhere from 20 weeks and last until full correct positioning at 8 months.
This stage can happen anywhere from 5 months all the way up to 8 months.
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Do Some German Shepherds Have Floppy Ears
If your German Shepherd puppy has been bred for breed preservation and not for looks, you can expect your puppy’s ears to stand up.
It is considered a fault according to breed standards if a German Shepherd has floppy ears.
In short, a GSD will only have floppy ears if something has gone wrong in terms of breeding, health, or trauma and I’ll get into each of these further down.
How To Fix A German Shepherds Floppy Ears
If you notice early enough that your german shepherd has floppy ears, then you can often work to get them to stand up straight.
Here are some of the ways you can fix a german shepherd with floppy ears.
The Tape Method
One of the most common ways to fix a german shepherd with floppy ears is the tape method. Its been used by hundreds of german shepherd owners in the past with great results, and its relatively easy to do!
Here are the steps you need to take for the tape method to be effective.
Find Foam Rollers, Tape, And Popsicle Sticks
The first thing youre going to need to do is to find foam hair rollers, tape, and a popsicle stick. These are the only three tools youll need. If you cant get your hand on foam rollers you can normally get them off .
And remember, when youre using tape, you dont want to use tape thats too sticky, otherwise it will hurt your german shepherd when you want to remove it. Heres a great tape to use.
Place The Foam Rollers Inside Your German Shepherds Ears
Now the next step is to place the foam rollers inside your german shepherd ears. When theyre in his ears wrap his ears around them and then tape them in place.
Just make sure there arent any creases or crinkles in their ears. When theyre straight and looking good, you can tape them.
Place The Popsicles At The Top Of The Foam Rollers
Remove Once A Week
When To Stop
If you get to the 9-month mark and your german shepherds ears still havent stood up on their own then its time to stop.
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Your German Shepherds Ears
Anyone who remembers Rin Tin Tin, the canine hero of 1950s television, recalls that famous German Shepherds regal silhouette head erect, muscular body ready for action and, most notably, ears standing straight up. But as many shepherd owners learn, it can take a while for pups to acquire that signature pointy-eared look.
While the floppy ears of a playful pup are cute, you may wonder if your shepherds ears will ever stand up. If he is a mixed breed, youll have to wait and see.
If youve seen them up, theyll stay up.
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. By then, the cartilage in the ear has become hard and strong enough for the ear to stand permanently.
During the teething months, you might notice the ears going up naturally for a day or two, or when your dog barks, gets excited, or hears a sudden noise. If youve seen the ears go up on their own for any amount of time during that first five months, you can be pretty sure that they will stand permanently when the teething period is over.
Keep an eye on his ears
If the ears of your German Shepherd are not erect after his fifth month, and this is the look you desire, you may want to contact your veterinarian or breeder. Between the 5th and 7th month the ear cartilage is still soft enough to encourage the ear into an upright position. By the 8th month, the ears will usually take on their adult form.
When Do German Shepherd Ears Stand Up
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German Shepherd puppies have flappy ears, and as they grow, their ears will eventually stand up. However, not all German Shepherd dogs ears stand up at the same time others would, and a delay can be caused by various reasons.;
So, exactly when do german shepherd ears stand up?
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When Will My Pup’s Ears Perk Up And Stay Up
After your puppy has finished teething their ears will perk up and stay up for good.
But as I mentioned, using teething as a yardstick is not ideal because puppy development does vary slightly.
So by all means, keep your puppy’s teething in mind, but don’t start panicking too soon.
Speaking of panicking
What Can You Do If Your German Shepherd Puppys Ears Dont Stand Up
When it comes to dogs and their ears, they certainly come in all shapes and sizes from long and drooping to petite and pointed, and for pedigree breeds, the position their ears should take when they are fully grown is usually dictated in the breed standard. For German Shepherds, the breed standard dictates that the dogs ears should be proud and erect in the adult dog but most of us have seen a German shepherd puppy with floppy ears, or even one ear up and one down as they develop!
Some German shepherds will retain drooping ears into adulthood, and whilst having floppy ears isnt generally a problem for the dog itself, it is classed as a fault in the dogs conformation and whilst this is of no importance to many owners, it is wise to know why the dogs ears may not become erect, and if anything can be done about it.
In this article we will look at how, when and why the German shepherds ears begin to stand up, what can cause floppy ears, and how to help to ensure that you puppys ears stand up naturally. Read on to learn more.
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When Do German Shepherd Puppy Ears Stand Up
German shepherd puppy ears stand up usually as the puppy develops and matures. Sure, those floppy ears look cute in a puppy, but owners of this breed are often looking forward to seeing their pups bloom into majestic representatives of the breed. Erect ears are one of the most cherished features in this breed which is known for making a vigilant watch dog with its alert, attentive look. If your German shepherd puppy has floppy ears, fortunately, in most cases, it’s just a matter of time, and those floppy ears will finally become erect. However, in the meantime, it’s important to avoid handling those ears in the wrong way.
An alert German shepherd with erect ears.
What Age Do German Shepherd Puppies Ears Stand Up
Whats not to love about the German Shepherd dog? A typical classic German Shepherd, also known as an Alsatian is characterized by its strong, regal profile, bright eyes and perky, upright ears. However, if youve brought home a German Shepherd puppy, you would have noticed that his ears are droopy and floppy. The ears may stand up at times but fall back again.
Often owners of GSDs are very eager to see their poochs ears stand upright and worry when they see their puppys dropping ears. The often-asked question is, At what age will my German Shepherd puppys ears stand up? or Can I do anything to help?
In this article, we will discuss all that you must know about your German Shepherd pups ears and what you can/not do if his ears are not standing up.
When they are born, German Shepherd puppies have tiny ears that flop onto the side. When the puppy grows older, its ears go up naturally; however, sometimes, they dont. The ears of the German Shepherd, like other dogs, are made of cartilage and to hold the weight of the large ears, the cartilage must be strong. As your puppy grows, the cartilage becomes stronger with the right nutrition and your German Shepherd will have straight, pointy ears for life.
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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.
Do German Shepherd Ears Stand Up Straight
All German Shepherds are born with floppy ears and your puppys ears will go through several weird stages before they become pointy and stand up straight.
You should expect your German Shepherds puppy ears to stand up and remain erect when he is finished teething. In most cases, the teething process lasts until the dog reaches five months of age, but it can last longer for some pups .
During this period, you will probably notice that your Shepherds ears are going through some funny changes. Its quite common for the ears to be up one day, just to drop down again the next.
If this happens, theres no need to be alarmed! In fact, this is a sign that your pups muscles and cartilage are developing properly.
Keep in mind that all puppies are individuals and develop differently. Thus, there is a big chance that your Shepherd puppys ears need seven months to stand up straight.
Generally, if your pups ears have gone up at some point and then dropped down again, they will stand up again and stay that way into adulthood. However, if the dogs ears dont go up by the time he is eight or nine months old, chances are that they never will.
Percentage of Ears Standing Up
According to owners, nearly one in five German Shepherd dogs have floppy ears . However, this doesnt mean that your GSDs ears wont stand up once hes finished teething.
Lets take a look at percentages of German Shepherd ears standing up by age:
| Age |
| 16% |
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