From Puppy to Dog in 40 seconds

[Amber]

This is a cute video of a GSD puppy from 8 weeks old to 1 year old.  I'm curious, Kirsten (or whoever) do they tape GSD ears, or do they just naturally stand up after a while like that?

http://video.yahoo.com/editorspicks-12135647/featured-24306389/puppy-to-adult-dog-in-40-seconds-25318285.html

[Sheenar]

They naturally prick up on their own as the dog grows older.

[Kellynbobellen]

awe what a cutie!  I like how they sneaked in a few other shots of him like in the kiddie pool or with a sushi-chefs cap on!  CUTE!

[Kirsten]

A correct GSD's ears stand on their own by 5 months. If they don't, some people train them to stand by taping them. All my dogs are natural. I won't tape a bad ear. It doesn't hurt the dog to have a soft ear, but it does hurt him to tape it. My answer is to sterilize dogs with disqualifying faults like soft ears. Keep the dog, but remove the faulty genes from the pool.

My guys were all standing by 8 weeks, but that's faster than is typical. Starting at about 5 weeks, their ears start "winking." one day you wake to find the left ear up, and the next day it's back down again and the right one is up. Some days they do a comb over, both leaning the same direction. Some days the cross on top of the head like a fancy hairdo. But once each ear stands correctly, I know the ear set will be okay, even if it is down the next day.

Correct ears may drop again during teething, but should recover on their own.

Never pet a prick eared dog between the ears until they are well set, and encourage vigorous chewing to strengthen the muscles that hold the ears erect. Cole's breeder never allows petting on top of the head for the life of the dog. I haven't seen it do any harm to my guys. But I have seen it mess up pups ears.

[FartherStars]

What a neat video!

[Spectrum]

If I ever get a puppy, I want to do something like that 

Max's ears too FOREVER to stand (I want to say 6-8 months), and althoguh they stand now, they flop out to the sides. But that's the least of his worries as far as bad conformation goes.

[De]

I've been told it's unusual for a Min Pin's ears to stand up, but Ginger's do naturally.  She was not cropped nor was she taped.  I figure the ear is the size and shape it is for a reason.  And I have always fondled her ears, top of the head, all of her.  It made no difference that I can see, maybe because she's a Min Pin?  Blessings, De

[Kellynbobellen]

Kristen, did Coles trainer tell you to not scratch his head because of showing purposes?  I mean how could that ACTUALLY harm a dog that has pricked ears versus one that doesnt?

I personally think that taping, cropping, and docking is all wrong.  I get that there are these "standards" when it comes to some breeds but seriously if your dog was not born with a cropped tail then it SHOULD NOT be cropped!  Im sure there are plenty people who about to give me flack for thinking its wrong, but I dont care.  I think its 500 times worse than people getting plastic surgery!  I mean with plastic surgery you at least are doing it by your own choice, an animal has to choice to go though that pain.  Ok, Im done ranting about that!!

but back to the ears....Charlie is 75% black Shep.  His mommy was all shep and his daddy was half and half.  His ears are floppy (and SOOOO cute!) but everyonce in a while they stand straight up.  He is now 4 days shy of 7 months old...do you think that they will stay flopped over or might still stand?  I really dont care one way or the other but I am just curious!  I personally think he looks absolutely adorable with his half-folded over ears! 

Also,  do they have any higher risks for ear problems because they are flopped over?

[Spectrum]

I personally think that taping, cropping, and docking is all wrong.

I'm not a huge fan of cropping or docking, however I can understand that there really are functional purposes for it. And sometimes medical reasons. i myself much prefer a natural dog and am very happy that Gavorche has natural ears and tail. However I don't really see a problem with taping and gluing. Sure, ideally the dog will have naturally proper ears. But in Collies, for example, especially smooth collies (since their ears don't have hair to weigh them down) "correct" ears are not all that common. Most pups need help at least at some point (there are exceptions). Gluing and taping is not harmful to the dog itself. Logan doesn't mind it. I would rather not do it, but it's in my contract, so I have to do it. I honestly adore prick eared collies, but it's not proper.

[Sheenar]

I have a question about Dobies. I noticed that many pups have tape around both ears to help them stand up? Are they another breed born with ears down that have to be "trained" to stand up?


I am not a big fan of cropping, but I can see some instances where docking can be beneficial to the dog's safety in doing the job it was bred to do --hunting dogs and herding dogs, specifically.

Pebbles had her front dewclaws removed as a pup --we were told that was done to prevent them from getting caught on something while working and the dog getting hurt. I don't know how likely that would actually be to happen, but that's something that my program does.

[Spectrum]

I have a question about Dobies. I noticed that many pups have tape around both ears to help them stand up? Are they another breed born with ears down that have to be "trained" to stand up?

Dobes have naturally drop ears, but are traditionally cropped. When you see them taped/wrapped, it is because they're cropped. If you don't tape a crop, it won't stand (with the exception of short crops, like pitbull-type dogs).

Dewclaws are actually very useful to active dogs. They help turn corners, a lot of dogs use them as thumbs, etc. They can cause problems too of course. But they're not the useless digits that a lot of people think they are. There's evidence to show it's healthier to keep them on than take them off, as far as arthritis in active dogs is concerned.

[Kirsten]

A herding dog should not be docked (tail removed). They need their tails for balance when cornering. Pembrook Corgis are not docked, neither are Aussies. Both are naturally tail-less. They also have an entirely different hindquarter compared to herding dogs born with tails. I know of no herding breed that is traditionally docked.

Dogs that are docked/cropped are usually fighting or protection dogs. The objective is to remove that which can be used as a handhold to control the dog.

Dewclaws are generally removed in sporting breeds to prevent injury. They may tear dewclaws scrambling around in deep brush.

Barbaric as it is, the original reasons for these surgical modifications were functional rather than cosmetic. In pet dogs, it is cosmetic, and completely unjustified IMO.

[Kirsten]

A prick eared dog lays his ears down when petted on top of the head. Can petting on top of the head damage the ear set?  Yes, I've seen it happen, but only in young dogs whose ears were not set. Just as it is easier to get a dog fit who was fit in his youth, his ear set is more reliable when the musculature is well developed in youth. Ear set depends on three things: 1. thickness of ear leather, base/orientation (placement relative to each other on the head), and musculature. The only one the owner can effect is the musculature. The other two are set at conception.

Is it guaranteed you will ruin a dog's ear set petting incorrectly?  Is it guaranteed you will be killed in a wreck if you don't wear your seatbelt?  In both cases you are changing your odds by taking risks.

I had a boyfriend with a crazy uncle. Said uncle would cross the 4 lane highway at the end of his drive by flooring it, figuring the faster he was across, the better his chances. Even if that meant not being able to look both ways and choose the best opportunity. He succeeded many times. Does that mean his solution was the best to meet the objective of making the crossing?  If you don't care about the earset, then it doesn't matter. If you do care, you do all that you can to improve your chances of getting a good one.

I think no less of a dog with a poor earset. I just won't tend to consider him for breeding. Taping the ears does not change the genetics that caused the bad earset in the first place. The only reason for taping is cosmetics. So I don't tape. I've helped tape, and the pup hated it. Had to be redone daily because she could tear it out no matter what you did to prevent it.

If a shep's ears are not reliably erect by six months, they never will be. That's why you tape at five months if you are going to. I don't. There is no functional reason that the must be erect.

Prick ears are more prone to foreign objects and drop ears are more prone to infection. Six of one, half dozen of the other. I told my sister once Ruby had a bug in her ear. They're like satellite dishes up there. Natural bug scoopers. Sis thought I was speaking metaphorically. A good shake usually gets them out.

[Ilghaus]

Karl's were up and down and around for what seemed forever and as Kirsten mentioned everyday when I got home from work I would eagerly run in to see what they looked like that day. One day one ear up the next day the other. Sometimes the ear that was up would be facing one direction and then the other. I have a picture of him where both ears were semi up and crossed/bent over facing each other. Then one day they both stood correctly and my baby was growing up. 

His younger half-brothers Chase & Casey both had erect ears when I brought them home at 9 weeks.

I did a semi-foster for a German Shepherd breeder for about 6 months one time. (From around 5 months old to short of a year. She was a little nervous and clingy and had soft ears so not a good prospect to sell. So I took her home with me and prepared her to be a companion dog for the right person. I taped her ears per the breeders request but they refused to stand up and I finally after a month or so told him no difference in sight so he agreed with me to just forget it. I would not have continued trying to get them to stand at all but it never bothered her in the least and she never tried to take the tape off. By the way, when we felt she was ready she was given to a very nice family with 3 children who live on a farm. The breeder kept me updated to let me know that she and the kids adored each other and never any issues with her previous nervousness.

[Spectrum]

Prick ears are more prone to foreign objects and drop ears are more prone to infection.

That's why collies are half way pricked, and halfway not pricked. It's all about compromise