# ear BROKEN? after being straight for weeks



## Remo384 (Aug 21, 2012)

My German Shepherd's ear have been up since 5-6 weeks of age. He is now 11 weeks and his ears have been perfect up until a few days ago now his left one is CROOKED!!! I never owned a GSD before and did not know how sensitive their ears are until now...I am very concerned that we may have played with him too rough or something. Do you think the left ear will straighten back out? it's not flopped over or anything it just leans toward the right ear but it was never like this before.


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## GsdLoverr729 (Jun 20, 2010)

Their ears can do this until they turn 5-6 months from what I understand.


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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

I chuckled at your post. Read this post and see the pictures there. 

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ears-up/136976-ear-dance-examples.html

If you post pictures the readers can affirm that it's just the dog going thru his cute puppy stages.


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## Remo384 (Aug 21, 2012)

Remo384 said:


> My German Shepherd's ear have been up since 5-6 weeks of age. He is now 11 weeks and his ears have been perfect up until a few days ago now his left one is CROOKED!!! I never owned a GSD before and did not know how sensitive their ears are until now...I am very concerned that we may have played with him too rough or something. Do you think the left ear will straighten back out? it's not flopped over or anything it just leans toward the right ear but it was never like this before.


we hve rough housed with him not knowing about their sensitive ears and also have 4 kids and a baby that play with him as well...nothing like pulling his ears or anything just pushing him and playing...


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## GsdLoverr729 (Jun 20, 2010)

I rough-housed with mine from the moment I got her at 6 weeks. The ears go up and down. It's normal, and has nothing to do with playing "too rough."


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

it's a teething thing. their ears will go up and down. I know that they say "no roughhousing" but have you ever seen GSD puppies play??? None of them would ever have prick ears if that is all it took. 

Now, I don't allow people to fondle and scrunch them up (I've seen people basically try to ball the ear up like a wad of paper??) but I don't worry about petting and rubbing and "normal" stuff like that.


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## Remo384 (Aug 21, 2012)

thank you guys for responding. I am beginning to have hope for his little crooked ear. but now i have notice that when he puts his ears down on his head when he is excited the left one doesn't go all the way down like he doesn't have full control over it. I hope it straightens out. i've read that giving him bones will help so i'm going to cook some up for him and hope it helps. here is a picture of him and his little ear lol


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

Please don't give him cooked bones, that can be dangerous for him. You can give him raw bones (although I don't remember what age I started giving them to my pup) 
Raw bones might be too much for the puppy teeth, maybe someone else can advise on what age it is ok to give raw bones.
You can safely give bully sticks and Churpi chews. Frozen carrots are always good for teething as well.
Don't worry I'm sure your pups ear will spring back up ( and then down and back again)!


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## rooandtree (May 13, 2012)

rule is..if the ears were up at one time they will go back up...only worry if they never go up


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Bear GSD said:


> Please don't give him cooked bones, that can be dangerous for him. You can give him raw bones (although I don't remember what age I started giving them to my pup)
> Raw bones might be too much for the puppy teeth, maybe someone else can advise on what age it is ok to give raw bones.
> You can safely give bully sticks and Churpi chews. Frozen carrots are always good for teething as well.
> Don't worry I'm sure your pups ear will spring back up ( and then down and back again)!


I gave pups in litter litter raw beef ribs. They love it and it cracks you up to see them hauling away their "prey" and hide in a safe place from the others.
Beef bones (raw only)with plenty of tissue, like knee joints, on it have worked well with our pups/dogs. I take them away when they start gnawing the hard bone to protect their teeth.
The yellow jackets are now pestering them so I have stopped giving them until these pests go dormant.


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## Remo384 (Aug 21, 2012)

Bear GSD said:


> Please don't give him cooked bones, that can be dangerous for him. You can give him raw bones (although I don't remember what age I started giving them to my pup)
> Raw bones might be too much for the puppy teeth, maybe someone else can advise on what age it is ok to give raw bones.
> You can safely give bully sticks and Churpi chews. Frozen carrots are always good for teething as well.
> Don't worry I'm sure your pups ear will spring back up ( and then down and back again)!


ooo he might like the carrots. thanks for the advice


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

also, anything that can be chewed on - antlers, nylabones, marrow bones, etc


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## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

It's just the ear dance. They go up and down a few times with some dogs. Teething will also make them go down for a while, but they will pop back up. Great looking pup.


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## Remo384 (Aug 21, 2012)

pyratemom said:


> It's just the ear dance. They go up and down a few times with some dogs. Teething will also make them go down for a while, but they will pop back up. Great looking pup.


THANKS!! yea i hope you're right...i was always so proud of his perfect ears since he was 5-6 weeks weeks old...BUT if it really is broken (and by the sounds of it, it's not) i will still love the little guy just the same!!


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## kateydog (Aug 1, 2012)

Remo384 said:


> My German Shepherd's ear have been up since 5-6 weeks of age. He is now 11 weeks and his ears have been perfect up until a few days ago now his left one is CROOKED!!! I never owned a GSD before and did not know how sensitive their ears are until now...I am very concerned that we may have played with him too rough or something. Do you think the left ear will straighten back out? it's not flopped over or anything it just leans toward the right ear but it was never like this before.


They go up and down while teething. 

If the GSD's ears were fully up at 11 weeks? You have nothing to worry about. In fact that is kind of early.

Also they usually 1. Go up. 2. Tilt inward. 3. Straighten up after teething. Why? Calcium is being used. This doesn't mean to give them excess calcium. They will go up when they go up. Wolves ears do the same thing. 

You shouldn't worry at all until the dog is about 5 months old. Then get interested. Just enjoy the cuteness of the ear dance.

Some dogs ears go up late. There is nothing wrong with this. About the only way one will not go up (other then genetics) is if another dog bites HARD on it and totals the cartilage. 

Human roughhousing? Don't worry. They probably rub them harder rolling around on their backs/laying in a crate.


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