# Losing hope



## mydogs (May 4, 2012)

I've been using breathe right strips for 6 weeks religiously and supplementing as my vet directed. My pup is 6.5 months now. The strips came out today they were in for 6 days. Ear flopped. It's now been up for 3 hours but as soon as he falls asleep and wakes up it's flopped at the tip and usually doesn't come back up. I'm hoping it does. I'm switching to the ear forms they're being shipped today. Until they get here I will be using moleskin if the ear flops again. Frustrated 


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## mydogs (May 4, 2012)

Looks strong right? But it will flop 


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## pineconeforestGSD (Feb 24, 2014)

don't forget the dog is trying his best. try and make him feel better and ill bet the ears will perk right up and begin to look great.
see clearly in your minds eye the exact way you want the ears,have patience and they WILL turn out great.
just please don't give up.
best wishes


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Were they ever up completely on their own? Does he have any litter mates - mom/dad with soft ears?

Giving him something to safely chew on is good as well - builds those muscles up.

My boys flipped flopped - then at 6 months were up for good. I don't have any experience with taping but would keep at it.


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## mydogs (May 4, 2012)

pineconeforestGSD said:


> don't forget the dog is trying his best. try and make him feel better and ill bet the ears will perk right up and begin to look great.
> see clearly in your minds eye the exact way you want the ears,have patience and they WILL turn out great.
> just please don't give up.
> best wishes



Not giving up at all..he chews on Merrick bones and bully sticks. Going to get more now. I will see how he does overnight. It's usually when he's tired it flops midway up. I was told his great grandad Zamp thermodos had soft ears for awhile. 


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## mydogs (May 4, 2012)

Courtney said:


> Were they ever up completely on their own? Does he have any litter mates - mom/dad with soft ears?
> 
> Giving him something to safely chew on is good as well - builds those muscles up.
> 
> My boys flipped flopped - then at 6 months were up for good. I don't have any experience with taping but would keep at it.



At 4 months one was straight up one day down next then other was up. About 3 weeks ago it stayed up for 5 days I thought I was good to go 


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## Jmoore728 (Oct 17, 2013)

My male GSD is 7.5 months old. The breeder taped his ears when he was around 5 months old. They stayed in for about 2 weeks. His ears were up, but the tips were bent over. After the forms came out, they were still bent at times, but starting at the 7 month period, they have been up every since. The tips never flop over, but when he is running at times, they tips will bounce around. Hopefully they will eventually firm up. The breeder is wanting to tape them again, and I will let her next time I'm at her kennel. 

Hang in there....it will get better.


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## mydogs (May 4, 2012)

Jmoore728 said:


> My male GSD is 7.5 months old. The breeder taped his ears when he was around 5 months old. They stayed in for about 2 weeks. His ears were up, but the tips were bent over. After the forms came out, they were still bent at times, but starting at the 7 month period, they have been up every since. The tips never flop over, but when he is running at times, they tips will bounce around. Hopefully they will eventually firm up. The breeder is wanting to tape them again, and I will let her next time I'm at her kennel.
> 
> 
> 
> Hang in there....it will get better.



Sent you a pm


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## Espa (Apr 22, 2014)

mydogs said:


> Sent you a pm
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


The ears are cartilage which can be damaged easily at a young age especially because they feel so soft. 

Usually by four months they're up, if not by six months probably never will be. Sorry.


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## Arlene/Archer (Mar 7, 2013)

Archer's ears didn't go up until he was 6/7 months old and he still has a slight flippy tip on his right ear, which I don't give a hoot about and actually think it adds character. You can see it here in the photo. Don't get too stressed about it.


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## mydogs (May 4, 2012)

Espa said:


> The ears are cartilage which can be damaged easily at a young age especially because they feel so soft.
> 
> 
> 
> Usually by four months they're up, if not by six months probably never will be. Sorry.



Sorry but that is untrue. His ear was up at 4 months. It's the mid to upper that's still soft not the entire ear. 
So if it was up before I'm thinking it will finish going up. 
Also his ear is not damaged. My vet who deals with gsd only checked the ear. 
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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Espa said:


> Usually by four months they're up, if not by six months probably never will be. Sorry.


Not true.

Venus at 7 months









That ear was sloppy and floppy, for the next month. Up or down depending on her mood and how tired she was. 

This is her a month later. She loves shovels...


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## mydogs (May 4, 2012)

SunCzarina said:


> Not true.
> 
> Venus at 7 months
> 
> ...






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## anitram (Feb 28, 2014)

mydogs said:


> Not giving up at all..he chews on Merrick bones and bully sticks. Going to get more now. I will see how he does overnight. It's usually when he's tired it flops midway up.


A breeder (not my own) told me to give our puppy knuckle bones right away. They're really big and have a lot of cartilage in them. Hans just loved them and I probably gave him 2-3 a week - he'd basically chew on the extra bits of meat left on the bone and the cartilage and lick at the marrow. I have no way of knowing if this did anything but she said it strengthens their jaw/cheek muscles which help support the ears. His ears have basically been perfectly erect from about 14 weeks.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Yep, 8 months. The ear that wasn't as strong, it would stand at a weird angle until she was about 9 months. It came up at 6 months, it just didn't stay up for long. She'd get tired and it would tip over. 

I took this the same day as the shovel picture, on the ride home from the family reunion where she was busy all day.


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