# What's with the ear obsession?



## Augustine (Nov 22, 2014)

I know some people (like myself) love watching a doggie's ears go up, but what's with all the people freaking out when they don't? I mean, this forum is filled with all kinds of weird and over-the-top "solutions" to "fixing" ears that won't go up like, seriously?

Is there some sort of ear-related health issue that I'm not aware of that affects GSDs with droppy ears? Or are people really THAT dramatic about not having a GSD with "perfect" ears?


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## Ryankappel (Jun 19, 2015)

I kinda like the ears to stand up. it's way better looking. But if I get a GSD puppy, I'm committed to it. if the ears stay down, then whatever. I love the dog, ears up or down! 

Just like people. they're never perfect, but you learn to look past some stuff you don't like for ALL the other stuff you love!

A GSD is so much more than his ears lol


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

It's nice if they go up but I had a pick of the little pure bred and she was a great dog even when her ears never completely went up. I think it's more for show/showing then anything


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## Kahrg4 (Dec 19, 2012)

If I went to a respectable breeder, paid a decent sum of money, and then my pup's ears didn't stand I'd be disappointed. Part of what I look for in any GSD that I might adopt is confirmation to the standard, including upright ears. No, I don't think it's appropriate to rehome a dog for cosmetic reasons. I'd still be disappointed though as my personal preference for my dogs includes upright ears.


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## J-Boo (Mar 5, 2015)

People who plan on showing their GSD would probably be disappointed, because hanging ears are a disqualification. I think those are the people who try to "fix" the issue if the dog's ears don't look like they're going to stand up on their own.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

a segment of the original herding dogs that went into the creation of this breed did have droop ears -

they were very temperamentaly steady 

the occasional down ear does occur even in litters where every one else's are up and firm 

the ear either comes up or it does not -- taping does not change the genetics and will only further perpetuate the soft ear


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## jschrest (Jun 16, 2015)

I think it has a lot to do with people wanting to look like they have the cream of the crop. I'm not saying on this forum, I'm speaking general pet public here. They want to be able to say "look at my shepherd, isn't he perfect?" Droopy or floppy ears takes that away from them. They can't stand proudly next to their dog and feel confident that theirs takes the cake. I personally think it is silly. I like the unique, so it personally wouldn't bother me one bit to have a floppy ear, or ears. 

I had a Rottie (rescue) that had an intact tail, had never been cropped. I got so many comments about how he couldn't be purebred because Rotties have "stumps" for tails. The ignorance made me giggle. Some people actually think they are born with "stumps" for tails, they don't realize they have them docked as puppies. Same with a Pinschers ears. They aren't born to stand like a GSD. But people are quick to jump on the "it's a mutt" wagon if they don't adhere to what they are used to seeing on particular breeds.

When people made comments about my Rotties tail, I'd just smile and say "maybe" and walk away. I didn't let it bother me, because he was a great dog, and I actually prefered his swinging tail (unless it was knocking my toddlers over at the time, then I wished he'd wake up magically docked one day). 

So anyway, the point to my rambling... They don't want to hear all the comments about their dog not being pure, or asking what they are mixed with, or hear obnoxious advice on what their brothers cousins best friends uncle did to get his GSD ears to stand. 

Of course, I'm assuming all this, and we all know what happens when people assume


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Augustine said:


> Are people really THAT dramatic about not having a GSD with "perfect" ears?


Yes.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I have a solid black GSD. Yes, I wanted his ears to be pricked. Otherwise, he would look like a lab. I didn't want a lab. I wanted a GSD and they do not look the same without upright ears.

Yep, I would be pretty disappointed if my dog's ears were drop ears. Nothing to do with their being perfect (mine does have one ear that is softer than the other although still completely upright), but it IS the breed standard.


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## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

Augustine said:


> I know some people (like myself) love watching a doggie's ears go up, but what's with all the people freaking out when they don't? I mean, this forum is filled with all kinds of weird and over-the-top "solutions" to "fixing" ears that won't go up like, seriously?
> 
> Is there some sort of ear-related health issue that I'm not aware of that affects GSDs with droppy ears? Or are people really THAT dramatic about not having a GSD with "perfect" ears?


When you spend $2k for a dog, it better look like the breed you are buying. So, for me, if I wanted a dog with floppy ears, I'd get a beagle, a lab, or a host of other floppy ear dogs. 

I would be royally pissed if my GSD turned out to have floppy ears. I'd love him...but I would not be happy.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I show, so of course I want a dog with correct ears, and that means standing upright. Beyond that, I just don't like the look of downed ears on a shepherd. If I had a GSD just as a pet, and not a show dog, I would be sorely disappointed if it's ears didn't stand.


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## Ceez201 (Jul 3, 2015)

My little girls ears were up very young and continue to stay up through her teething right now. However, it wouldn't have bothered me all that much if her ears didn't stand properly. The erect ears are obviously the preferred GSD look, but no matter what it's still a GSD.


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## Rangers_mom (May 16, 2013)

When I came to this board a couple of years ago I was surprised at the ear thing as well. But we came upon our GSD kind of by accident. We were raising him for the seeing eye and he was not supposed to be our dog and certainly not a show dog. We did know for certain that he was from a long line of pure bred GSDs but we really didn't care and we didn't know much about the breed. When we got him at 7 weeks he was so cute with those droop ears that we kept hoping they wouldn't go up. We even joked about taping them down so they would stay that way. But by about 9 weeks they were solidly up never to go down again. I don't remember any of the seeing eye pups having droop ears. We were told that some even had their ears up at 7 weeks when they were delivered to their puppy raising family. I don't know why that is the case since the seeing eye does not breed for looks.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Two out of three of mine came with upright ears. Tobyn had one upright and one halfway there, I loved the way it looked. It only stood like that for a short time and then they went up and stayed up. I admit I was sad, but she would have probably looked weird if it stayed that way as an adult.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

My "heart" dog was a sable German Shepherd with soft ears. I adopted him from the animal shelter. He was such a wonderful companion and great example of the breed; I can't stand the thought that someone dumped him for his ears. I would love to have another floppy-eared sable but there aren't many.


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## Rangers_mom (May 16, 2013)

Emoore said:


> My "heart" dog was a sable German Shepherd with soft ears. I adopted him from the animal shelter. He was such a wonderful companion and great example of the breed; I can't stand the thought that someone dumped him for his ears. I would love to have another floppy-eared sable but there aren't many.


Ah...how cute. Now that is exactly what my family was aiming for when we joked about taping Ranger's ears down. But alas, his ears are upright and we love him just as much. Still those floopy ears are adorable!


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## Ruger Monster (Jan 29, 2015)

I was slightly saddened that my boy didn't have the crazy ear stages LOL Those ears were up at 7 weeks and never went back down. 

But I also would have been disappointed if his ears didn't stand at all. After reading the board, it would take me awhile before I started worrying about it though, since it seems there is a very large time frame for them to go completely up. If they never did go up, I wouldn't love him any less or get rid of him or anything, he'd still be a gorgeous GSD, ... but I absolutely adore those satellite dishes on his head


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## UWMsGirl (Apr 19, 2015)

Ruger Monster said:


> I was slightly saddened that my boy didn't have the crazy ear stages LOL Those ears were up at 7 weeks and never went back down.
> 
> But I also would have been disappointed if his ears didn't stand at all. After reading the board, it would take me awhile before I started worrying about it though, since it seems there is a very large time frame for them to go completely up. If they never did go up, I wouldn't love him any less or get rid of him or anything, he'd still be a gorgeous GSD, ... but I absolutely adore those satellite dishes on his head



Same here, we didn't go through the ear stages. To be honest I didn't know they went through that with this GSD being our first. When we got Enna at 8 weeks old, her ears were already standing straight up and have been that way ever since. I do have to say that I love the ears standing up "look" better then down, on this breed at least. But no matter what we love our Enna! This is her at 8 weeks old.


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