# petting a GSD puppy's ears



## Bookmans1 (Apr 9, 2011)

I've heard that if you petted a GSD's ears when it was a puppy the ears would never stand. Is that true?
~S


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## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

No that is not true, if you are worried about the ears, give the puppy something to chew on. It will help improve the muscles in the ears....


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

You can pet the ears so long as you don't crumple them which can be damaging to the cartilage.


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## SamTheDog (Apr 4, 2011)

I hope not. People seem to love petting my pups ears. I cringe everytime


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Bookmans1 said:


> I've heard that if you petted a GSD's ears when it was a puppy the ears would never stand. Is that true?
> ~S


If that were true you would never see a GSD with upright ears.


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## SamTheDog (Apr 4, 2011)

Seems to me that if petting their ears was going to make them not stand up, then so would him scratching, rolling around, running into things, sleeping, playing, etc.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

WarrantsWifey said:


> No that is not true, if you are worried about the ears, give the puppy something to chew on. It will help improve the muscles in the ears....



Take him out for a walk in a place that will arouse his curiosity, like the woods.
It will cause him to perk up his ears frequently and build the muscles and use the nerves that straighten his ears.


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