# GSD mix puppy floppy ears



## anne.marie (Feb 4, 2020)

My almost 6 month GSD mix’s (50% GSD, 50% mutt) ears have been taped using Breathe Right nasal strips for almost a month and a half. Her ears look great when using two strips per ear, but we’ve been using eyelash glue as adhesive, and the strips don’t stay on for more that two or three days. The longest they are ever not taped is a few hours. Once the strips are off, they look almost exactly like they did before we started this process, creasing at the bottom of the ear and flopping sideways. Could the fact that they don’t stay on long be slowing the process? I’ve read about Torbot glue and moleskin. I’m wondering if that’s the best option at this point. I’m pretty sure she just finished teething, so is it too late at this point?


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

You can’t make ears stand that aren’t meant to stand. She’s mixed, and that has a huge influence on what her ears are going to do.


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## Petra's Dad (Jan 6, 2020)

I would tend to think it is possible (albeit not likely) they could stand in a couple months yet. Since your dog is mixed it can greatly change the strength of the ears. Even my non-mixed GSD has been having trouble with his ears standing... It's also questionable whether taping actually helps or not as well.


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## anne.marie (Feb 4, 2020)

Fodder said:


> You can’t make ears stand that aren’t meant to stand. She’s mixed, and that has a huge influence on what her ears are going to do.


I figured this would work since people post Doberman and Boxer ears all of the time, and their ears don’t naturally stand up. I know they tape them much more extensively than with just nasal strips, but I thought the nasal strips would work with my pup since they make her ears stand pretty solidly. I assumed that a certain amount of time in an upright position would strengthen the cartilage. Maybe I’m mistaken.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

anne.marie said:


> I figured this would work since people post Doberman and Boxer ears all of the time, and their ears don’t naturally stand up. I know they tape them much more extensively than with just nasal strips, but I thought the nasal strips would work with my pup since they make her ears stand pretty solidly. I assumed that a certain amount of time in an upright position would strengthen the cartilage. Maybe I’m mistaken.


Those breeds have much thinner ears, not to mention half the ear (weight) is surgically removed. Thinner ear, less ear, surgically done at 8-10 weeks old then posted for months. Different ball game. Even then... there are dobies and boxers whose cropped ears don’t stand either.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Did you see the 50% mutt parent? Were their ears erect? That would increase your chances.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Lots of chewing helps. A good diet helps. Your dog is not even 6 months old and you have been taping for a month? I have had pups whose ears went up and stayed up by three months, most went up and down and all around until 6 or 8 months, my current dog has one ear that still tips when she is tired and hers did not stay up until she was about a year old. 
What do your dogs ears look like when they aren't taped?


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## Kari01 (Sep 7, 2018)

Have her ears ever stood for a day or two on their own (no strips)? If not then it's probably unlikely.


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## anne.marie (Feb 4, 2020)

Fodder said:


> Did you see the 50% mutt parent? Were their ears erect? That would increase your chances.


No, my pup was found at two weeks old without a mom. But according to Embark, her mom was a Pitbull, Border Collie, Chow, Rottweiler mix. So my guess is they didn’t stand up


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## Hatch (Jul 16, 2015)

I would try these instead: RedLine K9 German shepherd soft ears get Dog Ear Supports - DogSport Gear



anne.marie said:


> My almost 6 month GSD mix’s (50% GSD, 50% mutt) ears have been taped using Breathe Right nasal strips for almost a month and a half. Her ears look great when using two strips per ear, but we’ve been using eyelash glue as adhesive, and the strips don’t stay on for more that two or three days. The longest they are ever not taped is a few hours. Once the strips are off, they look almost exactly like they did before we started this process, creasing at the bottom of the ear and flopping sideways. Could the fact that they don’t stay on long be slowing the process? I’ve read about Torbot glue and moleskin. I’m wondering if that’s the best option at this point. I’m pretty sure she just finished teething, so is it too late at this point?
> View attachment 557546


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## anne.marie (Feb 4, 2020)

Kari01 said:


> Have her ears ever stood for a day or two on their own (no strips)? If not then it's probably unlikely.


They would change from standing, to flopping forward, to flopping sideways. When they would stand, it usually wouldn’t be for longer than a few minutes, and they would usually stand up when excited. They moved to basically always laying sideways by the time she was four months old or so


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## anne.marie (Feb 4, 2020)

Sabis mom said:


> Lots of chewing helps. A good diet helps. Your dog is not even 6 months old and you have been taping for a month? I have had pups whose ears went up and stayed up by three months, most went up and down and all around until 6 or 8 months, my current dog has one ear that still tips when she is tired and hers did not stay up until she was about a year old.
> What do your dogs ears look like when they aren't taped?

















This was yesterday a few minutes after I took her strips off. I actually think that the top looks different from before we started using the strips (the don’t flop forward like they used to), but the big crease at the bottom is essentially unchanged


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## Bramble (Oct 23, 2011)

anne.marie said:


> I figured this would work since people post Doberman and Boxer ears all of the time, and their ears don’t naturally stand up. I know they tape them much more extensively than with just nasal strips, but I thought the nasal strips would work with my pup since they make her ears stand pretty solidly. I assumed that a certain amount of time in an upright position would strengthen the cartilage. Maybe I’m mistaken.


Boxer and Doberman ears are cropped not just taped.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I doubt that one ear is going to change. But holy crap is she ever adorable!


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## LeoRose (Jan 10, 2013)

What a cutie!

As mentioned, Dobes and Boxers are cropped, and then have their ears posted for several months. Some dogs with really thin ear leather and/or long crops need to be posted for a year (or more) before they stand properly on their own. And sometimes they don't' stand at all.


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## Pytheis (Sep 23, 2016)

To be honest? I highly doubt those ears will ever stand on their own. That picture is a few _minutes_ after you took the strips out? Usually people that post/tape report that the ears stay up for at least a few hours after. I think you should let it go and let her ears do what they're going to do naturally. She's a mix, not even purebred. Why are you so set on the ears standing? Just to be clear, I'm not trying to attack you or anything, so I'm sorry if it comes across that way. It's hard to convey things appropriately over text sometimes.

Love her for who she is, even if the ears are down. She's adorable that way!


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## anne.marie (Feb 4, 2020)

Pytheis said:


> To be honest? I highly doubt those ears will ever stand on their own. That picture is a few _minutes_ after you took the strips out? Usually people that post/tape report that the ears stay up for at least a few hours after. I think you should let it go and let her ears do what they're going to do naturally. She's a mix, not even purebred. Why are you so set on the ears standing? Just to be clear, I'm not trying to attack you or anything, so I'm sorry if it comes across that way. It's hard to convey things appropriately over text sometimes.
> 
> Love her for who she is, even if the ears are down. She's adorable that way!


I totally get you! Honestly, I just like the look of them up better. I wouldn’t have minded if they flopped forward, but they were starting to flop sideways, which I thought would look goofy on an adult dog. She really doesn’t mind them being taped at all. So I guess at this point I’m just wondering if there’s a possibility of them standing up. But if it doesn’t seem so, then I’d rather take the tape off sooner rather than later so I can finally get some good pictures of her without tape in her ears


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Just take the tape off and enjoy her. She is a mutt who don't need to conform at standards, which is charming in itself. She really is a beautiful dog. For your next dog, get a purebred.
My dog trainer in the way past told us, actually mentioning the GSD as an example, "If you like a GSD, don't get a mix because you will always be eyeing the purebred ones."


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## LeoRose (Jan 10, 2013)

anne.marie said:


> I totally get you! Honestly, I just like the look of them up better. I wouldn’t have minded if they flopped forward, but they were starting to flop sideways, which I thought would look goofy on an adult dog. She really doesn’t mind them being taped at all. So I guess at this point I’m just wondering if there’s a possibility of them standing up. But if it doesn’t seem so, then I’d rather take the tape off sooner rather than later so I can finally get some good pictures of her without tape in her ears


You can tape them down to where they fall forward, and not sideways. This is one method. http://www.6stardanes.com/ears.html


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## Pawsed (May 24, 2014)

Just enjoy your dog for who and what she is. She's very cute. She will never be other that what her genetics determine she will be. You can't fight that. Leave the ears alone and love her for what she is.


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## Stuckey (Feb 1, 2020)

You said 50% mutt? Did the mutt have floppy ears? If so, I wouldn’t expect the ears to go up at all.


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## Stuckey (Feb 1, 2020)

Fodder said:


> Did you see the 50% mutt parent? Were their ears erect? That would increase your chances.


I guess I missed your post and asked the same question?


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