# 19 Weeks and No Joy



## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

Trying to figure out if I should start becoming concerned.

https://picasaweb.google.com/Clay.Lacey/Prada19Weeks?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfMg4q4iejo4AE#


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Is he done teething?


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

My boy's came up and stayed up at 18 weeks--which was last week--they looked very similar. Give it another week or two.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I'd give it one more week, it looks like the one thats up, will straighten out,,the other, I'd give it a week and then I'd start taping cause I am paranoid about ears.. He is absolutely stunning


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

Were they ever up?


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## krystyne73 (Oct 13, 2010)

They look like they are almost up. I have heard tricks of making sounds to perk the dogs interest, thus strengthening the ear and feeding them calcium...though I don't know if it really works. But his ears look close to perking up permanently


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## Scleropages (Jan 24, 2011)

My K2 has airplane ears right now. It's not uncommon for ears to wait to stand until after teething, which can take up to 6 months. I wouldn't be concerned until then. I've heard about dogs taking until 8-9months before the ears stood for good.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Those ears look like they will go up no problem to me.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

What a gorgeous dog! My dog's ear did the signaling a left turn thing too but it came up right after that. But they had both been up prior to that point- they flopped when he was teething


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

He is such a cutie. My dogs brother had the same ears and both finally stood on their own a little after 8 months. Give him lots of marrow bones to chew on because the gnawing strengthens the muscles that pull the ears up


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## jkscandi50 (Nov 17, 2010)

What a cutie - Kai's ears were up, then down, then flying nun... before they went up and stayed up at about 5 mos. or so.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

what do you mean there's no joy? there should be a lot
of joy in training and socializing your pup.



AutoRotate said:


> Trying to figure out if I should start becoming concerned.
> 
> https://picasaweb.google.com/Clay.Lacey/Prada19Weeks?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfMg4q4iejo4AE#


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## jasonGSD01 (Feb 26, 2010)

If there not up by 6-8 months then I would look into tapeing.


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

AutoRotate said:


> Trying to figure out if I should start becoming concerned.


Jax's ears were the same way. His didn't come up and stay up until he was over a year old! (I wonder if that's a record?) I didn't tape them or anything... I just accepted him being the way he was, then I think with enough unconditional love, they stood up on their own. :wub:


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## GSDgirlAL (Jan 4, 2008)

I would not be concerned. Both of Ava's ears did not fully stand until she was 6-8 months old. I did give her LOTS of bones to chew on and also gave her some cottage cheese to help the process. When you rub your pups ears always rub them in an upward motion ... that helps too. 

I think your baby will be fine! And, you have an absolutely gorgeous dog! Training seems to be going wonderfully!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

The puppy is beautiful, and is so focussed on you or whatever you are feeding for treats. 

I would first check the ear to ensure that it does not have an infection, then give the puppy a few tables spoons cottage cheese in one meal, and yogurt in the another, and use cheese for training treats. And I would wait another week or two. Then if that ear does not do anything, I would probably use the Molefoam and use the thread on glueing to put the ear up. 

I think that glueing is easier on the hair on the ears than taping, though I think you do tape for a couple of days, even if you do glue, to give the insert some shape. The inserts themselves will fall out on their own in a month or less. Normally, it only takes one attempt.


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

Lucy Dog said:


> Is he done teething?





blehmannwa said:


> My boy's came up and stayed up at 18 weeks--which was last week--they looked very similar. Give it another week or two.


We saw a trusted Vet Tech today who advised the ears were coming up very nicely and would more than likely come up on their own, but we went ahead and applied some tape to help them along. We also started on a Kelp supplement to assist. 






























JakodaCD OA said:


> I'd give it one more week, it looks like the one thats up, will straighten out,,the other, I'd give it a week and then I'd start taping cause I am paranoid about ears.. He is absolutely stunning


Thanks so much! She has been quite a joy so far.



GSDElsa said:


> Were they ever up?


They were up at 12 weeks as seen here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/Clay.Lacey/Prada12Weeks?authkey=Gv1sRgCO-JgK3dvKWOaQ&feat=directlink



krystyne73 said:


> They look like they are almost up. I have heard tricks of making sounds to perk the dogs interest, thus strengthening the ear and feeding them calcium...though I don't know if it really works. But his ears look close to perking up permanently


This tape job is designed to do just what you said. You can now actually see her "working" the base of the ear. The tech called it "resistance band training or the ears." - Similar to folks who use rubber bands to strength train.



Scleropages said:


> My K2 has airplane ears right now. It's not uncommon for ears to wait to stand until after teething, which can take up to 6 months. I wouldn't be concerned until then. I've heard about dogs taking until 8-9months before the ears stood for good.


I agree completely. We also confirmed today that she is right in the middle of the teething process. 



Rerun said:


> Those ears look like they will go up no problem to me.


Thanks!



Stosh said:


> What a gorgeous dog! My dog's ear did the signaling a left turn thing too but it came up right after that. But they had both been up prior to that point- they flopped when he was teething





Zoeys mom said:


> He is such a cutie. My dogs brother had the same ears and both finally stood on their own a little after 8 months. Give him lots of marrow bones to chew on because the gnawing strengthens the muscles that pull the ears up


Thanks to both of you for the input. She is chewing a bully stick or two per day. She has really done well with the teething. I planned on her having more problems, but she has been an angel!


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

doggiedad said:


> what do you mean there's no joy? there should be a lot
> of joy in training and socializing your pup.


"No Joy" is an aviation figure of speech. I am a helicopter pilot so I apologize for the lingo. It has nothing to do with not having fun with my dog 

We train and socialize regularly, as seen here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/Clay.Lacey/Prada18Weeks?authkey=Gv1sRgCObj-6_swdP9eg&feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/Clay.Lacey/Prada17Weeks?authkey=Gv1sRgCLuspYe05rbDzgE&feat=directlink


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

jasonGSD01 said:


> If there not up by 6-8 months then I would look into tapeing.





Jax's Mom said:


> Jax's ears were the same way. His didn't come up and stay up until he was over a year old! (I wonder if that's a record?) I didn't tape them or anything... I just accepted him being the way he was, then I think with enough unconditional love, they stood up on their own. :wub:





GSDgirlAL said:


> I would not be concerned. Both of Ava's ears did not fully stand until she was 6-8 months old. I did give her LOTS of bones to chew on and also gave her some cottage cheese to help the process. When you rub your pups ears always rub them in an upward motion ... that helps too.
> 
> I think your baby will be fine! And, you have an absolutely gorgeous dog! Training seems to be going wonderfully!


Thanks so much for the input and kind words!!!



selzer said:


> The puppy is beautiful, and is so focussed on you or whatever you are feeding for treats.
> 
> I would first check the ear to ensure that it does not have an infection, then give the puppy a few tables spoons cottage cheese in one meal, and yogurt in the another, and use cheese for training treats. And I would wait another week or two. Then if that ear does not do anything, I would probably use the Molefoam and use the thread on glueing to put the ear up.
> 
> I think that glueing is easier on the hair on the ears than taping, though I think you do tape for a couple of days, even if you do glue, to give the insert some shape. The inserts themselves will fall out on their own in a month or less. Normally, it only takes one attempt.


Thanks so much for the compliments. She just gets her normal kibble for training treats, but she has since we got her at 8 weeks. She has only eaten out of my or my wife's hand, no bowls. It has created an intimacy with the dog and willingness to train. We generally do 2-3 five to ten minute sessions per day.

Thanks so much for the input on the forms and gluing. I'm going to give this tape job a shot. The Vet Tech, who is also a very well known Schutzhund judge who has dealt with GS's for many years, is not concerned at all. She advised the ears are actually up, the left one just needs some help strengthening due to her size, growth rate, and that she is in the middle of the teething process.

Thanks again!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I have not heard of kelp to help ears. I always thought kelp helps the coat, but you have to be careful with it because too much can cause siezures or thyroid issues can't remember which. 

I do not like to give calcium in the form of a tablet, better yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, and raw bones for this. Anyhow, good luck with the pup, he is a looker.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

I think they look fine and would have probably gone up on their own. Beautiful puppy by the way. 

I'm not a trained vet tech by any stretch of the imagination...but I would be careful. I've never seen a tape job like that. Improper taping can cause more trouble than not taping. This beautiful boy had improperly taped ears and now as an adult dog is forever destined to have teepee puppy ears (not that it's not cute) Personally I prefer glued in ear forms to taping.


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

JKlatsky said:


> I think they look fine and would have probably gone up on their own. Beautiful puppy by the way.
> 
> I'm not a trained vet tech by any stretch of the imagination...but I would be careful. I've never seen a tape job like that. Improper taping can cause more trouble than not taping. This beautiful boy had improperly taped ears and now as an adult dog is forever destined to have teepee puppy ears (not that it's not cute) Personally I prefer glued in ear forms to taping.



Thanks so much for the input and compliments. The tape already fell off so we are going to try another route. I'm going to visit a breeder tomorrow that I almost purchased a dog through (no litters at the time).

Thanks again!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I agree, I wouldn't tape them, and if you can get some knucklebones with cartilage attached that will be a great nutritious supplement along with working the jaw muscles. 
Calcium supplements for pups can cause more harm than good, so don't overdo it.


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## jasonGSD01 (Feb 26, 2010)

I have never seen ears taped that way. STOP abesssing over the ears. With they way they look, they WILL come up, you even had a tech tell you that. So why bother with taping? If done wrong it can cause more harm then if you were to just of left them alone.


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## horsegirl (Aug 11, 2010)

glad the tape came off, something about the way they were taped looked wrong.


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

Re-Taped them this afternoon with glue. Only leaving the tape on until Sunday night. 

Thanks again for the input!


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