# German Shephard Great Pryanees Mix...Ears UP??



## psoliz25 (Jul 28, 2008)

Hi,

So i'm back. A long time ago we were looking into getting a GS from a breeder. Since then we have elected to go with a rescue pup. We got a beautiful white pup named Lucy. Catch is she's not 100% She's more like 70/30 German Shephard Great Pryanees. She was born in Feb so she's about 4 months old. Hear ears sometimes perk right up...and then sometimes they flop down.

So my question is this. With her being a mix breed Great Pryanees should we even try to get her ears to stay up? Should we use the breathright strips? Or is 4 months too young? I am going to post pictures of her later on today.

Thanks,


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

If she is truely a GP mix. I wouldn't bother with her ears.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Are you sure she isn't purebred? While possible, a GS/GP mix would be unlikely because there just aren't many GPs around. A 70/30 mix isn't possible. 75/25 is, but again unlikely. 50/50 GSD and something else would be more likely than 75/25. But it would also be very difficult in a 4 month old white pup to tell what it might be mixed with, if it's mixed with anything.

If the pup is mixed GSD and a floppy eared breed, the ears will either come up or they won't, depending on the genetics. It would be pretty much impossible to get them to stand artificially if the pup inherited the genetics from the floppy eared breed. Either way, 4 months is too young to make a determination on whether ears will stand yet or not.

If one of the breeds is


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## ebrannan (Aug 14, 2006)

I wouldn't try with the ears either with a Pyr/GSD mix. Wow, quite a mix. You should really look into training starting now. 
Pyrs are awesome dogs, but are also bred to be their own boss. They are livestock guardians and are trusted to do the job without human interaction. Most don't have the recall that GSDs do, and come to you at their own pace. 
A GSD, on the other hand, is a working dog, bred to basically respond to your every command and get the job done. 
Both breeds have strong personalities, and strong guarding instincts. 
As with any pup, socialization is key, but even more so with the breed mixture of your pup. 
Do it right and you will have an awesome dog! Best wishes!


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## JazzyGirl (May 25, 2009)

I want to see a pic!


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## Minnieski (Jan 27, 2009)

I don't know, I'd say that they might stand up, or you could get them to if it was really important to you - after all, great danes and dobermans have erect ears after cropping and taping when they naturally have down ears. I wouldn't try unless it looks like they want to stand on their own, though, and I would wait until about 6 months or so to see what happens.


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## kbigge (Dec 29, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: BlackGSDIf she is truely a GP mix. I wouldn't bother with her ears.


I agree.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

> Originally Posted By: Chris WildAre you sure she isn't purebred? While possible, a GS/GP mix would be unlikely because there just aren't many GPs around.


Depending on what area of Dallas the original poster lives in, a Great Pyr mix is _very_ possible. I live out in the country north of Dallas (near McKinney) and there are a lot of goat and sheep herds out here with Great Pyrs guarding them. You see quite a few ads in this area selling purebred, non-registed, parents on site Pyr pups for a couple hundred dollars.


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## ebrannan (Aug 14, 2006)

I have to agree. Granted, the numbers aren't like GSD rescue numbers, but they are high. I volunteer when needed with the local Pyr rescue here in VA, and she is overwhelmed with Pyrs right now. 
I have an AniPyr (nickname for an Anatolian/Pyr mix) and a GSD, and both are simply amazing dogs. 
Pyrs and GSDs ... my two favorite breeds!!!!!


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## psoliz25 (Jul 28, 2008)

how do we post pictures on here?


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## psoliz25 (Jul 28, 2008)

Here is Lucy...will her ears ever stand up?


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

She is SOOO cute!

They might, they might not. Personally, I would just leave them to do what THEY want. She will be a beauty either way.


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## Minnieski (Jan 27, 2009)

They look like they are strong at the base, you could try taping for a few weeks and see if it helps.


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## psoliz25 (Jul 28, 2008)

I am in McKinney...far north on border of McKinney/Prosper area.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Aww... so cute!

I like the ears down on her!


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## psoliz25 (Jul 28, 2008)

her ears never came up but we still love her


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## psoliz25 (Jul 28, 2008)

since all her baby pics were removed by photobucket...here is an old one of her...she looks nothing like she looked as a pup...


















my wife and I would have loved for her to stay gray and white


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

She is a beauty at maturity, but yeah, love the contrasting colors in her puppy pic!
Lucy's muzzle looks so Pyr!


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## doggonefool (Apr 15, 2004)

Very cute pup! Is there a reason why photobucket took the pics down? I have never had that happen


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## psoliz25 (Jul 28, 2008)

I'm sure I moved the pictures from the general main page to a folder within photobucket...so that breaks the links...I think


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Thanks for the update. She's a good looking dog and a real cutie as a puppy.

BTW for those skeptics - if the parents are known, you CAN know the mix. Otherwise, it is usually a hazardous guess.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Chris Wild
> If the pup is mixed GSD and a floppy eared breed, the ears will either come up or they won't, depending on the genetics. It would be pretty much impossible to get them to stand artificially if the pup inherited the genetics from the floppy eared breed.



Not impossible... I've seen dogs of breeds where the ears are normally cropped to make them stand; with upright erect _uncropped_ ears!

Here is an example. This is a Great Dane with uncropped ears, whose owners apparently taped up his ears without cropping them, resulting in perfectly erect ears!


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

OK that Dane is really throwing me for a loop! Those ears look strangely familiar LOL, I guess I am either used to seeing Dane's cropped or natural, but not full upright GSD looking-ish ears!


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Yeah the ears make me think of a Chihuahua for some reason! 

It is interesting how upright vs. cropped vs. down ears can give a dog such a different look. I used to always take my Golden Retriever's ears and prop them up with my hands so they were standing erect, and it made her look really different. I did the same/opposite with my bat-eared Rat Terrier mix (hold his ears down and see how different he looked.)


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