# Is there still hope for my GSD?



## jeasy02 (Dec 9, 2010)

Ok - so I have been obsessed with trying to get my boy's ears up. During teething his ears have gone up, criss-cross, etc and now they hang to the side like wings. I did use the glue a month back and kept it on their for about a week until he kept scratching at it and it came apart and the ears stood up firm. After about a week, one ear began to flop and then the other. I tried that several times with no success. Last week I taped them for the first time and left it on their for 3 days. They both stood up nice and strong, and then one ear began to flop and I woke up today and the other ear flopped (could be standing when I get home today, but I am not betting on it). The entire litter had their ears up with no help except for my son and he is a purebred Shepherd. Some people say if it is not up by 6months then it will never come up, some say that since he is going to be a big dog, 8months now at 85lbs, it may take longer, and especially since his ears are HUGE!!!!!

So I am asking, is there hope that his ears will stand up, please say yes. I don't care if you have to lie - just make me smile! lol. Not tell me your opinion. I am going to love him either way, but I want that true GSD look and I want to breed him, but I know with soft ears I don't think anyone would want. Should I keep on taping? Since the rest of his ltter's ears stood up, is that a good chance his will, it is just taking that much longer?

Thanks!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

jeasy02 said:


> Ok - so I have been obsessed with trying to get my boy's ears up. During teething his ears have gone up, criss-cross, etc and now they hang to the side like wings. I did use the glue a month back and kept it on their for about a week until he kept scratching at it and it came apart and the ears stood up firm. After about a week, one ear began to flop and then the other. I tried that several times with no success. Last week I taped them for the first time and left it on their for 3 days. They both stood up nice and strong, and then one ear began to flop and I woke up today and the other ear flopped (could be standing when I get home today, but I am not betting on it). The entire litter had their ears up with no help except for my son and he is a purebred Shepherd. Some people say if it is not up by 6months then it will never come up, some say that since he is going to be a big dog, 8months now at 85lbs, it may take longer, and especially since his ears are HUGE!!!!!
> 
> So I am asking, is there hope that his ears will stand up, please say yes. I don't care if you have to lie - just make me smile! lol. Not tell me your opinion. I am going to love him either way, *but I want that true GSD look and I want to breed him*, but I know with soft ears I don't think anyone would want. Should I keep on taping? Since the rest of his ltter's ears stood up, is that a good chance his will, it is just taking that much longer?
> 
> Thanks!


Why do you want to breed him?


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## jeasy02 (Dec 9, 2010)

LaRen616 said:


> Why do you want to breed him?


Well that is actually uncertain, but as of now I would not want any other dog except for a German Shepherd and I figure that if I could breed him I can take one of his litter


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

jeasy02 said:


> Well that is actually uncertain, but as of now I would not want any other dog except for a German Shepherd and I figure that if I could breed him I can take one of his litter


Not a good idea.

Please take a moment to read through these threads

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...eding-tips-age-start-etc-can-anyone-help.html

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/breeding-general/147465-byb.html

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...stions-about-breeding-my-dog-my-sons-dog.html


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## ZAYDA (Apr 22, 2010)

I am no expert on the age of when a puppies ears can still go up but having both ears down makes me think he just might not ready yet. I hope you are giving things to chew on to help strengthen the muscles.


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## jeasy02 (Dec 9, 2010)

ZAYDA said:


> I am no expert on the age of when a puppies ears can still go up but having both ears down makes me think he just might not ready yet. I hope you are giving things to chew on to help strengthen the muscles.


Hi - absolutely - I give him bones, bully-sticks, etc. There are a few things that I have come up with, but it may be way off on why his ears may not have come up and his siblings have, I know for awhile, from 4months - 6 1/2months we would crate for long perdiods of the day. While we were at work and during the night we would crate him, which now I regret doing. Now he wonders the house when we are not there and he sleeps in our room and now I am giving him a lot more exercise at the field in the morning and at night. Soon enough we are going to build a kennel and fence in the back yard so he can just be out there. Different people say different things regarding the ears. Some people say that since he is a purebred GSD, his ears will definitely go up. It is usually the mixed-breeds that have a little trouble, not all of them. So I will give it more time


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

It sounds like you are a lot more worried about this guys ears than is helpful. You have glued and taped and he is only 8.5 months old, so now you have to wonder whether interference might be holding them down. Not sure. I think when we worry about a feature like both testicles descending properly, we may actually stress the poor dog. 

Stress can interfere with the ears (not sure about the other, but sometimes it is just better to wait). 

If the dog's ears did not come up on their own, you probably should not breed the dog. It is an inheritable trait and you really do not want to put other owners through this. 

Usually when I have a pup with some reluctant ears, I will offer some yogurt, or cheese for a few days. You do not want to overdo calcium, but when they are teething, the teeth take calcium from wherever they can get it. 

Also look in his ears daily. If he has even the beginning of an infection that can bring ears down, and if he gets a hematoma, that can actually break the cartilage in the ear so it will never come up. 

Check out the breeding section, and threads in so you want to become a breeder. Your dog is a real youngster, but if breeding is ever to be your goal, you should really start now at learning and participating in training, clubs, shows, etc, so you can network and if you ever do become a GSD breeder, you will do so for the right reasons, and after having met all the milestones.


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## jeasy02 (Dec 9, 2010)

selzer said:


> It sounds like you are a lot more worried about this guys ears than is helpful. You have glued and taped and he is only 8.5 months old, so now you have to wonder whether interference might be holding them down. Not sure. I think when we worry about a feature like both testicles descending properly, we may actually stress the poor dog.
> 
> Stress can interfere with the ears (not sure about the other, but sometimes it is just better to wait).
> 
> ...



Thank you very much for the information - his ears did look a little red and I have actually made an appointment for him to see the Vet tomorrow. He did have an ear infection at one point in time before at which we were giving him medicine. It may have came back, and as you stated, could be the cause of his ears not going up. You may or may not be a Vet, but do you think that in the event it is an infection and we do get that cleared away, then the ears have a chance at going up? He is actually 8 months, or will be tomorrow (Dec 16th). I am not sure if he has hematoma, I guess I will find that out. But if it is that, and I was reading that there is a cure, could the cartilage still have a chance to grow? Being only 8months I figure that he still has a loooong way to go before his body stops growing. 

I will also try giving him the yogurt as well for a few days. I have read that teething usually stops at around 6months, but I would think that he could still be teething at 8months.

Comments much appreciated!


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## Sherief Shalaby (Aug 24, 2010)

retape them again for a longer period.. 7-10 days then see.. dont remove the tape before one week at least!!..


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## jeasy02 (Dec 9, 2010)

Sherief Shalaby said:


> retape them again for a longer period.. 7-10 days then see.. dont remove the tape before one week at least!!..


I figure that what I will do is take him to the Vet tomorrow and see what they say - if he does have an ear infection I am going to have to wait until that goes away first, which should be within a week, and then I may retape and leave on longer than a week. It just baffles me that the entire litter except my boy's ears went up. Strange! Genetically speaking, his ears should go up on their own.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

There are plenty of purebred GSDs that have floppy ears, and plenty others that have to be taped. Just because he's purebred doesn't mean they'll stand up on their own. Personally I love the floppy-ear look and would suggest that you not stress over it, but I know that's hard to do.


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## Sherief Shalaby (Aug 24, 2010)

jeasy02 said:


> I figure that what I will do is take him to the Vet tomorrow and see what they say - if he does have an ear infection I am going to have to wait until that goes away first, which should be within a week, and then I may retape and leave on longer than a week. It just baffles me that the entire litter except my boy's ears went up. Strange! Genetically speaking, his ears should go up on their own.



you are right but you can do nothing but trying everything possible then only GOD knows the result.. just do your part and let's hope they will go up.. 

i read stories that some ppl had to tape their stubborn puppies ears many times till they finally went up!!.. but the sooner is the better since your dog is already 8 months!!..


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Just a thought, did you have someone show you how to tape his ears? There is a certain art to it!


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

I do know what you are going through! My girl is nearly 14 months and she is one of three from a litter of nine that have floppy ears. I tried glue for a short time but then resigned myself that she is who she is...dodgy ears and all!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

bianca said:


> I do know what you are going through! My girl is nearly 14 months and she is one of three from a litter of nine that have floppy ears. I tried glue for a short time but then resigned myself that she is who she is...dodgy ears and all!


and Miss Molly Moo is absolutely adorable with her floppy ears! :wub:


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

I love Molly's ears too. Very charming!


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Hehe thanks Lauren and Leah!

Sorry to the OP, didn't want to sidetrack


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Eight months, yeah, there is still time, depending on the ears. First any infection has to be dealt with. 

Are you using some type of molefoam insert, glueing that to the ear with something like tear-mender, and then taping around the base of the ear to give it shape for a couple of days. Insert falls out in about a month? 

Other people will glue ear tips together -- know zilch about that. 

In my first litter, was a dog whos ears were crumpled and floppy until eleven months old, and then just went up. The owners and I were shocked, we were resigned to the floppy ear look for him. 

Not 100% sure, but he may still be teething.


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