# 7 months, only one ear up



## kaydub_u (May 14, 2018)

Like anyone else says, his other ear pops up all the time. When a random noise happens, when he is very alert and paying attention to something, etc. Most of the time it is down. The other ear has been up for months. 

I love him either way, he us a great dog and the ear gives character, but I really hope it pops up. Plus I don't plan on showing him. We primarily do scent work and do obedience too. Puppy agility was something else just to have more to do with him. He chews a lot, I take him on at least 2 walks every day and always one at night. I read it makes them more alert and is a good ear exercise. 

I dunno, guess we will find out eventually.


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## [email protected] (Jan 16, 2018)

Handsome dog! If he is done teething, which I suspect he is, I'd expect the ears to either be up or come fully up shortly. If he chews a lot and gets good nutrition, you could try ear inserts to get the ear some help. Here's an example of an insert; there are plenty of other brands out there. 

RedLine K9 German shepherd soft ears get Dog Ear Supports - DogSport Gear


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## kaydub_u (May 14, 2018)

Update to this. We decided to wait a little longer and the ear is still the same way. Today at our new Scent Work class the trainer said if we were interested in trying to get the ear up that she would help. She has Dobermans and said she has done it before, she loves proper ears. We didn't even mention it, it just got brought up when someone asked how old Obi was because he was very enthusiastic about finding the birch odor.

I'm really not sure if we should do it. Is it worth just trying before it is too late? I would buy inserts like @[email protected] posted if that would be better.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

She’s done it before with shepherds?
Dobermans have much thinner ears.


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## kaydub_u (May 14, 2018)

Fodder said:


> She’s done it before with shepherds?
> Dobermans have much thinner ears.


Good point, I asked her that in the email I sent her asking for more information from her. He is getting his OFA done soon, if I am not 100% sure she is qualified. I'll see if one of the vets there is. If we decide to do it.

I just do not know much about this whole thing. My first Shepherd was adopted and her ears were up, our next one I was still a kid and never considered it but his were great and now that I'm an adult with my own dog I feel like I have been learning a lot of things I never knew anything about. I know it is basically just cosmetic, but it is worth just trying if I can?


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## Gregc (Aug 10, 2012)

My pooch was just like this at 7 mos. I started using mole skin to hold it up for a couple months and his ears are up fine now. It may have come up on its own but I'll never really know. Personally, I think it needed help and was just a bit weak. I will not breed him.


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## Gregc (Aug 10, 2012)

before and after...


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## Gregc (Aug 10, 2012)




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## Gregc (Aug 10, 2012)

You can see a crease and a little weakness in the one ear, but it stands just like you see in the pic now. I think the mole skin worked in this case. Good luck!


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

If you wait any longer to help the ear, it won't come up for sure. Get so glue from a medical equipment store that is used for colostomy bags. Then go to Lowes and get some flexible foam insulation that comes in a tube to wrap your water pipes. Cut a triangular shape out of the foam. The foam is rounded which helps it fit the shape of the ear. Clean the inside of the ear well and trim any excess hair. Put plenty of glue on the inside of the ear and put the foam cutout in the ear and hold it until it dries. The dog will scratch at the ear and you will eventually have to replace it every few days. Use an Elizabethan collar if the dog keeps messing with it. You can try to supplement with a little extra calcium, but not for long or in too high of a dose.


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## Pawsed (May 24, 2014)

_If you wait any longer to help the ear, it won't come up for sure._

Sorry to contradict you, but there is no way for you to know this to be fact. 

Over the years we have had 2 shepherds who took over 9 months for both ears to stand. No help was needed, only time. Others here have had similar experiences. Some ears just take longer than others.


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

I should have said the odds of the ear coming up will be significantly decreased if the owner waits.


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## kaydub_u (May 14, 2018)

Here are two pictures of when his ears are up. I feel like you can see the difference still. I will still talk to his trainer. Maybe she can help me get things together. From everyone's replies which I really do appreciate it seems like everyone does think it is worth at least trying.


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## kaydub_u (May 14, 2018)

Gregc said:


> You can see a crease and a little weakness in the one ear, but it stands just like you see in the pic now. I think the mole skin worked in this case. Good luck!


Can you send me a link for the mole skin? I have found shoe inserts but, want to be sure of what you are talking about.



Chip Blasiole said:


> If you wait any longer to help the ear, it won't come up for sure. Get so glue from a medical equipment store that is used for colostomy bags. Then go to Lowes and get some flexible foam insulation that comes in a tube to wrap your water pipes. Cut a triangular shape out of the foam. The foam is rounded which helps it fit the shape of the ear. Clean the inside of the ear well and trim any excess hair. Put plenty of glue on the inside of the ear and put the foam cutout in the ear and hold it until it dries. The dog will scratch at the ear and you will eventually have to replace it every few days. Use an Elizabethan collar if the dog keeps messing with it. You can try to supplement with a little extra calcium, but not for long or in too high of a dose.


Thank you for the info. Hopefully the trainer can help me with gathering the things. As much as I would love them to just magically pop up on their own there hasn't been a change since I first posted. I want to make the right choices for my pup, so if interfering and trying to help his ear is worth it then I would try.



Pawsed said:


> _If you wait any longer to help the ear, it won't come up for sure._
> 
> Sorry to contradict you, but there is no way for you to know this to be fact.
> 
> Over the years we have had 2 shepherds who took over 9 months for both ears to stand. No help was needed, only time. Others here have had similar experiences. Some ears just take longer than others.


I have heard this too, which is why I decided to just wait a little longer but nothing has changed. It's like I would much rather wait and it pop up on his own but I am just not sure. Which is why I wanted opinions on if it is worth interfering while he is young.


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## Gregc (Aug 10, 2012)

Mole skin: you can just go to the l0ocal drug store, Walmart. You can google 'mole skin and GSD ears' to see all kinds of articles and videos.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Someone suggested walking at night. They need to use their ears instead of their eyes so it helps them come up, if they are going to come up.


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## kaydub_u (May 14, 2018)

Sabis mom said:


> Someone suggested walking at night. They need to use their ears instead of their eyes so it helps them come up, if they are going to come up.


I've walked him every single night since we got him no matter the weather. I did see that in another post too though and after that I started rotating my nighttime walk patterns so it would be different every couple of days. I was really hoping that if it did pop up that it would on it's own. Now that I'm at the end of when we can interfere I just feel a pressure to decide, before time decides for me.


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## kaydub_u (May 14, 2018)

I would like to update this and say that Obi's other ear has been up for about 2 months now  our scent work trainer gave us the inserts that @[email protected] mentioned and we kept one in Obi's ear for about 6 weeks. Thank you for the advice everyone!


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

He looks so handsome!!! great outcome, thanks for sharing.


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## KiefChap (Jun 4, 2019)

kaydub_u said:


> I would like to update this and say that Obi's other ear has been up for about 2 months now  our scent work trainer gave us the inserts that @Tr[email protected] mentioned and we kept one in Obi's ear for about 6 weeks. Thank you for the advice everyone!


Did your pup not scratch at his ear with the insert in? Exact situation with ours 7 month old one ear up other down. We attempted this last night and he kept scratching at it and it was mostly off this morning.


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## kaydub_u (May 14, 2018)

KiefChap said:


> Did your pup not scratch at his ear with the insert in? Exact situation with ours 7 month old one ear up other down. We attempted this last night and he kept scratching at it and it was mostly off this morning.


So sorry for the late reply, I've been checking the site on my phone and was never notified on any interactions. But he would always try to scratch it when it was first put back in because of the glue drying and it feeling new again, but after a few times of me stopping him he would be fine with it and just ignore the insert. Maybe he would mess with it every once in awhile but not too bad. We only ended up having to glue it back in after every 5 days or so.


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