# Where are my standard GSD ears?



## Nerdy Puppy (May 3, 2011)

As a puppy, my female's ears stood up in the lovely breed standard of a purebreed GSD. At about 6 months, they went down, and never came back up. The breeders was no help and taping and gluing didn't work either. Every now and again, I get that question, is your dog a mixed breed because of the ears. It doesn't really bother me but unfortunately she has lost the key look of a GSD because of her floppy ears. The thing that gets me, and I can not understand, is why every now and again, one ear or even BOTH go straight up for a full minute and then flop right back down. She is now almost a year and a half, so nothing at this point will change the ears but I would love to know, is it genetics, was there damage to the ears when she played as a pup with our other dogs or what? Any opinions, has anyone dealt with this before? I had shepherds growing up, and she is my 3rd one as an adult, in the past, the ears went up, the ears stayed up....


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Most likely it's just her genetics. Did you meet mom and dad? How were their ears? What about her brothers and sisters?


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## Nerdy Puppy (May 3, 2011)

Lucy Dog said:


> Most likely it's just her genetics. Did you meet mom and dad? How were their ears? What about her brothers and sisters?


 
Hi Lucy Dog. Everyone's ears were up! I saw Mom, Dad, and 3 littermates. I just don't get the fact that the ears will stand straight up now and then a minute later flop back down.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

So how old is she now?


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

bocron said:


> So how old is she now?


OP said almost a year and a half.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Can you post a pic?


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

Sounds like genetics at play... Some dogs have strong cartilage to keep ears up, some are weak. Whole litters can be different.
When I went to get my puppy, a sister had been sold to a family close to me. They actually used the same vet where I work, so I knew I would be able to see how Holly's sister grew. At 2 months, they both had typical floppey bent over ears. At 6 months, Holly's ears were huge and erect, but when I saw her sister I was shocked. Her ears were erect, but I bet there were not 3 inches high. Strangest thing I had ever seen. Its like they quit growing at 8 weeks old. Went erect, but are short..
Mom and Dad's ears are normal GSD ears, so are rest of littermates, just the sister that has these small short ears.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I would bet she has a littermate with soft ears.


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## Blue22 (Jan 22, 2012)

Was your gsd crated in a crate that was too short for her? I read an article in a gsd breed magazine and there was a shepherd whose ears never stood up due to him being crated in a crate that wasn't tall enough...not sure how accurate that is but when I brought my Brandy home I had her crated in a crate that got small for her quickly...oddly her perfect upright ears which were up at 7 wks began getting floppy. I know they can go up and down while teething but I wasn't taking my chances having read the article. I pulled out our huge crate, put in the divider and within days her ears were back up and haven't dropped since. Some may call bs but I think it's an odd coincidence.


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## k_sep (Jun 21, 2011)

It's weird how it works sometimes. Luna, my GSD, spent most of her puppyhood with floppy ears, then had one up for a few months and one down, then at like eight months they both came down again for a few weeks. Now, they are both up, but her left ear has a tendency to flop down some nights and when it gets wet, the ear will be down for the rest of the day, then flop back up the following day. She's a little over a year now and still has her one ear go up and down, though mainly it stays up.


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