# Prada Van Meerhout - 19 Weeks



## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

Updated Shots at 19 Weeks.

Starting to become concerened about the ears...

https://picasaweb.google.com/Clay.Lacey/Prada19Weeks?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfMg4q4iejo4AE&feat=directlink


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Does your puppy have "creases in the ear folds"???


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

robinhuerta said:


> Does your puppy have "creases in the ear folds"???


I don't really see any creases. The left ear was up at 12 weeks and laid down. It will come up when she is playing with other dogs or when she first wakes up, but only for a few minutes.

I'm probably going to have to have them taped.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I would tape them if it were me. I don't like messing with ears late in the game.


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Auto...don't let her play much with the other dogs right now....sometimes the other dogs dominate the younger ones, and the pups fold and crease their ears back.
Give her a couple of weeks more .....(lots of raw bones to chew on- it helps stimulate the muscles in the cheek and ear). If no change...then try "forming" the ears (not taping)....*personally, I don't like taping*.
They sell ear forms and the glue/adhesive.

This is just my opinion....


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

She's just beautiful. I love her face.


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

Samba said:


> I would tape them if it were me. I don't like messing with ears late in the game.


Thanks. It is so confusing because some say do something quickly and some say give it more time.



robinhuerta said:


> Auto...don't let her play much with the other dogs right now....sometimes the other dogs dominate the younger ones, and the pups fold and crease their ears back.
> Give her a couple of weeks more .....(lots of raw bones to chew on- it helps stimulate the muscles in the cheek and ear). If no change...then try "forming" the ears (not taping)....*personally, I don't like taping*.
> They sell ear forms and the glue/adhesive.
> 
> This is just my opinion....


I appreciate your input very much. I am working nights and have her at work with me. After mentioning the crease, I took her out for a break and noticed that her left ear (the down ear) does have a crinkled or crease in it. I sort of "ironed it out" with my fingers and the ear stood for a few seconds. The right ear that is standing doesn't have this bend or crease in it. I'll limit the play with the other dogs and try to figure out what to do. Very frustrating.



Emoore said:


> She's just beautiful. I love her face.


Thanks so much! Kopper is quite handsome as well. I have followed some of your pictures of him. Very cool!


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Auto.....if there "is" a crease...then you really should put forms in them to help "iron" out that crease.
Googles *ear forms*...I'm sure a few websites will have them.
They are formed just like the ear...and they sell the glue/adhesive too.
Maybe Leerburg's website has them???


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## LijhaPup (Jan 9, 2011)

Hello Autorotate, what a beautiful girl Prada is! I love her coat :wub:

Lijha's ears aren't standing either, sometimes they act like they are going go but then go full floppy again. They both have creases in them so I ordered a set of forms and glue from CanisCallidus Online Shop. I'll put them in when I get home this weekend and see how they work, hopefully they will smooth out the while they firm up since she is almost done teathing. Don't you love the sable color changes? Lijha was light then got a lot of black ticking in her fur and has started to lighten up again... :wub:

Question, what lines is Prada from? Her face and head shape is very similar to Lijha, actually they look a lot alike except for the color. Since Lijha was a stray I am trying to get an idea of what her background might be.


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

robinhuerta said:


> Auto.....if there "is" a crease...then you really should put forms in them to help "iron" out that crease.
> Googles *ear forms*...I'm sure a few websites will have them.
> They are formed just like the ear...and they sell the glue/adhesive too.
> Maybe Leerburg's website has them???


Thanks so much for the information. I really appreciate it. I'm going to see a Vet Tech that was recommended by my breeder for the issue. She is a well respected Schutzhund judge and has raised GS's for years. She seemed to think they needed to be taped after seeing the pictures this morning. 



LijhaPup said:


> Hello Autorotate, what a beautiful girl Prada is! I love her coat :wub:
> 
> Lijha's ears aren't standing either, sometimes they act like they are going go but then go full floppy again. They both have creases in them so I ordered a set of forms and glue from CanisCallidus Online Shop. I'll put them in when I get home this weekend and see how they work, hopefully they will smooth out the while they firm up since she is almost done teathing. Don't you love the sable color changes? Lijha was light then got a lot of black ticking in her fur and has started to lighten up again... :wub:
> 
> Question, what lines is Prada from? Her face and head shape is very similar to Lijha, actually they look a lot alike except for the color. Since Lijha was a stray I am trying to get an idea of what her background might be.


I may need to order the forms as well. I intend to see what the aforementioned lady has to say tomorrow. The Sable color changes have been very cool. Lots of fun.

Prada came from Van Meerhout Shepherds in Hutto, TX.

Mother: Kimi von den Wannaer Hohen SchH1, KKL1





































Father: Belos vom Patscherkofel, SchH3, KKL1


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

If the ear was up at one time the odds are very very high that it will be back up again.


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

cliffson1 said:


> If the ear was up at one time the odds are very very high that it will be back up again.


Here are some shots of the ears at 12 weeks. I guess they are sort of up.


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## Jennifer (Jun 18, 2010)

What a little angel!


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

That's one gorgeous pup!


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

Jennifer said:


> What a little angel!





JustMeLeslie said:


> That's one gorgeous pup!


Thanks so much!


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## unloader (Feb 16, 2010)

It's always the left ear! 

Remy's ears were up at 18 weeks, but down at 20. I decided to let nature take it's course. I gave him raw knuckle bones to chew on a lot. His ear finally went up at 22 weeks.

Good luck with which ever path you choose.
Nice looking pup!


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## bruce23 (Jun 8, 2010)

Nice looking pup!


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## evybear15 (Mar 28, 2011)

What a beautiful girl!


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

unloader said:


> It's always the left ear!
> 
> Remy's ears were up at 18 weeks, but down at 20. I decided to let nature take it's course. I gave him raw knuckle bones to chew on a lot. His ear finally went up at 22 weeks.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much. We have an appointment at 3PM today with a vet tech who is very knowledgeable with GS's. I will see what she sees.



bruce23 said:


> Nice looking pup!





evybear15 said:


> What a beautiful girl!


Thank you so much! We think we will keep her, even if we just cut off her left ear


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## evybear15 (Mar 28, 2011)

AutoRotate said:


> Thank you so much! We think we will keep her, even if we just cut off her left ear


Ha, well, for her sake, I hope she gets to keep that left ear!


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

evybear15 said:


> Ha, well, for her sake, I hope she gets to keep that left ear!


:thumbup:


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

Got a little tape job today...


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

I'm no expert in GSD ears but I've taped several pairs of cropped ears and I can tell you if you left cropped ears taped that way, they'll stay exactly the way you taped them


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

Jax's Mom said:


> I'm no expert in GSD ears but I've taped several pairs of cropped ears and I can tell you if you left cropped ears taped that way, they'll stay exactly the way you taped them



My impression from today is that we are only going to do this for a few days, nothing long term.

Thanks for the input!


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

I've never seen ears taped this way. It looks like it may damage the other ear that is standing right now.
http://leerburg.com/pdf/tapingears.pdf


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

HAHAHA! Like REAL short, she already pulled the tape off.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I have never seen that either? Did German Shepherd people help you?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

The way we do it with the molefoams, does not bother the dog at all. I think it is cheaper than inserts specially made for the purpose. You cut the molefoams the shape of the ear. You have to make sure you place it over the little knob thing in there. This is why I thought someone else probably has it all written out. 

Taping ears that way is going to be hard on the ear and hard on the hair. I hope it works out.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Best to get help from someone experienced if you can. If you can't then use one of the tried and true methods. It is very possible the ears will stand on their own. I know a dog with ear cartilage broken from an incorrect taping job. There is no fixing a broken ear, so it may be best to let them try on their own to stand.

Here is.video of a method


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Buy the form inserts and adhesive.....period.
They WON'T hurt the dog's ears, you CAN'T put them in wrong....they even say L & R.
The adhesive is manufactured FOR the ear forms.
Don't mess around with "taping"...a bad tape job can and does screw up the ears.


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## AutoRotate (Dec 2, 2010)

Thanks for all the input. Therein lies the problem with most of this, at least as I see it. EVERYONE has an opinion on the topic with some very different ideas and best practices. It can be very overwhelming.

At this point, I am tired of being stressed out about it. It is negatively impacting my relationship with the dog which is not good. I am projecting my anxiety and negativity about the situation on to her and we have worked too hard and done too well up until now to let that happen.

I am going to meet with a breeder that I almost purchased a dog from tomorrow. She didn't have a litter at the time I was looking, but has been breeding for many years and I have seen at least one dog that she taped. 

If that doesn't work, I'll just leave it alone altogether. Thanks again for all the input.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

AutoRotate said:


> At this point, I am tired of being stressed out about it. It is negatively impacting my relationship with the dog which is not good. I am projecting my anxiety and negativity about the situation on to her and we have worked too hard and done too well up until now to let that happen.


Wow. Let's talk about this a bit. Worst case scenario, you have a beautiful, floppy eared girl. Did you buy her for breeding or show? (No judgement if you did, just trying to kind of help with the feelings of stress about the ears.)


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## krisk (Oct 11, 2010)

Sorry to read this is stressing you out. Take a deep breath, give that gorgeous puppy a big hug and give yourself a break. My very first GSD had trouble with his ears and my dad (I was 12 at the time) felt bad for them being taped (and kept taking the tape off), so his ears never stood. As he was my neutered pet, it didn't matter and he was perfect just the way he was.

Since then I have taped with rollers and crossing (same as the video), top knotted (similar to what was done to your pup) and used mole skin. Mole skin (much like the recommended foam) was the easiest and IMO produced the best results. With the mole skin or foam, there is less margine for error.

I did Connor's in a top knot (his did stand, but didn't stay up so his breeder decided they needed minimal assistance). Well I left them tapped a little too long and if you look at him the tips of his ears tip back slightly. We call them his horns and they fit his devilish personality.
Good luck with your decision.

krisk


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## sportsman1539 (Jan 22, 2011)

i dont think you need to tape. i would give it another month before i would worry. its not like they arent tryin to stand some.


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