Ears

[elegy]

Ear people-- I really want this puppy's ears to stand. At what age should I start taking action if they're not doing it on their own? And what's the best thing to use to help them?

At this point he's only eight weeks. His right one is starting to lift just a bit at the base. The left one is doing nothing.

[swabby]

Good Luck. Wishing won't make it happen. Stormy is almost 7 months and has one UP and one half-UP right now. Still not worried, took Shadow's 2 years to stand.

[Aleron]

GSD people tend to start bracing between 5-8 months if they aren't going up on their own or aren't solidly up.

[OwnedByBCs]

If you want any guarantees, you need to set them now. Jan DeMello has some good videos- she usually tips her dogs ears, but one of her puppies was braced to be prick.

I don't do ears on my puppies personally, but her videos are pretty good.

[elegy]

Looking back at pictures, Steve's didn't go up until 12 weeks. They were both up for awhile, then the one fell again and stayed down.

[RD]

Ester-C and I would set the ears early if you want them up. Brace them up like GSD people do.

[BostonBanker]

I thought I wanted Gusto's up at first, and my agility trainer, who is a sheltie person, said she could make them. When I first got him at 6/8/who knows how many weeks, she said "we need to do something now if you want them up". So I'd assume sooner rather than later.

When she told me he was probably going to mess with them and I would have to replace them constantly, I decided I didn't care what his ears did.

[Aleron]

Originally Posted by BostonBanker

I thought I wanted Gusto's up at first, and my agility trainer, who is a sheltie person, said she could make them. When I first got him at 6/8/who knows how many weeks, she said "we need to do something now if you want them up". So I'd assume sooner rather than later.

When she told me he was probably going to mess with them and I would have to replace them constantly, I decided I didn't care what his ears did.

This is a valid consideration too. No puppy wants or enjoys having their ears braced for months, removing the glue/moleskin/tape when they need replaced can be painful and some dogs have allergic reactions to adhesive, which can be mild to severe.

[Beanie]

Yup, I agree with OwnedByBCs - do it now. Don't take them out unless they start falling out on their own. If they fall, leave the brace out for a day or two and see what they're doing - if they start falling and don't stay prick, brace again.

[Linds]

I'm no help but I do know Traveler's didn't go up until he was over five months old. I think around four months they were so incredibly down he looked like Dumbo.

Good luck! I'm a sucker for prick ears and if Didgie's hadn't said "HI! I'm here!!" a couple days after she was here I might have considered bracing them if they didn't go up by 5 months.