When Do Puppy’s Ears Stand Up
Mixed-breed puppies sometimes look nothing like themselves when they grow up, whereas purebred dogs have genetic predispositions and more standard appearances. Furthermore, littermates may look completely different, and without knowing, it would be impossible to guess that a black, floppy-eared pooch might be its sibling. This article is for you if you are uncertain when your puppy’s ears stand up.
The American Kennel Club and other international regulating bodies have established a breed standard for purebred dogs. However, mixed breeds can resemble one of their parent breeds or appear entirely different!
All puppies have adorable floppy ears that hang in front of their heads when they are born, but as they develop, their cartilage may stiffen and cause the ears to perk straight up on their heads, giving them a wolf-like look similar to that of a Husky or a German Shepherd.
When Do A Puppy’s Ears Stand Up?
There is no right answer to this query, and other factors must be considered. First of all, every puppy is born with floppy, floppy ears. It takes them around two to two and a half weeks for their ears to open. The size at which the huge floppy pieces, known as the pinnae, start to stand varies greatly between breeds and individuals.
Which Dog Breed Is It?
Your dog’s breed is the first factor determining whether or not its ear will stand. Akitas, German Shepherds, Huskies, Chihuahuas, and Yorkshire Terriers are breeds with erect ears, while Cocker Spaniels, Beagles, and certain Hounds have extremely floppy ears.
A more detailed description of how a breed’s ears should appear may be found in the breed standard under the category “ears.” Your dog must inherit the upright ears from both parent breeds if mixed. Refrain from betting on that; mixed breeds generally have surprising genetic features.
And at different periods, different breeds will have erect ears. For instance, the ears of a German Shepherd begin to stand around five weeks and may be completely developed by 20 weeks. While Chihuahuas might start at six weeks and take as long as 5 to 6 months, Siberian Huskies can take anywhere between 6 and 10 weeks.
The following other common breeds’ typical erect ear ages are:
Breeders of Siberian huskies and Alaskan malamutes indicate that some puppies have upright ears as early as three weeks. Usually, the ears don’t fully erect until the baby is around six months old. As they develop, it is common for their ears to stop rising or alternately travel up and down abruptly.
While some Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgis never develop their fox-like ears at all, they often begin to appear about eight weeks of age. Between three and four months, English Bull Terriers’ ears normally begin to raise; if they still need to straighten by four months, some owners choose to tape the ears.
Although chihuahua pups can take up to eight months, they typically have their ears up between five and fifteen weeks. Although some take as long as nine months, Yorkshire terrier ears typically develop between three and six months.
Blue Heelers, also known as Australian Cattle Dogs, can have their ears standing for five weeks, but it has also been known to take up to 24 weeks.
Contrary to popular belief, breeds like the Dobermann Pinscher, Great Dane, and Schnauzer often do not have ears that naturally stand up. Typically, they undergo many months of ear cropping, bandaging, and posting or taping.
If Your Dog’s Ears Don’t Stand Up, Should You Be Concerned?
Unless you wish to enter your dog in conformation competitions and he doesn’t fulfill breed requirements, you should reassure yourself that your dog’s ears stand up. If your dog is a hunting dog and floppy ears might be a target, there is another situation in which you might prefer standing ears.
If you want to be certain that there isn’t an underlying medical ailment or that your dog isn’t malnourished, check with your doctor if your dog’s ears still don’t appear to be growing after around six to eight months.
Some argue that floppy ears have a higher risk of developing an ear infection because they constantly hang down, obstructing airflow and creating a more favorable, damp environment for bacteria to grow. However, this issue may be avoided by routinely cleaning the ears, which you likely already do as part of your dog’s grooming regimen.
Can I Do Anything To Make My Dog’s Ears Stand?
You may attempt some natural methods to get your dog’s ears to stand up, as well as some controversial surgical methods that are the topic of a never-ending, raging controversy.
Natural Methods
1. Chew!
Making your dog chew more is one of the finest things you can do to hasten the standing process. Sure,
The skull and jaw are strengthened by chewing. The ears require muscles to move, just like every other body part. And a dog’s upright ears are entirely dependent on a set of neck muscles that enable them to yank their ears up swiftly. Cheating can develop these muscles in a fairly straightforward manner.
Giving your dog a chew toy or some dental sticks can assist it to be engaged and build its muscles and, ideally, make its ears stand up more quickly. Chewing improves the head and jaw muscles.
2. Check out The Diet
Erect ears are directly linked to nutrition since they depend on cartilage, as we briefly explained. The same goes for cartilage; you may modify your diet to include additional nutrients that support bone health. Ensure your puppy is getting enough nutrition, especially proteins, by checking with your veterinarian. Some claim that you can add calcium supplements to the diet. However, this is not advised. Some people also advise administering vitamin C supplements but consult your veterinarian about how to do it correctly before you do anything.
3. Tapping
Some people employ this technique to keep their ears upright or to give them the ideal shape. It involves inserting a piece of paper, foam, or other material for dogs inside the ear to act as a brace. You just cut out the form of its ear on a piece of cloth that won’t aggravate your dog. Create a space that can contain the ear while remaining tiny enough to prevent irritation or becoming caught in the ear canal. Secure this brace within the dog’s ear with safe, human-grade adhesive tape, preferably with child- or pet-safe glue. After a week, you can remove them to allow the ear to air out, clean the ears, and repeat the procedure.
Keep an eye on your dog’s ears to ensure they are comfortable.
- The puppy ear examination
- vet examines the puppy’s ears.
- Surgical Technique
- A cropped ear
Ear cropping is one of the most contentious procedures, and like tail docking, it is prohibited in Australia, the UK, and Europe.
Ear cropping entails removing a portion of the dog’s ear to make them seem upright. A veterinarian often performs this procedure on pups when newborns or just a few days old. Many breeds, like the Doberman, have their tails docked and ears clipped as early as the first few days of life.
Some proponents of this technique contend that it trains dogs for the field, preparing them to hunt and avoid injury from protective prey to their floppy ears. Others contend that clipping the ears is part of the breed standard for some breeds.
Love Your Dog Regardless
Your dog is still the same adorable furball you brought home as a puppy, floppy ears or not. His health, disposition, or how much he loves you have nothing to do with how his ears are carried. Remember, your dog doesn’t give a damn about the shape of your ears, so think about returning the favor. Consider the significance behind your dog’s ear location since there are several ways they communicate through their ear position.
Final Observations
Even pups from the same litter might have varied outcomes since heredity plays a big role in determining the shape of a dog’s ears. As they age, some dogs with drooping ears will ultimately be able to stand them up on their own, while others will always have them that way.
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