Why Don't My Pup's Ears Stand Up?
Why didn’t my pup’s ears go up?
I often hear people say a dog isn’t purebred if it’s ears don’t go up. I’m not sure where this started but it couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ve seen many high pedigreed dogs who’s ears didn’t go up on their own.
There are several reasons why a pup’s ears don’t go up and here are 3 main ones:
Littermates have pulled the ears repetitively during play - Usually play with littermates doesn’t cause much of an issue but too much at an older age can cause the cartilage to ‘break’. Normally pups leave their littermates prior to this becoming an issue.
Someone rubbed their ears continuously as a pup - Same as repetitive play with littermates, too much rubbing and folding of the ears can keep cartilage from strengthening. NOTE: It’s still important to touch your pup’s ears from time to time so they’re comfortable with you touching them when they need to be cleaned. Just try to avoid frequent rubbing and folding.
The pup is of larger size - This is what I see the most. The larger the dog, very often the harder it is for the ears to go up. My largest male, Gus, and most of his pups who take after him have needed help with their ears. Gus is of the highest pedigree, imported directly from Germany.
What should I do if my pup’s ears didn’t go up?
Here are a couple things to try before considering ear forms.
Bully sticks, knucklebones, neck bones - each of these contains nutrients that can aid in producing cartilage.
Plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese - I’ve heard people go both ways on this. Some say it’s a myth they help and others swear by it. A spoonful in your pup’s food won’t hurt either way as they aid in healthy digestion with probiotics.
Knox Gelatin - 1 pack per day on your pup’s food is supposed to aid in building cartilage.
Raw bones with meat on them - this will help strengthen the muscles in your pups head, jaw and face.
How do i know if ear forms are right for my pup?
If you’ve consistently tried the list above to no avail then it may be time to consider ear forms. Are they right for your pup?
If you like the look of your pup with one or both ears down then don’t bother with ear forms. I’m often asked if it will cause problems with hearing or ear infections if they don’t go up. The answer is no. If you’re not competing in shows it’s purely aesthetic and not necessary for them to go up.
Now, it’s true that a dog in the wild or a dog bred to herd or hunt has an advantage in hearing over a dog who has their ears down. How much of an advantage? Not enough to put your dog’s ears up if you’re happy with them down. He or she will still be able to hear well enough to protect your home and interact with your loved ones.
On the other hand, if you like the look of their ears up it’s worth it to try ear forms. There’s a short window of time before the cartilage hardens and the ears will no longer go up even with help, so the decision needs to be made early.
What’s the optimal time to use ear forms on my dog?
It’s important for forms to be used before your pup has all their adult teeth as the cartilage hardens at around this age. Their adult teeth should be in by 6 months old so it’s best to start forms by around 4-6 months old.
There are plenty of instances where a dog’s ears go up later than 6 months, I hear about it all the time, but on some dogs it can be too late. If you want to be sure your pup’s ears go up the optimal time is 4-6 months old. If your dog is older than that, it’s still worth giving it a try.
How do I use ear forms on my dog?
Inserting ear forms can be frustrating because most pups refuse to stay still when you want them to. I recommend having another person help keep your pup occupied and calm. This person should keep your pup’s attention by feeding a treat that will keep your pup busy like peanut butter rather than trying to hold your pup which can cause the pup to struggle.
If you have no one to help, you can keep your pup busy without the help of another person by using a lick mat. Put peanut butter or other lickable treat on the mat and use the suction cups to adhere to a surface like a the floor or side or your fridge. This will help keep your pup busy. These mats are also great for keeping your pup calm during bath time. You can find a link to purchase at the bottom of this page.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED - Links Can Be Found At The Bottom Of This Page:
Ear Forms
Surgical Glue
Surgical Glue Remover
Lick Mat
Peanut Butter
Cotton Balls
Paper Towels
Towel
Below are step-by-step instructions to insert ear forms. PLEASE NOTE: Although ear forms aren’t painful, your pup is going to want to shake his or her head and scratch at ears because the forms feel foreign. Don’t allow this, instead take your pup’s mind off of it by going for a nice walk, playing or giving treats immediately after inserting the ear forms. After a little while your pup won’t notice them anymore.
Trim hair (if needed) from the inside of the ears so the adhesive can make good contact. Most short coat dogs don’t need this done, some long coats do.
Thoroughly clean ears with alcohol and let dry completely as the adhesive won’t stick to waxy buildup, dirty, damp or wet ears.
Apply glue to the first ear form (if you’re using a form that doesn’t come with adhesive already applied) and let glue sit for a minute or two to firm up before applying, glue should be tacky to the touch.
Place form in ear and hold in place so glue can firm.
Apply glue to second form and place form in second ear.
IMPORTANT: Many times the glue doesn’t stick as long as you need the ear forms to stay in which can be frustrating. This is either because it’s a lower quality glue or it just didn’t make a good seal. Be sure to keep extra glue on hand so you can re-insert the forms if needed. Forms should stay in for approximately 3 weeks until ears can stand on their own. Allow forms to fall out on their own rather than trying to remove them. If they fall out and your pup’s ears still aren’t standing wait 1 week and put them in for another 3 weeks.
REVIEWS:
DISCLOSURE: Below are products that I’ve reviewed and/or recommend. Where possible, I use Amazon Affiliate Links and commissions paid go to our Herzog Hardship Fund for our pups in need of emergency help. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If I can’t find an Amazon Affiliate link I can confidently recommend then so be it. Although building our Herzog Hardship Fund is very important to me, I want the information I provide to be reliable. I’d love your feedback if you’ve tried any of the products below or if you know of others I should look into. Contact me (Kate Dalman) at mdalman4@gmail.com.
PRETTYIA PET EAR CARE TOOL
After trying several types of ear forms these are one of two I currently recommend. I’ll be honest, I don’t love them. They’re heavy and I think lighter weight options would be better. They also didn’t go in quite as easily as the M&R’s plastic ones because they’re flexible so they didn’t pop right in. As time went on the hard white portion fell out so they were lighter. They stayed in for several weeks on their own and didn’t bother my pup like the plastic ones did. When they fell out there was no sign of rash or irritation. I bought a second set because his ears needed more help and the first set was pretty worn. These forms are really slow to ship so you need to order early if you’re going to use them. I’ll continue to try different types until I find a brand I really like. I give these 3 stars.
M&R DOG EAR STAND UP SUPPORT TOOL
These are the other forms I currently recommend. Initially I thought these were great. They were light weight, came with glue, were easy to put in and they attached with velcro so they held the ears up higher and could be adjusted. I was disappointed by the next day when I could see the plastic edges were rubbing uncomfortably creating sores on my pup’s ear. The adhesive worked well so it became a process of cutting portions of the form away that had detached from the skin to avoid further sores and using skin safe adhesive remover to break down the glue faster. I recommend having some of this on hand and I’ll leave a link below. When these forms finally came out there was a bit of a rash on his ear caused because plastic isn’t breathable even with the holes that are poked in them. Thankfully he didn’t seem bothered by the rash and it went away quickly. Overall I’m not in love with them and give them 3 stars.
THOUDONER EAR FORMS
At first I was excited about these ones because they were light weight, easy to put in, and it’s nice when the adhesive is already on there so you don’t have to mess around with glue. Unfortunately the adhesive didn’t stick to clean dry ears and they instantly fell out. I also don’t think there’s any way they’d be strong enough to hold a pup’s ears up. I don’t recommend using these forms and give them 1 star.
KALDANY EAR FORMS
I bought this one and it was EXACTLY the same as the Thoudoner but more expensive at $20.99 and only came with one ear form instead of 2. They were both made by the same manufacturer with almost identical packaging except the box for Kaldany packaging was larger. I sent it back because it was the same thing, more expensive with only 1 form. I don’t recommend using these forms and give them 1/2 star.
LICK MAT
I tried a few different types and they were all very similar in color and style so I recommend the one that had the best price. These ones give you two dishwasher safe mats with suction cups on the back. They also come with a spatula. I put peanut butter on the mat and use them to keep pups occupied when trimming their nails, cleaning ears, inserting ear forms or in the tub.
EAR WASH by VETWELL
It’s always good to have ear cleaner on hand. Regular cleaning helps break down excessive amounts of ear wax and reduces the risk of ear mites and/or ear infection. I haven’t found a cleaner that I feel works better than another so I chose this one because it was reasonably priced.
ADHESIVE - SURGICAL GLUE
Even if the forms you purchase come with adhesive you may need to purchase additional adhesive in case ear forms fall out early and you need to reinsert (which happens often).
ADHESIVE REMOVER - SKIN SAFE
I highly recommend having some of this on hand in case your pup’s ear forms don’t go in straight and you need to reinsert, or in the event that your pup is having a reaction to the forms.
KNOX GELATIN
Gelatin helps build and strengthen cartilage so pouring one packet per day on your pup’s food can help a great deal to strengthen ears.
Bully Sticks
Bully Sticks are are a nutritious treat for pus that contain nutrients that can give ears a better chance of standing on their own. They help satisfy the need for chewing while building muscle in your pup’s jaw and face. Your pup should always be monitored while eating a bully stick to avoid choking.
COLLAGEN STICKS
Collagen sticks are another form of Bully Stick. Excellent for building collagen, healthy digestion, clean teeth and gums, and added nutrition to your pup’s diet. They satisfy the need for chewing while building muscle in your pup’s jaw and face. As with Bully Sticks, your pup should be monitored to avoid choking.
Knucklebones
These are an absolute favorite in my house. They’re nutritious, they satisfy the need for chewing and our pups love them. I throw them away once the bone has been chewed down to choking size but if I let them they’d eat the entire thing. The nutrients these contain can aid in strengthening your pup’s ears and chewing helps build the muscles in your pups jaw and face.
Neck Bones
Neck bones are another nutrient packed treat for your pup that can help build cartilage.
