German Shepherd puppies are very good as pets. They are obedient and easy to train.
Let’s talk about some facts you need to know about German Shepherd dog breed.
German Shepherds are born with their ears down and their ears stand up at a certain age. Let us see what age do German Shepherd puppies ears stand up.
At what age do German Shepherd puppies ears stand up?
German Shepherds get their ears up when they reach 4 weeks. You can see if their ears are going to get up soon enough – call their name and see if their ears perk in a way which suggests that it’s trying to stand up.
The ears of dogs are made of cartilage. As a German Shepherd grows, the cartilage gets stronger, leading to straight ears.
75% of the German Shepherds have their ears standing up in the first 5 to 10 months.
You can also keep your dogs ears floppy by using bandages to train your dog.
The ears of German Shepherds grow in stages, but some puppies can be unpredictable.
- Newborn to 5 months – At 3 months, German Shepherd puppies teeth start growing. During this time, their ears goes up and down.
- 5 – 6 months – Teething is done at this stage and ears may be standing at attention.
- 6 – 8 months – At this stage, your dogs ears should stand up but if it still hasn’t, you should visit a vet and get your dog checked.
Read: German Shepherd Growth Chart
Why your dog’s ears aren’t standing up?
- During teething, the ears refuse to perk up. During this time, the body need calcium for the teeth to grow.
- Some dogs have floppy ears due to their genetics. If the parents have floppy ears, chances are high of your dog having floppy ears.
- Any trauma during the time of birth to 5 months can cause droopy ears.
- Dogs are likely to get infected by parasites. It eats up all the nutrition in dogs, and because of poor nutrition, the dog might not be able have straight ear.
- Some dogs have one ear up and one ear down. It can be because of the genetics, poor diet or accident.
- Sometimes saggy ears are due to some discomfort or illness.
- Sometimes the large and heavy flaps make it difficult for dogs to get their ears stand up.
- If you consistently pet the ears backward, then it might make it difficult the ears to stand up.
- The wide space between the ears.
How to fix your German Shepherds floppy ears?
- Chew toys help dogs ears stand up. Chew toys exercises the jaw, neck, and head muscles which is important for their ears.
- Proper diet and nutrition is always necessary for dog’s growth. Avoid calcium supplements for the time being rather give them one table spoon of cottage cheese or yogurt.
- If you notice that your dog does not have any sign of getting his ears stand up, you can try taping method.
- Look for what triggers the ears to stand up. Once you get that, keep on motivating them, link that trigger with any reword and it will encourage them to repeat that behavior.
- If nothing works, do consult a vet.
- Shave the hair on the ear. The hair on the ear can make the ear heavy, making it difficult to stand up.
How to use the taping method?
Take your dogs ears, pull them upward and join both the ears with the help of a stick and tape them together in upward direction. This will help their ears stand up.
People use bandages to keep their dogs ears floppy. Simply put your dog’s ear downwards and tape the bandage downwards.
What type of tape you are using is very important in taping method; always use white surgical tape.
Keep them taped for 7 days and leave them off for 24 hours. Repeat this process for 6 months.
It should always be the last option. Be careful that you do not use this when the dog is too young. Taping is not a recommended and safe method. You have to be well-trained before using the taping method.
Conclusion
German Shepherds naturally get their ears stand up when they reach 5 months of age. It is ok if it gets delayed.
Sometimes dogs have floppy ears, or one ear up and one ear down. There can be many reasons for this, some you can take care of and some you can’t.
There is no need to be afraid of, just make sure you take care of your German Shepherd during their development period, give him proper nutrition and avoid any accidents which can hurt their ear.