For every pet owner, there must have been a point when they wondered what the truth is behind German shepherd Puppy ears. Sure, it’s cute, but is there a meaning behind it? Will it affect a German shepherd’s behavior? Here we are goi9ng to describe complete information about the German Shepherd Puppy Ear Stages.
When you first bring your German Shepherd puppy home, its ears will probably be floppy and droopy – at times, those ears may try to make a stand, only to fall back down again. What gives!?
Table of Contents
German Shepherd Puppy Ear Stages
It’s essential to keep in mind that these stages are not set in stone. German Shepherd puppy ears can be unpredictable. Don’t panic if your young GSD puppy’s ears are doing funky, wobbly things that don’t quite fit into any of these puppy ear stages.
The key is to be patient and give those ears time to develop on their own before stepping in. Now, let’s look at the typical German Shepherd puppy ear stages.
Newborn to 5 Months
During teething, which begins around three months old, it’s not uncommon for German Shepherd puppy ears to go up then down again. Those ears should perk back up after teething is over.
When I went to visit my German Shepherd, Allie, her ears were floppy and undeniably precious. I brought Allie home at eight weeks, and those ears still had their ups and downs, but by ten weeks old, her ears were up permanently. I was lucky that Allie’s ears stood up very early, but that doesn’t mean this is the norm. Many GSD puppy ears don’t stand up until months later, and that’s perfectly normal.
Other Causes of German Shepherd Floppy Ears
The cause, as mentioned earlier, can easily be handled, but there are some cases where GSD floppy ears remain after the teething stage. Many triggers cause such cases, and some of them are unpreventable.
There are, however, those that you can avoid by taking proper precautions. Here’s a look at such causes of the German shepherd floppy ears.
Breeding
I think we can all agree that larger ears are more attractive or adorable. The breeders also know this, and thus, they breed German shepherds with floppy ears. It’s all about the breeding point of view; if your German Shepherd Puppy ears are not standing correctly, you need to check the background where you get this one.
It may not be a German shepherd with the trendy floppy ears, but at least their traits are natural. To do this, I suggest looking at the parents first if they have large ears. Their offsprings are likely to inherit their appearance. While the occurrence can’t be prevented, since it’s genetics, what you can avoid is spending money on a puppy with potentially many German shepherd ear problems.
Trauma
Throughout your German shepherd’s childhood, there will be a point where they are prone to trauma. While trauma may only be simple accidents, some will cause your dog to not perk up for the rest of their lives. For example, they may get in an accident where their ears get squeezed, cut, or injured in any way.
If that happens, it may become a habit of theirs to protect their ears by not making them perk up. So make sure they are entirely protected in this stage of their growth.
Ear Infections
An ear infection is progressive and is perhaps one of the most troublesome German shepherd ear problems. It can lead to severe issues and can even be life-threatening.
More importantly, it’s painful, and because of this, your German shepherd may not open their ears in fear of more pain. Either way, you can always prevent this through proper hygiene.
Why are German Shepherd Puppy Ears Down?
A dog’s ears are made of cartilage, and that cartilage must grow strong enough to hold up the weight of those big ears. As your German Shepherd grows and gets the right nutrition (among other things), the cartilage gets more durable and more substantial. And voila – straight, pointy German Shepherd ears!
Many German Shepherd owners worry their puppy’s ears just aren’t doing the “right” thing and wonder if there’s anything they can do to help. We will describe in this article Your German Shepherd puppy’s ear stages and what to do (and not do) if those ears aren’t standing up.
As the teeth break through the gums, calcium is also extracted, which results in softer ear cartilage. Despite the complexity, some owners refer to teething as the puppy funny ear stage.
How Can You Handle German Shepherd Floppy Ears?
There are many ways to make sure your dog’s floppy ears won’t be a burden to you and your German shepherd Puppy. So let’s take a look at the most efficient ways to complete your goal of handling floppy ears
Clicker Training
A clicker is a device used to communicate with German shepherds during training. It is used to make a click sound, which may mean that the German shepherd is doing a great job. You can use this whenever your German shepherd Puppy ears stand up, showing that they should keep it like that.
After the click sound, make sure you give your dog a treat. By doing this process a couple of times, your German shepherd will get used to it and make it a habit always to perk up their ears.
Taping
German shepherd Puppy ear taping is where you wrap your dog’s ears around with some kind of foam and tape it like a roll. You should then attach a stick or something hard in their ears so it may be horizontally straight. Lastly, retape their ears so it won’t be easy to remove them.
However, remember to remove the tape once in a while, preferably once a week. This is so that GSD Puppies can keep their ears perked up on their own. The tape is only going to make their ears used to the feeling. You can also make use of German shepherd ear forms for convenience and a more comfortable method. Either way, both help with making floppy ears perk up.
When Do German Shepherds Ears Stand and Stay Up?
The answer to this question may vary. But if we’re going to generalize, the time it takes for a German shepherd to finish teething is 20 weeks or five months.
In addition to this gradual change, you may also notice a difference in their behavior right after the teething stage. For example, their floppy ears may suddenly stand up when hearing a book fall into the floor.
My German Shepherd puppy’s Ears are Already up But it Went Down Again?
A German Shepherd puppy’s ear may go up, then flop down again during the teething stage, then goes up permanently after that. The reason behind this is your German Shepherd puppy’s body uses calcium when his teeth and bones are developing, so the formation of his ears’ cartilage is being halted.
According to experts, if the puppies’ ears do not go up by the time they turn seven months old, they might not go up at all. If you haven’t seen any useful progress in the development of your German Shepherd’s ear by the time he turns 4 to 5 months old, it’s time to help them go up.
What can I do to help my German Shepherd’s ears go up?
There are a lot of things you can do to help your German Shepherd’s ears go up, and here are some new tips for GSD lovers.
Keep Your Hands off Your German Shepherd’s Ears
This is the most important thing you should remember if you want your GSD’s ears to stand up naturally. Never let anyone – even other dogs – to fold, bend, pull, fondle, or play with your German Shepherd’s ears. Some research suggests that massaging the base of the ears – and not the listeners themselves – can help as this can help increase blood flow in the cartilage.
Give your GSD quality food.
Cheap commercial food is a no-no. High-quality dog foods with no corn or wheat are ideal.
Give your pup good and healthy toys to chew on
Giving your GSD sturdy toys like Nylabones, antlers, Kongs, and bully sticks can help strengthen his muscles that support the jaw and ears.
Have Your Puppy Checked by a Vet
This is to make sure that your pup isn’t suffering from the ear or any other infections. You will also need to have a fecal test done on your puppy to make sure that he doesn’t have intestinal parasites because worms can also be an underlying cause of your German Shepherd pup’s ear issue.
Reasons Why Your Dog’s Ears Aren’t Standing Up
Genetics
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about your fur baby’s genetics – some puppies are just predisposed to have droopy ears due to the genes passed on by their parents. I believe Allie’s genetics played into her perky ears, standing firm at an early age.
Genetics can also come into play when some breeders try to breed specifically for German Shepherds with larger ears. As a result, those big, oversized, massive ears may be too much to stand up. If pointy, perky ears are vital to you, then choose your breeder and puppy carefully. Make sure to check out the parents – how do their ears look?
Trauma to the Ears
Your puppy’s ears are developing from birth until around five months old. Any significant trauma to the ears during this time can cause permanent damage – which may also cause droopy ears.
For example, if another dog bites or pulls your puppy’s ears too hard while playing, it can do significant damage. Or if your kids just love tugging and yanking on your puppy’s adorable, floppy ears.
Try to have everyone keep their hands off those adorable ears as much as possible. It’s best not to play with your puppy’s ears to ensure they develop correctly and stand firm.
Parasites
Nobody likes dealing with parasites, but unfortunately, they’re a reality when dealing with puppies who love sticking their noses in “dirty” places.
Parasites drain your puppy of the nutrients it needs and can hamper your puppy’s development. Make sure to do poop patrol regularly to check for signs of worms that may be stealing all your pup’s nutrition.
In the next section, I’ll talk a bit more about the importance of nutrition in the development of your puppy’s growing body – from nose to tail and toes to ears.
What food or supplements can I give my German Shepherd to help his ears go up?
Some German Shepherd owners think that giving their pups’ calcium supplement will help since it is one of the building blocks of cartilage growth. But the truth is most over-the-counter calcium supplements aren’t absorbed well by the body.
Giving your GSD pup too much calcium isn’t only unnecessary; it can be a dangerous thing for your dog as the excess calcium can settle in your puppy’s joint and lead to future health problems.
Things You Should Never To Do German Shepherd Ears
Some German Shepherd owners panic too early and start taping their pup’s ears at the young age of 3 or 4 months because they’re ears are not standing up. But taping German Shepherd ears too early or in the wrong way can do more damage than good, so it’s best to be patient and wait until the pup stops teething.
What if everything fails, is there any other way to make my GSD’s ears stand up?
If everything fails, you may consider getting your German Shepherd surgical implants. There are surgical implants for dog ears like PermaStay Ear Implants available in the market, but a qualified vet must do the procedure.
Your dog will also need pain killers after the surgery. If you’re considering this option, wait until your German Shepherd puppy is fully grown.
When do German Shepherd Ears Stand up?
At What Age Do German Shepherd Ears Stand Up Straight? When your puppy is finished teething (around week 20), his ears need to start to hold up or need to be all the way up.
Final Words
To wrap up, if your German Shepherd puppy is still sporting droopy ears (and is under the age of 6 months), don’t panic! Give those ears plenty of time to develop and get stronger before taking action. If your GSD’s ears don’t stand up by six months, then is the time to look into alternatives to help those ears along.
A German shepherd with floppy ears is an adorable sight, but it doesn’t change the fact that the cause is often unknown. Some may view the appearance as cute or picture-worthy, but if you’re one of those owners who can’t rest easy when it comes to their German shepherds, then this article must’ve helped you a lot.
So, in the last, you need to be very careful when you are buying or adopting any German Shepherd if you are curious about the ears standing issue.
