We are not vets, nor do we claim to be. This is just our experience and what works for us.
Everyone has their moments of worry about the ears of their new German Shepherds. The pup’s ears will go up and down, crisscross, flip back, and sometimes up and down again. Don’t worry about that. enjoy it. Your pup will never be cuter than this! Generally, the larger the dog, the longer it will take for the ears to perk up. Large males are usually the slowest. When the pup is cutting its largest teeth, the cartilage drains and the ears droop. After they have finished teething and the permanent teeth have come in (around 7 months of age), the ears should come back.
The German Shepherd breed was developed by breeding herding dogs with erect, partially erect, and floppy-eared dogs. Pricked ears were preferred and written into the breed standard, however the breed basis cannot be changed. From time to time a pup from our lines will need to have their ears glued on in order to stand up. Probably 1 in 50 puppies in our program have needed this. I have friends in the breed who breed different lines where EVERY pup in his litters needs their ears glued on. I prefer not to breed lines with this type of maintenance. But from time to time the need to paste arises. And luckily, thanks to my friend who is so experienced, I know how to glue them correctly 🙂
The German Shepherd’s ears are made of cartilage that hardens as teething passes and the supply of calcium used for teething returns to the ears. More than genetics will affect whether your pup’s ears stand up correctly. Over-bringing your puppy, letting your puppy swim and keeping his ears wet frequently, letting another puppy chew or play with him, an untreated ear infection (email us for advice on ear infection treatment ear) and not feeding it a proper diet will decrease or even prevent it from standing up.
Things that help them stand up? Adding calcium to their diet during teething (we used cottage cheese and yogurt), adding some unflavored knox gelatin to their diet (which contains cartilage), trimming some hair from the backs of their ears, and feeding them large beef bones raw to chew
If at 5 months of age your German Shepherd’s ears have never perked up, not even for a while, or at 7 months if they’re not nearly set, it’s probably time to help him with other means.
What you will need:
* Insulating foam for plumbing pipes from 1 to 2 inches
* Skin Bond Glue (can be ordered at a drug store, it is made for human use and is the ONLY type of glue we would recommend)
* Sharpie marker
* Exacto knife (or utility knife)
Place the foam in the ear, starting at the base and trace the shape of the ear from the base to the tip and around with a marker.
Cut out the exact shape of the ear and dilute the foam as much as possible with a knife.
Apply Skin Bond to the inside of the ear AND the foam and allow it to dry until just tacky before adhering to the inside of the ear.
Press firmly into the ear making sure the ear is flat and there are NO creases or creases at the back of the ear.
Hold the dog still for a couple of minutes while the glue sets. Try to avoid scratching or shaking your head as much as possible.
Leave to act for at least 10 days. Keep head DRY. Check daily for irritation. If before 10 days it starts to loosen, reapply glue where needed. Remove carefully after 10 days. Leave your ears alone overnight and check in in the morning. If they are still weak, repeat the process again. Don’t let the ears move for more than 12 hours before regluing, unless there is irritation.
I wish I had pictures of the ears we’ve had to glue up, but it’s been so long since I’ve had to, and I never took pictures. If your German Shepherd has weak ears, he will need to be consistent and on top of things if he wants them to stay on their feet. A little effort now should give you a beautiful image for years to come. If the ears are not standing up by 9 months of age, the chances of having the correct ears are slim. After 12 months of age, they are few or none.
German Shepherd Breeder, Kaykohl Land
