WGSL pup ears - Page 1

Advice from long timers? He is a nice big male, from import parents, wgsl, he has floppy ears, they both did stand about 2 weeks ago, for only 2 days. He is on a diet of Nutr puppy, he gets ester c once a day, he also gets a tablespoon of cottage cheese daily. He gets plenty of chew time with raw bones or approved puppy chews. He has not had his eats messed with, he is extremely healthy.. his ears are so big though I am starting to wonder if he will need help, he was born Nov 11th 2014, he is right at 40lbs, his pedigree is ... http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=2301551-bakers-zelig-aus-van-haitsma

I can post a photo but not sure how? Thank you for replies

If I intended to use this dog for breeding, I'd wait and see if the ears stand STRONGLY on their own. Soft ears are genetic in most GSD's. However, if I didn't intent to use him for breeding and wanted his ears to stand,  I would learn the best way to help that by using forms or taping. I'm sure someone here could tell you how to do that. I would never tape ears on a dog I wanted to use for breeding.

Yes, if his ears do not stand on their own, he will be altered and kept as a pet. I would hope they stand though, wanted to do many things with him.

How old is your puppy? 4 months?

It would certainly help if you could either post a picture of your puppy or add a picture to his "Pedigree"...

Puppies that are on the large size will need more time for their ears to stand simply because the body is busy supplying Calcium and stuff to other parts of the body that are growing too...It's the same Calcium that is needed for the ears to stand...

You seem to be doing a lot of the right stuff...What I do is to feed RAW Chicken with some bones (so the puppy has something to chew on and to supply calcium)...Then usually and at least once a day I would massage the Bell of the Ear and then the rest of the ear to help promote the blood flow...

 

~Bob~

My big boys ears went all different directions until 11 months old, then they both stood up for good but one caved in a little until a few months later, now strong at 21 months but kong toys they can chew are also good,  lots of chewing and gumming things helps also,  nyla bones good, natural raw beef bones they can knaw good, you don't have to give raw leg quarters if yo do not want to but something like that the chew is good as has a little digestable calcium they do not otherwise get.  Good luck, be patient.  Nan

I will post a photo to his pedigree now, he is almost 16 weeks old.

16 weeks is too young to be worrying.  Even pups with less big

ears do not always stand them up and keep them up until they

are at minimum another month older than your boy.  You seem to

be giving him all the right opportunities to chew and develop his

muscles and cartilage for himself, and Bob's advice about the

massage will often work.  Please don't go overboard on the calcium,

research has shown it can damage skeletal growth in excessive

amounts. 

Thank you all for the advice.

According to the pic the ear bells seem to be up. I wouldn´t worry right now.
I wouldn´t massage the ear bells, the cartilage is violated too easily.

iv had pups whoes ears went up down until about 8 months also their ears can go down while getting adult teeth the dog is only 4 months iv also used a soft glue glue for holding on false nails dissolves in about to weeks does not hurt no discomfort easier than banding drys in seconds once the blood hits the top of the ear they wont go down but i would Waite a while marrow bone pigs ears  dry nuts thats the best way