Question about my GSD's ears - Page 1

I have a solid Black German shepherd and her ears confuse me a little. I keep reading informaiton about gsd's with floppy ears and gsd's with standing ears but what about if they do both? She's 18 months old and sometimes she stands them up and keeps them up for a while and then sometimes they just flop. What's with that? Obviously she can stand them up she does it all the time and they stand up perfectly. But most of the time she just doesn't. I got the impression that when they're flopped over... they stay that way... they don't do both. Obviously it would be too late to tape them or glue them or anything like that. And either way it doesn't bother me because she's absolutely beautiful no matter what and she's an incredible dog but I was just wondering why it is that she can both stand them up and flop them over.

I dont know if this really makes a difference, but with one of my GSD's and several other standing ear breeds, when my dogs ears would start to droop, I wormed her and they always went back up within the day. A few months later they would start to droop again and I would worm her again. Dunno if it is just a coincidence or not.

Therese

There is a GSD in the town I live in that has one ear that does as you describe. When she is alert it is up, but when just hanging around it droops.

Ears that do that are considered soft.  The ears should be upright at all times.

i don't really know either, my gsd's ears stay up even when he is sleeping, one thing ive wondered about ears is, i have two rat terriers - one full breed and one mixed, rat terriers ears are suppose to be up all the time to...whats wierd is my mix's stays up all the time and the full breed one's never went up...so...?

German shepherd ears are suppose to stand erect to the sky at all times   except when you fill them up with cleaner and run....then you will see  them go side ways while they sling out all the liquid in them....

Ears that do what you describe are    "soft ears"   and they follow some bloodline breeding..I would not rebreed from the one where that came from    also an ear that    "flutters" when the dog runs is  also   a soft ear....

A shepherd that has erect correct ears will put ears back in submission, if they need to to a male dog...but that is a different matter and only happens once in a while.....

Sometimes when you over react to your shepherd and yell at them or show dominance over some,,they put ears  back in submission...also....not the same thing you are describing.

LOL yellow. Nobody told me the run part the first time I cleaned ears!

If a dog's ears are like this would building the muscles with bones help somewhat or is it purely a cartiledge issue?

ooohhh, yellowrose--you just reminded me to put the ear-mite treatment in boss's ear...lol...he had a bath today and i usually do it then...i forgot

Yes , chewing round bones or   cow hooves   buy at pets store and make sure they dont come from out of this country....USA only  

It might not cure this one, but it sure cant hurt .  I'd give him a cow hoof everyday in crate and get several for around the house....they are great for entertaining and occuping your pet....they stink after a bit, but you know where the stink is coming from......wash them off with hot water if they get full of dirt or hair or poop...depending on age of pup...or dog...