Help With Ears

[FoxyDog]

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Hello, I'm new here but have been reading for some time. I have a question. I tried to see if it has already been answered but there are SO many threads to looks through!

My six-month old boy has got one rose ear and one prick ear. I have tried tapeing the incorrect ear and tried using a gentle glue and nothing has worked to place the ear in the right position. I have been told that their ears do funny things but he has all his adult teeth so should be done teething. I did not get him for showing I got him for agility. However aside from the ear thing he has good conformation (acording to they breeder). We are debating what to do. I don't care either way as it won't matter in the agility ring, but it would be neat to try showing him if his ear will correct itself. If not I will be getting him fixed. There is no history in his lines of inncorrect ears.

Do you think his ear can still correct itself at this age? Is there somthing else I can try? Or should I just forget about it and fix him?

FoxyDog

 

[jayp]

Hi, Although he has all his adult teeth he will still be "bedding in" his molars and will chew and poss fly his ears until 12 months at least so patience is required.

They may still settle down but probably will never be completely reliable. Jan

 

[kris]

when ive showed dogs with ears that have to fold over nicely there are still 'flying' at 6 to 12 months.we used to massage them to stimulate the blood supply to them,and hold them in place cos if you let creases develope them its hard to get them out.also wed put bonjela on the gums the night before an important show and theyd stay up for 24 hours or so after doing this. :thumbsup: years ago the terrier men used to weigh ears down with buttons glued to the ear flaps.

 

[JAXASS14D]

My Mum used to massage olive oil into her Boxer pups ear flaps while she was watching the TV and it helped to keep them soft and stop creases forming .

http://www.rocksetdesigns.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

 

[dragonfly]

You would hardly be showing the only dog in the ring with bad ears. Just don't stand behind someone who baits their dog.

I know of some really beautiful champions who had a dam with extreme prick ears. ????

Good Luck

Cathie

 

[dessie]

Hello, I'm new here but have been reading for some time.  I have a question. I tried to see if it has already been answered but there are SO many threads to looks through!  My six-month old boy has got one rose ear and one prick ear.  I have tried tapeing the incorrect ear and tried using a gentle glue and nothing has worked to place the ear in the right position.  I have been told that their ears do funny things but he has all his adult teeth so should be done teething.  I did not get him for showing I got him for agility.  However aside from the ear thing he has good conformation (acording to they breeder).  We are debating what to do.  I don't care either way as it won't matter in the agility ring, but it would be neat to try showing him if his ear will correct itself.  If not I will be getting him fixed.  There is no history in his lines of inncorrect ears.

Do you think his ear can still correct itself at this age?  Is there somthing else I can try?  Or should I just forget about it and fix him?

FoxyDog

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Slightly off topic but I take it by 'fix him' you mean castration? If so, WHY would you want to have him castrated just because one ear is not right ???? If you can live with an entire dog who has correct ears why should you not be able to live with one who had one dodgy ear, irrespective of whether you show him or not??

 

[JAX]

as already said , Ears can FLY for ages , and hey , whats so bad about that for a dog thats just going to jump and do agility / might make him jump better :lol: joke :clown: :cheers:

I knew quite a few Champions whose ears are not perfect :- "

 

[zilloot]

:- " I know a dog with prick-ears that the minute you put a show-lead on her, she tucked those ears down and back and looked just fine in the ring. She went on to show at Crufts!

Someone did rustle a packet of crisps at her while she was in the ring once and bingo - did those ear pop up!!! I think I know who it was and I'll put them down as one of the pettiest people I've met in showing...

Yes, of course the whippy was mine..... o o and I love her to bits anyway!

 

[FoxyDog]

>Slightly off topic but I take it by 'fix him' you mean castration? If so, WHY would >you want to have him castrated just because one ear is not right ???? If you can >live with an entire dog who has correct ears why should you not be able to live >with one who had one dodgy ear, irrespective of whether you show him or not??

As I stated in my first e-mail, I didn't aquire my little guy for showing I got him for agility. He just turned out to have very good confirmation as well as drive and intellegence. The plan was always to have him fixed. I am not fixing him because he has a bad ear, I would be keeping him intact because he has good confirmation. I do not beleive in keeping animals intact that are not for responsable breeding practices. There are far to many nice dogs put to sleep every day for more to be created because of accidental breeding. I am not a breeder, and I don't know the first thing about breeding so would rather have my dogs fixed. It also helps keep them more focused when involved in sprots when they are fixed. I would like to try showing for fun but cannot enter a castrated dog. But if the ear will prevent him from getting any points then it's not worth keeping him intact. I just wanted some advice because this is my first whippet and I don't know a lot about earset or how long it takes in this breed, or showing. I was just wondering if it was worth getting involved in yet another dog activity that's all. I don't care if he has purple ears! I LOVE him and he's just perfect in my books no matter what he looks like.

FoxyDog

 

[aslan]

Why not have a go at showing for a little while and see how you and he like it? Judges will definitely forgive wayward ears at this age - well any judge who knows that the dog will still be 'teething' at this age will.

Ears are something that can be trained to stay down (if he is able to put it down - I had a whippet once whose ears were fully pricked all the time, she couldn't put them down) - and as I understand it, English judges very rarely throw things to test whippets' ears in the ring?

Personally I would not tape or glue - I have tried this and I don't think it works. I would just keep massaging the fold into his ear - he will still be settling his molars and it could well come right when he is finished.

 

[FoxyDog]

>>Why not have a go at showing for a little while and see how you and he like it? Judges will definitely forgive wayward ears at this age - well any judge who knows that the dog will still be 'teething' at this age will.

That's a good idea and one I have been considering. I just wanted to save myself the frustration of getting puppy points and not being able to finnish him as an adult because of his silly ear. I have never shown a dog before so don't know how big a fault it is or if he can still finnish with that ear. The breeder doesn't seem to think it will come down as it's always up, she is happy with whatever I decide to do. I just wanted to get some more opinions. I guess if we're having fun it doesn't really matter does it? Mabey I'll try it and see what it's like. Thanks for your advice everyone!!!

FoxyDog

 

[aslan]

If it is always up and he is unable to hold it down and therefore you can't teach him to hold it down with a signal or word - then that will make a bit of difference in the ring. If it's obvious to the judge that the ear is incorrect then the dog will be penalised (in the long run I mean, they might forgive it now while he's young). However what the judge doesn't see he can't penalise.