My 6-month Heeler's ear isn't standing up. How can I help it safely?

Hello. No, this may not be safe or necessary. This really only applies to breeds that have normally erect ears that may need a little help, like German Shepherds. If your dog does not have the underlying cartilage to hold the ear up, all the tape in the world will not help. Plus, if you tape incorrectly you could wind up damaging the skin & cartilage resulting in infection or a mis-shaped ear. It is best to have your pup examined by your veterinarian to see if this is possible, & if it is, show you how to properly wrap. But I always feel that what mother nature gave my dog is the most beautiful of all. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that about Elliw (Ellie?). She may be a little too old now to work on those ears but you could still consult with your vet to see what they think. People have used all kinds of supports and tape to get ears to stand. Consult with your vet. Maybe seek out a veterinarian who trims ears and is more familiar with the management of the ears after surgery. They may have some better ideas for supporting the ears. I wish you the best of luck.

Cute pups! There's a possibility that Tucker can have his ears tapped in order to make them stand up straight. There is a lot of variability in how ears are cropped and thus what methods are used to tape ears. You may start first by having Tucker examined by his vet to make sure the ear is not laying down due to a healed ear hematoma or other injury to the ear. Your vet may know about taping or they may know someone to refer you to. Another resource would be to reach out to a Cane Corso or an American Staffordshire Terrier breed association/club. They may be able to provide information about how to properly tape the ears for their breed standards. I hope this helps to get you started. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It takes time for the cartilage in the ear to strengthen and stand up permanently. I wouldn’t be concerned at this time about his ears as he is still young and growing. It is also normal for his baby teeth to fall out- and all should have fallen out by 6 months. It sounds like Noble is right on track! Kisses to Noble!

Lulu is so adorable! Ear taping is when you actually tape the ears up into position to help them stand up straight. Ear cropping is a surgical procedure (for cosmetic purposes) to get the ears to stay straight up. Typically as dogs age their ears stand up the older they get. Sometimes you will have a dog whose ear may not stand up the way someone will want. If Lulu is just a family dog and just for you and your family to enjoy I wouldn't recommend either procedure since there is no medical reason for doing either of them. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Typically, if a GSD's ears have not stood up by 6-8 months it is likely that they will not stand up at all. There are however, some taping methods that can assist the ears to stand up. You should talk to your veterinarian before taping the ears because it may make your puppies prone to developing ear infections. The amount of cartilage in a puppy's ears is determined at birth. Oral or injectable supplements will not affect the amount of cartilage in the ears.

The outer ear of the dog (the pinna) is made of cartilage, and that is what helps Rolo's ears stand up. It sounds like she experienced some damage to her ears if she had a aural hematoma in them (what you referred to as blood clots), and there is the possibility that the cartilage was damaged enough that her ears will remain floppy. Over time, however, they may heal and her ears could return to standing up. Unfortunately I can't say for certain one way or another, only time will tell. Best of luck.