My puppy's ears are standing up. Do I still need ear taping?

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.

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.

Hello. You can try taping the ear up by using something like a tampon on the inner surface ( concave surface ) & putting an overwrap on this. But, the ear may stand up on its own. Sometimes an ear will temporarily fall during the rapid growth phase see at this time & age. But if you do decide to tape up the ear, you must make sure it is not too tight, too heavy or too uncomfortable for Mini to wear. You might talk to your vet who can do this with all the proper materials. 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.

Ears are usually cropped between 8-12 weeks. Some vets won't do it because it is an unnecessary procedure. Surgically changing the conformation of a dog's ears is expensive, painful, and is not always successful. If you aren't going to show him in confirmation shows, there's no reason to put your puppy through ear cropping. Please consult with your veterinarian before putting your puppy through this elective procedure.

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!

I am sorry to hear about your concern for your puppy! Unfortunately in many dogs we can have changes in the carraige of the ears as they grow/mature. In some breeds, such as german shepherds, the ears will be taped by a vet or experienced dog breeder in an attempt to get them to stand in a certain manner, but this is not a gaurantee of the altering of the ear carraige. If you are not planning on showing your dog, I would accept her for ear sweet self and learn to love her funny ears (and they may continue to change as she grows). I myself have a lab mix with ears that do not match in their carriage. It gives them character!