Can I tape my 6-month German Shepherd's ears to make them stand?

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.

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.

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.

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.

As much as you can keep the other dog from chewing on her ears, do so, but it's not the end of the world. Their ears will go up and down as they're teething and growing, so they may tip up and down for a couple months more until they stand for good. Congratulations on your new baby, she's absolutely beautiful!