I like to relate it to cardboard: cardboard can be really sturdy, but once bent, it will never be as tough as it was before the bend (similar to ears that harden while they are down). First and foremost, it is critical to ensure that your GSD puppy is healthy. unless you see them start to sag ever so slightly.) I should also mention that many ears will be a little weak after tape, but they will strengthen with time. Working from the outside in, be careful not to re-wipe ear wax onto freshly cleaned surfaces. Who could say no to something so lovely and fluffy?! It should not annoy your puppy in the least. Sometimes I find it easier to have the helper Raise your ears to their natural alert position. Estimate the distance between the centers of each ear with your eyes closed, then cut the cross brace strip to a length that is somewhat longer. Put a spot of glue on the knot to keep the yarn from coming untied The earset can begin to relax without a cross brace until six months of age. And the only reason I'm putting it out here is because the vet said that at 4 months, now is the time to do something like this if that's what I decide. When the tapes are finished, put your thumbs in both ears and press the tapes in place for a few seconds. Apply a small amount of glue in a vertical line on the outside/back side of the ear from just slightly above the base to the tip of his ear with your finger. Repeat Large pink spongy perm rollers from Wal-Mart or a comparable store (Goodys is one brand). The "corrected" dogs win, and people continue to produce dogs that don't meet whatever crazy criteria the breeder/fancy has and thus need to be "corrected" by unnatural means. It sounded to me like the OP was aware of that and looking for confirmation from folks here after his vet talked to him about setting his puppy's ears. Replace the tape every day until your collie reaches the age of six months. To keep your collies ears in the desired place, use one strip of non-stretch zinc or silver backed cotton tape. he shrinks in terror from the approach of the judge? When this happens, dont be alarmed its very normal. Let them set and have fun watching what develops? After all, it's still legal to crop ears there, isn't it? Why? The cross brace, on the other hand, is a vital step if you want ideal ears positioned snugly on the skull. 4. And, as a testimonial to your breeding scheme, that dog will inevitably live FOREVER. Wrap the GSD puppy ear around the glued foam roller while holding the pencil end, and then tape them into a fairly tight roll (but not too tight), in an upright (vertical) position. It is associated with a tremendous lot of post-operative pain. Allow the ear to air dry for a few minutes after that. (On the top of the puppys head, simply over the forehead) (not the outside of the ear). Majestic Out Of The Blue No, it has NO advantage to working sheep. August 12, 2013 in General Border Collie Discussion. If any perspiration reaches the ears surface, wait 12 hours before trying again. ", So it must be that tipped ears, rather than fully erect, is the current fashion, regardless of the actual, ahem, "standard.". And yes the dog has pricked ears nature won. If the puppy will be presented at a puppy show or photographed without the ear tapes, leave a little more hair to maintain an attractive, natural appearance. And that white powder is awful that she coats him with. There are several easy and effective solutions available: People will tape or brace their dogs ears as a puppy to get this pointed ear style. If the tapes are pulling any hair, instead of removing the tapes to restart, cut the hair. Star says, "Eat your heart out, dogs with silly taped ears!". Pippin 1 y/o Cockatiel only do Steps 1 - 3 once or, on rare occasions, twice. Use extra tape strips if necessary to support any weak or soft parts that desire to wrinkle or fold, particularly as the ear is forced up on the head. In a GSD, sure, if at a certain age I see problems I may help. Its absurd to undergo medically unnecessary operations just to keep the image of dogs as fashion accessories alive. Current pets: Phoenix 8 y/o BC boy Rose 12 wk old BC Girl So, how do trap-neuter-release programs show which street dogs or feral cats have been nonsurgically sterilized without putting animals under anesthesia, which is part of what nonsurgical sterilization methods were designed to avoid in the first place? Gimli Box Turtle and 2 fish, Farming, sheep, gardening, agility, reining, Photography, dog training, samurai movies, anime, illustration, http://www.akc.org/breeds/border_collie/breed_standard.cfm, Welcome to the BC Boards -- READ THIS FIRST, How to use the Rescue Resources & Dogs for Adoption forum. Lucky she doesn't have to then. See Figures 5 and 6. Clean the ear thoroughly with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. How about "champions" who have had surgeries to correct skeletal and joint faults that resulted in unsoundness? Cropping a dogs ears does not benefit them in any way, contrary to what some breeders claim. It is still recommended to have show puppies ears taped over at six months to retain a correct tip, but the cross bracing should be removed. Taping and re-taping a puppys ears to compel them to stand erect after theyve been clipped can be a painful experience for the dog. Some ears may be completely set by the time the puppy is 6 months old. Skin covers the pinna, or ear flap, while fur covers the outside or posterior part. I will almost certainly never re-breed a mating that produces soft-eared pups. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Navi Guinea Pig it would seem painfully obvious to the most casual of observers that a forum full of folks that have clearly expressed to select exclusively for livestock working ability would be less than supportive of an effort to set ears. I figured however the ears turned out, they'd be great. Dogs ears are cut for one and only one reason: to attain a specific look. In a nutshell, it gives them a harsher, more threatening appearance. By the age of four weeks, some puppies have their ears up. I usually You dont use tape on the ears in this approach; instead, you just glue them together. We recommend giving it a shot with your next litter or show prospect. It looks to me like a totally drop ear, which is not uncommon in BCs, is what's not permissible. While I will try a variety of approaches to help them stand, I will not resort to surgery. Your dogs ears should always be in a downward posture after a few weeks of training. Put a spot of glue on the tip of the ear, fold where you want the ear The German Shepherd was developed to have upright ears because they are more attractive, tougher, and regal. Its a surgical tape that sticks to the skin well without irritating or bothering it. The ear leather is reinforced with these strips, which are shorter than the main strip. If you opt to do this, start before they reach the age of seven months and stop once they reach that age. Clear editor. website. I look upon one ear up and one down as a feature that distinguishes him from the multitude of other b/w collies, but if they were both up or down that would be fine too, of course. Almost never. There is no exposed material for littermates to gnaw or pull on, nor is there any exposed material for the puppy to hook a claw on. While taping, make sure to lift the ears up into the right position on top of the head. Only the spongy pink foam roller section needs to be kept. Humans have the option to avoid cosmetic surgery, but dogs do not. "LittleMan" Tie the yarn together pulling as tight as desired to get the ear set you These minor details contribute to better results. You can skip this step if youre having trouble with it or dont have an extra pair of hands to help. The most popular method of recognizing stray and feral animals that have been vaccinated and surgically sterilized in dogs is ear-notching (cutting a piece out of the ear and then sealing the wound with heat cautery). Owned/Co-Owned "Jinks" Some claim that employing this method, you may get your ears to stand as late as ten months. So hurl the moleskin, yarn, and glue out the window. And Belle stll has different ears. We make decisions for them, and we frequently opt for unpleasant, ineffective procedures like ear-cropping and tail-docking. The first step is to clean the ears thoroughly. Beneath the dignity of a border collie. The thing I find funny is that those ears that have been glued, taped, etc. To sandwich that side, place another short strip of tape over the tab right away. Don't even think it. If required, use support strips. So i googled it when I got home and watched a few ridiculous youtube videos of people using glue and yarn! and yes, there is a window to do so. The only collies I have seen with their ears tapped are show dogs, I have an agility friend who breeds AKC border collies, and I was morbidly fascinated what she had to do to get the "perfect" tipped ear, but even she admitted it would not stay forever she was trying to get dogs championship then would give up, apparently pricked ears are not AKC approved And yes the dog has pricked ears nature won, Yeah Mother Nature! By Leave extra tape to wrap around the exposed adhesive end of the horizontal piece tape (between the ears) and tape it back to itself. Don't do it! The cross brace will tear at the cut lines if it is not reinforced. Erect ears are a part of the German Shepherd Dog breed standard, but fallen ears arent the end of the world. NOTE: If you have wide-set ears or a broad backskull, youll need a longer cross brace and wont be able to draw the ears as tightly. Unfortunately, some veterinarians still believe that mutilating a dog whose guardian is ready to pay for it is acceptable. These operations induce discomfort and anguish, and they come with the dangers of anesthesia, blood loss, and infection that come with every surgical surgery. Digging at the puppys ears is simple, easy, and does not upset or irritate him. I thought those AKC showdog fanciers were all about breeding those superior looks( ). The only person I have ever known try to "fix" wayward ears was a sheltie breeder who put blobs of wax on the ears of one of her dogs to make them tip. My boss had her dog's ears (giant schnauzer) cut and had to use styrofoam cups with masking tape to keep his lasered off ears up For months that poor pup walked around like that! Make the first loop with the sticky side facing out, then fold one open edge in half. Make the Cross Brace The most accurate element of this approach is making the cross brace. Remove any extra hair from inside the ear. I don't know or care about what the show people get up to amongst themselves since they are such a tiny minority of BC owners. Other dogs can easily rip the ears apart, making keeping them fastened difficult. I would be worried that my dog would get caught on something with her ears taped. Wrap one end of the tape (roller and all) around one ear roughly 1/3 of the way down the ear. made by Val-A. This will cause your puppy to stand up on their own by using the muscles in their ears. 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