If their ears perk up in a way that suggests they are trying to stand, there is a good chance they will go up over time. Another good indication is where the ears are placed on the head. Ears set higher up and close together are more wolf-like and more likely to stand. Note the size as well. Dogs with enormous ears and heads like the Basset will never stand. Likewise, big ears on a German Shepherd might take a little longer than usual for the muscles and the cartilage to strengthen enough.
Dog ear development is not an exact science. The ear flap, or pinna, is made up of cartilage that you may feel hardening from as young as five to eight weeks. Soft and thin pinnae are a warning that your puppy's ears may have trouble standing. Also, eighteen muscles hold up and turn a dog's ears.
These need to be adequately developed, which is why the "chew" method for getting a dog's ears to stand up is recommended below. Diet is somewhat linked to puppy ear development.
Because teething can often cause erect ears to droop, many breeders recommend adding calcium to the puppy's diet to give enough calcium for the ears. While a teaspoon of cottage cheese or yogurt is unlikely to do any harm, calcium supplements should be avoided unless a veterinarian says otherwise.
Too much calcium can lead to significant deformities in your dog's skeletal system, interfere with the absorption of other nutrients, and more. Exact dietary needs differ from puppy to puppy. Supplements that can help the ear flap strengthen include those that are generally good for cartilage. This includes gelatine, glucosamine, and Vitamin C. The cartilage in the ears of a growing pup is fragile and pliable. Avoid excessively patting or handling your pup's ears, as it can damage the cartilage and keep it from growing straight.
Similarly, pups who play too rough or chew on each other's ears can also damage the cartilage. Keep an eye on your puppy's playdates and intervene if you see too much rough-and-tumble with his ears. All puppies should be dewormed every four to six months. Worms steal nutrients from your puppy's growing body, and a bad worm infestation can affect whether or not his ears stand up.
Puppy ears change as they grow. In many cases, ears standing up perfectly before three months will start to droop again when the puppy is teething. This is because nutrients being sent to the ears are now being diverted to the growing teeth.
Usually, after the teething process is done, the ears will stand right up again at around six months. On the way to fully erect ears, the puppy may go through many very natural stages.
What starts with tiny floppy ears in a German Shepherd might evolve into ears that flop to the side. This may turn into "flying nun" ears, where one ear is down and one looks like it wants to fly away. Flying nun ears are usually followed by the comb-over stage, where they may be flopping over the top of the head.
All of this is a normal part of the process of getting perfectly erect ears. Noise can also make a border collie anxious. Certain sounds can frighten a dog. Dogs have a much greater ability to hear than humans and can hear sounds at frequencies that humans can not hear. A loud, unanticipated sound can scare a border collie.
Typical sounds of this nature include fireworks, gun shots and thunder. Reply to this topic Start new topic. Recommended Posts. Indydog Posted September 3, Posted September 3, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options PSmitty Posted September 3, Angie H Posted September 3, RuthBelle Posted September 4, Posted September 4, I want them to be erect.
I love prick ears! I definitely switched over some time ago from tipped ears. How old is your pup in that picture? Indydog Posted September 4, Do you have a more recent picture? We could compare to see how they've moved? JaderBug Posted September 4, Sam'smom Posted September 4, Piper is on the left, Skyler the right. Posted September 5, It was distinguished from dogs that had worked with farmers and shepherds in Britain for hundreds of years but were not considered purebred source. The name border collie refers to the border regions between England and Scotland where this type of collie originated.
It was coined in to distinguish working border collies from their cousins, the rough and smooth-haired collies, which were already being bred for the show source. Border collies gained immediate popularity and were soon exported around the world as working dogs, especially farming communities in Australia and America source. The breed has been popularized by movies like Babe , and today, border collies are in demand as pets and participants in canine sports source.
For most of its history, there was no breed standard for the border collie, which explains the variety in appearance of even purebred border collies today. As a working dog, the border collie was never bred for a particular appearance. Instead, these dogs are traditionally judged by their performance in trials of agility and obedience source.
In these trials, dogs move a flock of sheep around an enclosure according to signals given by their shepherd. In these trials, judges look for indications that a prize border collie is intelligent, athletic, enthusiastic, and responsive to commands.
The dog should be capable of both speed and endurance, be able to change direction quickly, and demonstrate an intense focus on the livestock without instilling fear source. The American Kennel Club AKC included the border collie in the Miscellaneous Class until as recently as when it finally recognized the breed for show purposes.
Conformation showing of border collies began the same year. The change has not come without opposition from groups seeking to protect its status as a pure working dog, and those innocent puppy ears that stole your heart are at the center of the controversy. All dogs have the same basic ear anatomy, made up of the outer, middle and inner ear. The outer ear comprises the soft furry ear flap the pinna , and the ear canal source. Dogs have much larger pinnae than humans and can move them to better capture sound.
The whole ear is well supplied with muscles, blood vessels, and nerves, helping dogs to hear many times better than we do source.
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