Not touching the ears - fact or myth?

PorkandBeans · 12-29-2012, 11:31 AM

Is there anything to this? Both of Gertie's ears are still down at 3.5 months and we've only had short spurts where both with stand or one will stand but it doesn't last more than part of a day before they both flop.

We do touch her ears when we rub her head or tickle behind them, and when we roughhouse we'll rub her face but I've been reading a few places you're not supposed to touch them at all. How is this even possible? I mean she sleeps with her head smooshed up against a wall or her crate sometimes. I can't keep her from flattening her ears against stuff when I'm asleep.

And is there any truth to this? I try to keep my hands off them from the most part but if GSD ears are really that fragile I'm surprised any have ears that stand.

**MaggieRoseLee** · 12-29-2012, 03:48 PM

MYTH!

Heck, if you've seen a litter of pups play you'd know GSD's would never have standing ears if that was true

qbchottu · 12-29-2012, 03:51 PM

If they were so fragile that the slightest touch made them crumple, no GSD ears would stand

Some ears stand because the cartilage is good and there is good structure that helps the ears stand easily. Some dogs have issues with ears standing, this is due to genetics and not enough cartilage/strength for those ears to stand - a fault and these dogs are pulled out of the breeding pool. No amount of touching will shift the ears one way or another.

Yoschi's_Pet_Human · 12-29-2012, 03:52 PM

My Yosch's are still soft at 4.5 months,, if they never go up I'll just blame my wife because she could never keep her hands off 'em lol

**MaggieRoseLee** · 12-29-2012, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoschi's_Pet_Human

My Yosch's are still soft at 4.5 months,, if they never go up I'll just blame my wife because she could never keep her hands off 'em lol

That's too funny

GusGus · 12-29-2012, 04:50 PM

Myth. I ALWAYS played with my dogs ears. They came up perfectly. They had the normal up, down, one up, down, then both up perfectly. I don't think my dogs came up til 5 months? Maybe 4.5

KZoppa · 12-29-2012, 05:49 PM

MYTH! I made sure to play with Shasta's ears when she came home. She's a great deal more managable when she needs to have her ears checked by anyone than one of the fosters I had. Her ears stand just fine, except for that one tip but thats not genetic. Its due to damage from one of her litter mates. If the ears are going to stand, they'll stand. if they aren't...well you get the idea lol. Some pups ears are also heavier/larger than others so it can take a bit longer.

PorkandBeans · 12-30-2012, 12:09 PM

That's what I thought. I've been reading about ears and came across a few sites that I assumed had credible info until I come across the "Don't touch them" rule which makes zero sense to me. I guess I understand that not touching them would help reduce chance of accidentally injuring the ears but when it says not even to pet their head it seems a bit ridiculous to me.

m1953 · 12-30-2012, 12:27 PM

Absolutely a myth.

Ayla · 12-30-2012, 12:52 PM

I've never heard that, though I can see why it'd become a myth. Lol Keira's ears came up for good about 13 weeks. Before that, one was up and down. IMO puppies are like babies/children every one is different and they hit their milestones at different times. =]

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12-29-2012, 11:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
PorkandBeans Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 47	Not touching the ears - fact or myth? Is there anything to this? Both of Gertie's ears are still down at 3.5 months and we've only had short spurts where both with stand or one will stand but it doesn't last more than part of a day before they both flop. We do touch her ears when we rub her head or tickle behind them, and when we roughhouse we'll rub her face but I've been reading a few places you're not supposed to touch them at all. How is this even possible? I mean she sleeps with her head smooshed up against a wall or her crate sometimes. I can't keep her from flattening her ears against stuff when I'm asleep. And is there any truth to this? I try to keep my hands off them from the most part but if GSD ears are really that fragile I'm surprised any have ears that stand.

12-29-2012, 03:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
MaggieRoseLee The Agility Rocks! Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bushkill, PA (The Poconos!) Posts: 24,256	MYTH! Heck, if you've seen a litter of pups play you'd know GSD's would never have standing ears if that was true __________________ MACH3 Bretta Lee Wildhaus MXG MJG MXF MFB TQX HIT CGC TC Glory B Wildhaus AX, AXJ, XF "*It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious."* - Oscar Wilde

12-29-2012, 03:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
Yoschi's_Pet_Human Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 344	My Yosch's are still soft at 4.5 months,, if they never go up I'll just blame my wife because she could never keep her hands off 'em lol __________________ My baby boy: Yoschi vom Herzbach, winner of my heart Sire: V1-Gildo vom Herzbach SchH3, IPO3, FH, KKL1"a" Dam: V-Fenja vom Herzbach SchH3, FH, KKL1"a"

12-29-2012, 05:49 PM	#7 (permalink)
KZoppa Crowned Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 16,716	MYTH! I made sure to play with Shasta's ears when she came home. She's a great deal more managable when she needs to have her ears checked by anyone than one of the fosters I had. Her ears stand just fine, except for that one tip but thats not genetic. Its due to damage from one of her litter mates. If the ears are going to stand, they'll stand. if they aren't...well you get the idea lol. Some pups ears are also heavier/larger than others so it can take a bit longer. __________________ The more people I meet and talk to,the more I love my dogs and their intelligence. Zena GSD 6/1/03 Shasta GSD 5/5/10 "Dax" Thor z vom Weberhaus GSD 3/18/2013 Riley GSD/BC 1/10/05-2/1/2013

12-30-2012, 12:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
m1953 Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Deland fl /Cherrylog Ga Posts: 459	Absolutely a myth. __________________ Nala Vom Vetrauen 3/15/12

12-29-2012, 03:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
qbchottu Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2,788	If they were so fragile that the slightest touch made them crumple, no GSD ears would stand Some ears stand because the cartilage is good and there is good structure that helps the ears stand easily. Some dogs have issues with ears standing, this is due to genetics and not enough cartilage/strength for those ears to stand - a fault and these dogs are pulled out of the breeding pool. No amount of touching will shift the ears one way or another.

12-29-2012, 04:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
GusGus Master Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Clarksburg, West Virginia Posts: 746	Myth. I ALWAYS played with my dogs ears. They came up perfectly. They had the normal up, down, one up, down, then both up perfectly. I don't think my dogs came up til 5 months? Maybe 4.5

12-30-2012, 12:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
PorkandBeans Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 47	That's what I thought. I've been reading about ears and came across a few sites that I assumed had credible info until I come across the "Don't touch them" rule which makes zero sense to me. I guess I understand that not touching them would help reduce chance of accidentally injuring the ears but when it says not even to pet their head it seems a bit ridiculous to me.

12-30-2012, 12:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ayla Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Fort Bragg, NC Posts: 57	I've never heard that, though I can see why it'd become a myth. Lol Keira's ears came up for good about 13 weeks. Before that, one was up and down. IMO puppies are like babies/children every one is different and they hit their milestones at different times. =] Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App

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