Do GSD pups have to try to hold their ears up?
 

I noticed when my 11 week old pup first wakes up some days she has a hard time holding one of her ears up. It seems to pop up once she is awake and running around but in the morning it is floppy. I curious do they have to try to hold them up as a pup?

Morning

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum...570-floppy.jpg

Afternoon
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum...78-ears-up.jpg

No it is not voluntary - ears can react to different situations like for example if a dog gets a petting, ears might go flat or if something catches a dog's attention, ears can perk up. But the process of ears going up itself is not voluntary - she is only 11 wks - they will go up permanently in the next few months.

Thanks for the reply! I was just curious because only the one seems to flop and only when she just wakes up. I'm not at all worried about her ears the first one was up at 8 weeks and the second has been mostly up since 9 with a few flops here and there. It is strange how for a week solid you won't see a flop then bam it is down again then a few minutes later back up then leaning to the middle LOL.

I have to say watching these pups ears has to be one of the best parts of a GSD puppy!

Ears go up and down as the puppy teeths. Teething requires extra nutrients so that can take away from the ear so ears tend to flop up and down until 6-7mo.