Sometimes a German Shepherd’s ears will fail to stand up and remain floppy. We will look at ways to help prevent this and fix your German Shepherd’s ears if they do not stand up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Welcome to the world of German Shepherds and pointy ears. Let’s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before dogs were domesticated, they used their pointy ears when hunting food. They needed to be perked upright (or pricked, as the term is often used) to protect themselves from a threat. When a German Shepherd’s ears are pricked, they are alert, engaged, and listening to every sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pricked or upright ears are the basic shape of a German Shepherd’s ears inherited from his wild ancestor, the wolf.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m often asked why my German Shepherd looks like a wolf, especially by young children as I pass them by on my walk. Check out this article, Why Do German Shepherds Look Like Wolves<\/a>? to find the answer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, when a German Shepherd puppy reaches about 20 weeks, and when they are coming to the end of the teething phase, their ears should stand up. Often there is variation each day, and some days the ears (either one or both) may remain down before consistently standing upright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This time may be dramatically different in each dog and<\/strong> may occur sooner than 5 months or may take as long as 8 months in some cases.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here’s a picture of my German Shepherd showing her cute floppy ears at 12 weeks. It took a couple more months before they fully stood up nice and pointy. Puppies’ pointy ears can look huge until they eventually grow into them!<\/p>\n\n\n Unfortunately, on occasions, some German Shepherd’s ears will remain floppy, some will have one ear up while the other stays down, and occasionally one or both ears may remain only halfway up. Entirely floppy-eared German Shepherds are rare, and it is more common for them to have partially floppy ears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Related:<\/strong> German Shepherds Ears Meaning: 4 Examples with Pictures<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through proper breeding strategies, this can be somewhat controlled, but there are still some other factors that can determine whether your dog’s ears will stand up or remain floppy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earlier, I referred to the German Shepherd breed standard concerning their ears. The below quote is from the American Kennel Club:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Ears are moderately pointed, in proportion to the skull, open toward the front, and carried erect when at attention.” <\/em><\/p>\nAmerican Kennel Club<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Remember, though, that the breed standard is just a guideline that describes the ideal characteristics and appearance. Therefore, as long as you are not a breeder or wish to show your dog, I wouldn’t worry too much if your pup’s ears remain floppy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some dog breeds, such as the Beagle, English Cocker Spaniel, and Poodle, have floppy ears. In the late 1800s, the English geologist and biologist Charles Darwin concluded that: <\/p>\n\n\n\n “The incapacity to erect the ears is certainly in some manner the result of domestication.”<\/em><\/p>\nNPR: Why Dogs Have Floppy Ears<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Here’s a fascinating animated video that explains why some dog breeds have floppy ears and how scientists believe centuries of domestication is the cause:<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"German](\"https:\/\/worldofdogz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Why-Do-German-Shepherds-Have-Pointy-Ears.webp)
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Why Do Some Dog Breeds Have Floppy Ears?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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