New Ideas About Puppies And Ears – Making Them Better

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186 – February, 2024

By Dr. Carmen Battaglia

Every breeder wants their puppies to have ears like the ones described in their breed’s standard. They want this because they know that a dog’s ears influence their overall appearance–not just in size, but in position and shape–and more often than not, they produce the characteristic look that represents the recognizable traits of their breed.

With that said, AKC requires breed standards to describe the seven traits of conformation (ears, head, neck, front, back, rear, tail). More specifically, breed standards are expected to describe the position, size, length and shape of the ears and whether they stand erect, point forward, are short, long, hang down, have folds, etc. Dogs whose ears do not conform to their breed’s standard are faulted by judges in the show ring. Most will not be bred and the males will not become important stud dogs. Thus, it is a mistake to ignore the ears of a pup when they are young and still in their formative stages.

In many breeds, it is common place for breeders to crop, tape, wrap or glue the ears of their puppies to ensure that they develop correctly. Methods vary by breed and some are not always successful. The important thing about a dog’s ears is that it is a trait that can be easily noticed, even by the novice. Many breeds such as:Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, Bully breeds, some Mastiff breeds, Cane-Corso, Beauceron, Manchester Terrier, Schnauzer and others crop the ears of their pups between 6 and 12 weeks of age. This is the recommended age because the ear cartilage has already begun to harden and adopt its permanent shape. It is also the age when puppies are capable of enduring anesthesia safely. While there are many methods and techniques used to manage a puppy’s cropped, wrapped or glued ears, some new ideas have come to light that can help breeders improve their chances of developing the preferred look and appearance. This is all done while the puppy is young and still growing.

Click here to read the complete article
186 – February, 2024

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Posted by AnthonyA on Feb 19 2024. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.