It is difficult to imagine the joy of the owners when a small fluffy lump with ears-flaps fluttering on the run appears in the house. But time passes, and the freshly baked owners of a funny bouncing creature with dangling ears have a question about a breed like a German shepherd: at what age do such puppies get ears? In most animals, this process occurs naturally, but there are situations when the dog needs help.
Natural term
The period when the ears of the German Shepherd arise is from three to five months of age. It is very important that the puppy receives a sufficient amount of calcium, phosphorus, vitamins, and biological substances. It is necessary to apply various top dressings, which, in addition to strengthening the skeletal system, contribute to the normalization of stiffness of the ear cartilage. In addition to specialized additives, experienced dog breeders and veterinarians recommend adding small portions of ground chalk to the baby’s food. Bone meal, fish and dairy products must be present in the diet.
Ear care
In addition to proper feeding, what time the ears of the German shepherds get up depends on the proper care and behavior of the owners. Surely many saw puppies in which one ear remains "lying" or somewhat set aside. Sometimes this happens due to a crease in the cartilage. To prevent such a nuisance, it is necessary that during regular examinations the veterinarian carefully examine the ears in search of weak spots in the cartilage. If such problems are found, the doctor will suggest ways to solve them. In order to quickly wait until the ears of the German Shepherd stand, you must strictly adhere to the recommendations of a specialist.
Prevention
Preventive strengthening of cartilage muscles - massage. To do this, regularly need to carefully massage the auricle with the fingertips, providing a rush of blood and improving blood circulation.
To rather wait until the ears of the German shepherd stand, you can often attract the attention of an animal with various sounds. This will make the ears tense, which will naturally fix them in an upright position. Of course, this will take a lot of time, but the result is worth it. You can engage in such sound exercises with a dog from a very young age.
In general, care must be taken to keep the auricles clean and healthy. If redness, inflammation, soreness are noticeable, an ear tick appears, an urgent need to deal with the treatment of the animal.
Priming
If the time when the ears of the German shepherd has risen has already passed, but they do not look like the adult dogs of this breed, you can try to resort to the so-called method of wrapping.
First of all, for this procedure, it is necessary to rid the ear from the inside of the hair with scissors and a razor. After that, use alcohol or cologne applied on cotton or a cotton pad to remove grease and dirt from the surface. For safety, you need to close the animal’s ear canal with a cotton swab. The weakened part of the ear must be maintained in an upright position by gluing a band-aid onto the treated part. At this point, a blank of hard cardboard cut in the shape of an ear should be prepared. To avoid damage, the corners should be rounded. Glue is applied to the cardboard and the workpiece is firmly pressed to the adhesive plaster on the animal’s ear. Wrap masking tape around the entire ear , right on top of the growing coat.
You do not need to remove this design - over time, when the ears of the German shepherd get up, the adhesive tape will peel off on its own, without causing animal discomfort.
If the dog tore off the construction itself, you will have to repeat it all over again. On average, a dressing should last about two weeks. Ideally, one such procedure should be enough to achieve a result. However, sometimes it is necessary to repeat winding.
Surgery
In the most extreme cases, you can resort to the help of surgeons. After consultation with the veterinarian, an implantation operation may be prescribed. This will give the opportunity to get a dog that looks externally standards.
Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that if by the age of eight months the ears of the animal have not acquired their intended appearance, the thoroughbredness of the puppy can be challenged. This issue can be discussed with the breeder, sometimes you can correct the situation with a balanced diet.
In most cases, when purchasing a puppy from purebred producers, the health and beauty of the animal depends only on its owner. Proper nutrition, maintaining excellent physical shape - this is the key to appearance that meets the standards of this breed. Careful adherence to the recommendations of the breeder and veterinarian, a balanced diet, competent care - this should ensure that every dog owns his dog. If you had to resort to tricks to "set up" your ears, you cannot throw an animal after the procedure. Regular massage and firming supplements will not allow the problem to arise again.
It must be remembered that animals are our constant friends who love us faithfully and wholeheartedly. And we, as has long been known, are obligated to take care of those who are let into our lives.