The big ear debate...lol

[Sherry Lynn]

If, by chance, they don't stand, just be sure to keep inside the ear clean.

I also have Shelties, and their ears fold down. I learned the hard way that they are prone to ear infections. Since I've learned to keep them in check I haven't had any problems. I guess its sort of like the 'out of sight out of mind' theory...

[Care28]

LOL, Julz, I'll try that! I'm trying to teach her what 'no' and 'stop that' means right away...even lowering my voice some so it doesn't sound like I'm praising her, and she just looks at me like I have three heads, lol. I know she's young and it's a process, though.

I will try everything mentioned here, as well as keeping her ears clean. I definitely don't want her to have infections of any kind.

[Deber]

Just wanted to add another thing. Though its easier to get ears to stand while the pup is young you can work with them for a long time after that. I foster rescue dogs on occasion. Got a yorkie mix about 1 yr old. Both ears were 1/2 up and Vet said that after 6 months they prob. would not stand. Figured why not try! I cleaned, then shaved, then taped her ears and left them for a week. Both ears stood. I had to tape them a few more times but only the one that fell and only for a few days. Both finally stood and she went to her new family with both ears up. If the ears are not too thick and you are persistant you can get them up. 10 wks is NOT too late at all to start. Good luck (but I agree the floppy ears are so cute). I decided with my own yorkies I wanted them to stand and taped the ones who needed it but it was a personal decision on my part..course I would have loved them either way..cause they are my babies!

[Care28]

Deber, thank you so much for your input! I'm really glad I went ahead and posted here instead of just letting the issue drop and not trying. I'd love for her ears to stand just simply so she can avoid any undue health issues, but if they don't that's just fine and I'll keep them clean and take care of them for her. I think she looks ADORABLE with them floppy, lol.

[LittleMsScruffy]

Wow is nice to hear a story about ears standing up at 1 year old. My baby is 10 months and her ears are totally floppy. I thought we had not hope in getting them to go up. My husband LOVES them down but I was hoping they would go up. She's cute either way though.

Yaremis

[ROXIE]

Roxy's ears didn't stand for a while, I actually thought they were going to stay floppy. I took her to the groomer and the grooming place said they were going to "tip" her ears, which just means shave the tips of the ears, when I went to picked her up from being groomed I was shocked to see her ears were standing and they've been standing ever since

[txshopper73]

I've always had ears that stuck straight up. With this litter, I wanted to get them up faster instead of waiting to do it on their own. I shaved the inner and outer ear and trimmed all the way around the ear. Folded it up like a taco and taped them. Left it up and took the tape out next day. They're still standing and it's been almost a week.

[lilfoot]

Zoe has floppy ears and has no trouble with ear infections...she will be 3 next week...now Lizzy (her 4 month old daughter) has standing up ears and has had 3 infections....go figure!

[crystalsmom]

correction on my previous post: I use the Wahl men's mustache clippers. I like them
because they are small. I think they are still available at Target and Wal mart

[Jan L.]

Another method is to cut out the shape of the ear from a brown bag,like a grocery bag, glue it to the inside of the ear with eyelash glue. Be sure to leave air space to the ear canal. Do this after trimming the hair.
Oh yea, I find it easier to do all this ear & nail stuff after the pup has been playing a long while and is sleepy.

[SnowWa]

At 4 months, I just scissor cut a little hair off my Yorkies ears - they went up and have stayed up every since. (I really don't think that the little bit of hair I removed had much to do with it). My pup's ears had been going up and down all along - and they eventually went up and stayed up.

Carol Jean

PS: After looking at a lot of pictures posted, I think most Yorkie's ears do go up. I don't see many adults with floppy ears.... a few, but not a lot.

[SnowWa]

Of course, when my Yorkie was a pup, I thought his floppy little ears were as cute as can be. I really didn't care if they ever went up. But, after looking at hundreds of Yorkie pictures -- I am glad they did go up. I think it makes him look more like a Yorkie. I see a few adult Yorkies with floppy ears, but not many. And - to be honest, they don't look quite as "Yorkyish" to me. But, if my pup's ears hadn't gone up - I'd just have a floppy-eared Yorkie that I adore!

Carol Jean

[LIL MIS' MAGIC]

Sailor's ear have gone up and down since she was little...for a long time they were both down and then one went up and one stayed down, then both down again and now after she is a year, she has one back up and the other is down!! We did shave her ears since she was little, but never taped...we just let her ears do what is natural for them and over time they have settled with one mostly up and one all the way up!!! It is never to let to try something....