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May 01, 2025

My 5 month old shepherd still has completely floppy ears, they sometimes stand for a few seconds but then drop. Should I intervene or give him more time?

Full Question:

Hi Cindy,
I would not have dreamed of asking you this question but I read an article that Ed wrote about it, so thought it may be a valid question.
My 5mo shepherd still has both ears down completely. They stand up but flipped at top occasionally when alert for a few seconds but then drop. They didn’t stand up before teething either. How do I know when teething has finished? Is it when the baby teeth have all come out or when adult teeth have fully grown? Should I intervene at this age or give it a little more time? His baby teeth appear to have come out but his adult teeth are still quite small, he had a bad start before I got him, nutrition wise, but is on super good food since having him, has been wormed but wasn’t before getting him. He appears healthy in all ways, but his ears a flop, literally

Cindy's Answer:

If his ears have never stood then it's not as likely they will stand on their own at this point. It's not impossible but if he's a German Shepherd, our experience is that if the ears never stood in the past they usually don't come up.

Teething is complete when all the adult teeth are grown in, usually around 5 ½ to 6 months of age. Genetics are the biggest predictor of whether ears come up or not. We have noticed over decades of breeding GSDs that soft, floppy ears or ears that go up and down run in some bloodlines.

If you are concerned I would suggest intervening in the next couple of weeks, to see if supporting the ears via taping will help.

User Response:

Thanks heaps, I've been thinking to but kept telling myself it was too early, I will do it and give them their best shot :)

Cindy's Answer:

You're welcome, good luck!

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