The Ups and Downs of Ears

We often get asked: When do the puppies ears go up and stay up? One of the distinguishing features of the Dutch Shepherd and German Shepherd are the erect ears. Ears can go up as early as 3-4 weeks old but they tend to go back down. It is completely normal for the ears to go up and down before they finally stay up. One day both ears will be up and the next day both or one can be down and vise versa. As the pup grows and develops, the cartilage strengthens and the ears stay erect. There is no need to be concerned until the pup is 6-7 months old and the ears are not staying up. There are things that can be done to encourage the ears to go up and stay up. The ears tend to go down while the pup is teething so chew toys relieve teething pain, strengthens jaw muscles, strengthens neck muscles, and strengthens head muscles. Introducing new sounds encourages the ears to go up and helps strengthen the cartilage. There are some theories of providing the pup with supplements to help the ears go up and stay up. We do not use supplements and feel you should consult your vet before any supplement is given to the pup. If the ears are still not up by 7 months old, consult your vet as there are some things that can be attempted to get those ears to stay up. So be patient with those ears and they will eventually stay up for you!